COLUMBUS, Ohio — Like a car starting in the dead of winter, the U.S. men’s national team took a while to warm up on a crisp Columbus evening.
It wasn’t as frigid as many feared. Coach Gregg Berhalter even called the atmosphere “optimal.” But it was cold. Although afternoon snow flurries had subsided by the time Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against El Salvador kicked off at Lower.com Field, the wind chill was 25 degrees. Those aren’t ideal soccer conditions, but it’s what the Americans expected and embraced when selecting cold-weather venues for two home dates during this critical qualifying window. Sure, the hosts might be uncomfortable. The Central American visitors, hopefully, would be miserable.
The Salvadorans, several of whom were wearing leggings and long sleeves under their all-white uniforms, didn’t wilt. But they didn’t muster much of a threat either, and after failing to connect the dots during a frustrating first half, the favored U.S. finally found the goal it needed. Left back Antonee Robinson did the honors, lifting the Americans to a vital 1–0 victory that keeps them a single point off the top of Concacaf’s Octagonal standings. The win was a fair reflection of the home team’s clear superiority. And the close final score was a fair reflection of both its lack of precision in the attacking third and El Salvador’s refusal to yield.
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