Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Thursday 7 sepTember 2017
Wood equalizing goal gets US out of Honduras with 1-1 draw

By RONALD BLUM trap and shot.
AP Sports Writer “Sometimes in a game
SAN PEDRO SULA, Hondu- like this you have to score
ras (AP) — The legs were scrappy,” Morris said. “Was
heavy and the tension kind of just trying to keep
high in the 85th minute at the play alive.”
Estadio Olimpico Metro- After he chested the ball,
politano, where exuber- Wood let it bounce and
ant fans had been cheer- poked it in with his right
ing and blowing vuvuzelas foot from 4 yards. The sta-
nonstop. dium quieted in shock. Pre-
The United States was los- viously well-behaved fans
ing to Honduras in a World threw horns and liquids at
Cup qualifier played in the Americans as they ex-
searing late-afternoon ited the field.
tropical heat, just a few “Just kind of expecting it
minutes from falling into to land right in front of me
a deep hole that would and it did,” Wood said.
jeopardize the Americans’ Arena made seven chang-
streak of seven straight es to his starting lineup, say-
World Cup appearances. ing Europe-based players
Bobby Wood then silenced were not fully fit just weeks
the crowd, scoring from United States’ Bobby Wood, 9, controls the ball before scoring his team’s first goal during a 2018 into their club seasons and
short-range off a scramble World Cup qualifying soccer match against Honduras in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Tuesday, Sept. were unprepared for the
following a free kick. The 5, 2017. heat: 93 degrees with high
U.S. escaped from Hondu- humidity at kickoff. Wood
ras with a 1-1 tie Tuesday. The top three nations in uncertain of qualifying. Quioto regained it and fin- entered in the 73rd min-
“Huge point. Great point,” the six-team group qualify Before Wood’s goal, they ished,” Arena said. ute and scored his ninth
U.S. captain Michael Brad- for next year’s tournament might have put themselves Just as in Friday’s 2-0 home goal in 34 international
ley. “In a lot of moments in Russia, and the fourth- in position to fight for a loss to Costa Rica, the U.S. appearances.Players said
it has nothing to do with place finisher meets Aus- playoff spot at best. mounted few dangerous the grass was long and
football. It’s about finding tralia or Syria in a playoff “I was thinking we might chances. spongy. Barbed wire sepa-
a way to survive and deal- for another berth. The U.S. have an early vacation at That changed when Chris- rated fans from the running
ing with everything that hosts Panama on Oct. 6 at the end of this year,” U.S. tian Pulisic, the Americans’ track that surrounds the
gets thrown at you, having Orlando, Florida, and fin- coach Bruce Arena said. emerging 18-year-old star field in a stadium does not
a group that can hold up ishes four days later at Trini- Quioto put the Catrachos midfielder, was fouled have any scoreboards.
in the toughest moments.” dad. ahead when he ran onto a about 30 yards from the As the exhausted Ameri-
Playing from behind after “We knew what type of pass from Alexander Lopez goal and Kellyn Acosta took cans walked onto the
Romell Quioto put the Ca- spot we were in. We knew just inside the 18-yard box the free kick. Goalkeeper team bus, they felt a sense
trachos ahead in the 27th we needed at least one and broke in when defend- Luis Lopez made a sprawl- of accomplishment but
minute , the U.S. dropped point,” Wood said. “We er Omar Gonzalez made ing save to bat the ball knew two tough qualifi-
to fourth in the North and knew we started bad. We only a slight touch on a with his left hand. It landed ers remain.“The door for
Central American and Ca- weren’t mentally there. We crucial slide tackle. Left near the end line, and Matt Russia, there’s not even
ribbean region with nine let off an easy goal, but with an open 11-yard shot, Besler beat Johnny Pala- a crack open right now,”
points, but more impor- we knew we just needed the Houston Dynamo’s cios to the ball and while Arena said. “There’s a lot
tantly remained ahead of one goal and that would Quioto beat goalkeeper falling backward hooked it of work to be done to get
Honduras on goal differ- change everything.” Brad Guzan with a shot that in the air to Jordan Morris at to Russia.”Notes: The State
ence with two qualifiers Wins in the final two games bounced in off the far post, the edge of the 6-yard box. Department in Washington
left. Panama moved into would ensure a World Cup causing fans to stomp and Morris outjumped Henry said it couldn’t speculate
third place when it beat berth, but for the first time shake the stadium. Figueroa and sent a back- on whether Syrian players
last-place Trinidad and To- since 1989 the Americans “He just kind of like fell ward header to Wood, would be eligible for U.S.
bago 3-0. will head into their finale over the ball a little bit and who made a nifty chest visas.

Froome loses time in brutal Spanish Vuelta climb

LOS MACHUCOS, Spain seconds of his overall lead, three days. Of course it’s lead with four stages left. even harder.
(AP) — Chris Froome lost which now stands at 1 min- never nice to lose time, but The route from Villadiego to “I had super super legs to-
some of his Spanish Vuelta ute, 16 seconds over Vin- I still feel good. Los Machucos was one of day,” Denifl said.
lead in a brutal climb that cenzo Nibali of Italy. Wilco There’s just three days left the most challenging in the “I paced myself until today
challenged riders in a 17th Kelderman of the Nether- and I hope we can get the three-week Vuelta. and I went all in. I just kept
stage won by Stefan Denifl lands is third, more than two job done.” Riders had to deal with on pushing. The climb was
of Austria on Wednesday. minutes behind Froome. Three-time Vuelta winner many steep climbs and fast perfect for me.
Froome, coming off a com- “It’s still a good position to Alberto Contador, who is descents through narrow Now I’ve won a stage at La
fortable time-trial victory on be in,” said Froome, who is retiring from cycling after roads, including the ruth- Vuelta. It’s amazing. It’s the
Tuesday, was struggling as seeking his first Vuelta title. this year’s Vuelta, thrived less final hill which brought best day of my cycling life.”
he rode up the steep Los “I think we always knew in the final climb to earn a them to a near halt as they Thursday’s 18th stage will
Machucos hill at the end of today was going to be a second-place finish. tried to manage slopes take riders 169 kilometers
the 180.5-kilometer (112.1- though final and it certainly He made up more than a with a gradient of up to 26 (105 miles) from Suances to
mile) stage. was. minute on Froome, but re- percent. Santo Toribio de Liebana.
The Tour de France winner I am feeling good and we mained fifth overall, more Rain and mist during parts The Vuelta ends Sunday in
finished 14th and lost 42 look forward to the next than three minutes from the of the route made things Madrid.q