The Mike Bradley Show

Deported! U.S. 2, Mexico 0

Michael Bradley, once again, showed that there isn't any neptotism behind his selection to the U.S. national team, as his brace led the U.S. to a 2-0 thumping of CONCACAF rivals Mexico in the first match of the final round of World Cup qualification at Crew Stadium on Wednesday.

Bradley smacked home an rebound in the 43rd minute and then added another from distance in injury time to drive the stake through Mexico's heart. The first goal was set up by a corner kick that was headed to the six by Landon Donovan and then put on frame by Oguchi Onyewu. Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez made the initial save but Bradley was on the doorstep to put it away. Mexico went down a man in the 65th minute after captain Rafael Marquez challenged U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard in the air, making no attempt to play the ball and cleating Howard in the thigh. Although noticeably limping, Howard stayed in the match.

The next qualifier for the U.S. will be March 28 in El Salvador.

TYH's Patriot of the Pitch©: Michael Bradley

MATCH REPORT

TEAM	1st half	2nd half	Final
USA	1	1	2
MEX	0	0	0

Scoring:
USA - Bradley 43.
USA - Bradley (Donovan) 92+.

Lineups:
USA: 1-Tim Howard; 2-Frankie Hejduk, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 15-Heath Pearce; 8-Clint Dempsey, 4-Michael Bradley, 16-Sacha Kljestan (13-Ricardo Clark, 86), 7-DaMarcus Beasley; 10-Landon Donovan, 11-Brian Ching (9-Jozy Altidore, 83)

MEX: 1-Oswaldo Sanchez; 2-Aaron Galindo, 3-Carlos Salcido, 4-Rafael Marquez (capt.), 5-Ricardo Osorio; 6-Leandro Augusto, 12-Alberto Medina (15-Antonio Naelson, 60), 8-Pavel Pardo; 11-Carlos Ochoa, 10-Nery Castillo (14-Israel Martinez, 34), 17-Giovani dos Santos (9-Omar Bravo, 72)

Misconduct Summary:
MEX – Marquez (ejection) 65.
USA – Howard (caution) 67.

STATS	USA	MEX
Shots	10	9
Shots OG	5	3
Saves	3	3
Corners	5	1
Fouls	26	16
Offside	4	3

Showdown in Ohio!

Sorry to be M.I.A. (and I'm not referring to the pregnant pop star) lately, life is getting in the way but there's a big match tonight in Columbus. Maybe you heard.

Expected Starting line-up:
GOALKEEPER: Howard
DEFENDERS: Bornstein, Bocanegra, Onyewu, Wynne
MIDFIELDERS: Beasley, Bradley, Kljestan, Dempsey
FORWARDS: Ching, Donovan*
*I'd love to see Jozy as a second-half sub, if he doesn't start.

And here's the complete roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton)
DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Marvell Wynne (Toronto)
MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönch.), Ricardo Clark (Houston ), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus ), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca)
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Xerez CD), Brian Ching (Houston), Charlie Davies (Hammarby) Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Bayern Munich)