RICH FIDLER - Sunday, February 19, 2006
The United States finished their stateside set of friendlies with a crushing defeat of Guatemala at Pizza Hut Park on a cold and blustery February afternoon in Frisco, Texas.
The Americans got goals from four different players on a night when Bruce Arena handed several players their first-ever caps.
Brad Guzan and Zach Wells split goalkeeping duties in their international debuts, while DC United defender Bobby Boswell also earned his US stripes late on.
Ben Olsen opened the rout in the 38th minute when he blistered a stunning shot from 35 yards to beat Guatemalan goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez, who was making his international debut in net.
The strike was Olsen's first goal since November of 2002, breaking a four-year drought for the DC United midfielder.
Houston target man Brian Ching would extend the lead just seconds from the halftime whistle when he settled a looping cross from Chris Klein to fire home.
Eddie Johnson, who was traded from FC Dallas to the Kansas City Wizards last week, entered the match at halftime in place of new teammate Josh Wolff.
The striker entered to the cheers of his former club fans and he immediately made an impact in the match.
In the 47th minute, Johnson used his blazing speed and power to sneak through three defenders, and with the outside of his right foot, snapped the ball in to the back of the net from just outside the six-yard box.
Klein would add his own name to the scoresheet in the 71st minute, when a corner kick bounced around the box before settling for the Real Salt Lake midfielder at the top of the penalty area.
He stung the ball right his trusty right foot, blasting it past defenders and the goalkeeper alike.
The US will now take a break from their domestic camp as Arena prepares for a European friendly against Poland on March 1 at the Fritz Walter Stadion in Kaiserslautern, Germany where the coach is expected to name a mainly European-based roster.