Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 30 March 2017
U.S. soccer rebounds with 4 points in 2 qualifiers under Arena

RONALD BLUM games left. We win our September, then closes Seeking its eighth straight started in Wood’s place,
AP Sports Writer home games and don’t the next month with a World Cup berth, the U.S. hurt an ankle. Both cen-
PANAMA CITY (AP) — take another point, we’re home game against Pana- opened the hex with a 2-1 tral defenders left Friday’s
Omar Gonzalez looked re- on 13. In past years that ma and a road match at home loss to Mexico and game early,
lieved as he spoke in the should get you to the Trinidad. a 4-0 flop at Costa Rica, Geoff Cameron with a
tunnel underneath Estadio World Cup,” goalkeeper The third-place team had prompting the USSF to fire muscle strain and John
Rommel Fernandez. Brooks because of a sinus
Last in the standings with infection. Midfielder Sebas-
a 0-2 record last week, tian Lletget came off with
the United States jumped a foot injury expected to
to fourth with a 6-0 rout sideline him for four-to-six
of Honduras at home fol- months.
lowed by a difficult point A defensive four that had
earned in a physical 1-1 never played together
draw at Panama on Tues- faced Panama: Graham
day night. Zusi on the right, Gonzalez
“Well, we wanted to creep and Tim Ream in the cen-
up the table, and I think ter, and Jorge Villafana on
we did that these past 10 the left.
days,” the 6-foot-5 center “I’ve been very encour-
back said. “We showed a aged by what I’ve seen
lot more camaraderie. We over the last 10 days,” Are-
showed a team spirit that na said. “It’s going to take
maybe we haven’t seen in some time to piece that
a long time, and so I think team together.”
we can build off this.” At 38, Howard returned
Mexico leads the final United States goalkeeper Tim Howard, center, grabs the ball during a 2018 World Cup qualifying from a leg injury and re-es-
round of North and Central soccer match against Panama, in Panama City, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. tablished himself as the No.
America and the Caribbe- Associated Press 1 goalkeeper.
an with 10 points, followed Clint Dempsey returned
by Costa Rica with seven, Tim Howard said. “We obvi- 15 points four years ago, 16 Jurgen Klinsmann and after an irregular heart-
Panama with five, the U.S. ously plan on taking some in 2009 and 2005, 17 in 2001 bring back Bruce Arena, beat sidelined him from
and Honduras with four points.” and 14 in 1997. who coached the Ameri- August until March, and
each, and Trinidad and To- Play resumes June 8 when “We’re not going to qualify cans from 1998-2006. the 34-year-old forward
bago with three. the U.S. hosts Trinidad, most in seven games,” U.S. Soc- Injuries caused three pro- scored four goals in the
The top three nations in the likely at Commerce City, cer Federation President jected starters to drop two games to move within
hexagonal qualify for next Colorado, and the Ameri- Sunil Gulati said. out before training camp one of Landon Donovan’s
year’s World Cup in Russia, cans start the second half “So we’re back on good opened: midfielder Fabian American record of 57.
and the No. 4 team ad- of their schedule three footing. We gained ground Johnson, right back De- Three of those goals were
vances to a playoff against days later at Mexico. The on everybody other than Andre Yedlin and forward set up by 18-year-old Chris-
Asia’s fifth-place nation. U.S. is home against Costa Mexico, and Mexico right Bobby Wood. Jordan Mor- tian Pulisic, already the
“We’ve got three home Rica and at Honduras in now is an outlier.” ris, who likely would have best American player. q

Venus’ opponent Thursday points before Williams she made her debut in 9-44 against top-10 players,
Miami Open night will be No. 10 Johan- closed out the victory with 1997 and won the title in and became the first Ital-
na Konta, who became a backhand winner. 1998, 1999 and 2001. She ian man to reach a semifi-
Cotinued from Page 17 the first British woman to It was a matchup of of- lives 90 minutes north in nal at Key Biscayne.q
reach a semifinal at Key fense against defense, Palm Beach Garden and
Her younger sister, an Biscayne by beating No. 3 with Williams more aggres- considers the tournament
eight-time Key Biscayne Simona Halep 3-6, 7-6 (7), sive and charging the net her hometown event.
champion, is out with a 6-2. when she could. She was the oldest wom-
knee injury. But their fa- “She’s living the dream,” “Sometimes I didn’t quite an to enter the draw but
ther and coach, Richard, Williams said. “I’ve got a get it over that line, but I hasn’t been taxed physi-
is attending a tournament dream too.” kept going for it,” Williams cally, winning every set in
for the first time in nearly a No. 2 Karolina Pliskova will said. “I was aggressive, her four matches.
year after battling health play No. 12 Caroline Woz- and that’s when I play my On the men’s side, Fabio
issues. niacki in the other semifi- best.” Fognini became the first
He watched the quarterfi- nal. Kerber stayed rooted to unseeded player in 10
nal in the photo pit along Williams has enjoyed a re- the baseline and was on years to reach the men’s
the baseline. surgence this year, reach- the defensive even when semifinals at Key Biscayne
“My dad is one of the loves ing the Australian Open she served, facing 13 when he beat 2016 run-
of my life and the reason final before losing to her break points and losing ner-up Kei Nishikori 6-4,
I’m here in this game,” Ve- sister. She took charge serve five times. 6-2. The 29-year-old Fog-
nus told the fans, who re- against Kerber when the She’ll remain No. 1 next nini, who matched his best Angelique Kerber, of Ger-
sponded with cheers. German double-faulted week despite her loss. She showing in an ATP Masters many, returns a shot against
Later she added, “He has on the final two points reclaimed the top rank- 1000 event, will next play Venus Williams, of the United
always loved popcorn. We of the opening set, and ing this month after Indian the winner of Wednesday States, during a quarterfinal
always ate popcorn to- broke serve twice more Wells, replacing the side- night’s match between match at the Miami Open
gether when I was a child. early in the second set to lined Serena Williams. Rafael Nadal and Jack tennis tournament, Wednes-
day, March 29, 2017, in Key
That’s a great childhood pull away. Venus improved to 61-13 Sock. Nishikori was seeded Biscayne, Fla.
memory.” Kerber saved four match at Key Biscayne, where No. 2. Fognini improved to Associated Press