Posted by Luke Cyphers and Doug McIntyre
A little less than a year ahead of a noisy World Cup, a little more than a month removed from an historic Confederations Cup and just in time for the last mad dash in the CONCACAF hexagonal qualifier for South Africa 2010, we've decided to start a blog covering the U.S. national soccer team. Why? To bring American soccer fans, both casual and card-carrying, more coverage of an exciting era in the sport's history, as Yanks are making waves internationally like never before. We'll update you with news, analysis and exclusive access at least once a week, and much more often as events dictate. Along the way, feel free to send comments and tips to us here:
ESPNUSSoccerblog@gmail.com.
Vets out for revenge in Mexico
The minds of American fans and players are on the same date (Aug. 12), place (Mexico City) and goal (winning at Azteca for the first time) right now. But as that crucial (for Mexico, anyway) and long-awaited World Cup qualifier draws nearer, it's hard not to think about what happened July 26 in the Gold Cup final, when Mexico demolished a group of American understudies, 5-0. After that game, U.S. coach Bob Bradley and veteran forward Brian
Ching insisted the lopsided loss would serve as motivation for the rematch, even though Ching might be the only U.S. player to see action in both games.
Apparently they had a good feel for the pulse of the A team. After talking with national team regulars Ricardo
Clark, Frankie
Hejduk and Jonathan
Bornstein, two things are clear. Everyone watched the debacle on TV, and now they're extra-motivated for revenge. "We want to respond," Clark says. "I'm looking forward to it a lot, man."
As Hejduk explains, the reaction to a blowout is the same, whether or not you were on the field that day. "You want to be able to play that team again as quick as possible," he says. "We're fortunate to have that opportunity. On top of that, we've never beat Mexico in Mexico. So that's an extra little bit of motivation there."
To read about how the U.S. has reacted to Mexico's running up the score, a key lineup decision for Bob Bradley and how club success might affect DaMarcus Beasley's role with the national team, you must be an ESPN Insider. 
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