CONCACAF refs suspect in U.S. win

The U.S.national team defeated El Salvador 2-1 in a match that ended up a bit of a nail biter, thanks to yet another display of ineptitude by the CONCACAF referees.

After conceding a goal in the 32nd after a poor clearance by Jonathan Bornstein and than weak marking in the box, the U.S. scored in the 41st and 47th minute (first-half injury time) on goals by Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore. Both goals were set up by Landon Donovan who had a terrific night orchestrating the U.S. attack.

The Honduran referee Jose Pineda and his crew correctly called on side the U.S. first goal, as Dempsey began his run closer to midfield, but El Salvador coach Carlos de los Cobos and a few players surrounded the refs at halftime to complain. There were a number of U.S. players who were in an offside position on the play but none took an active role in the goal and therefore culd be ruled to be passively offside. It was the right call. But instead of sticking to their guns, Pineda and his assistants buckled like belts to the pressure, calling it tight when El Salvador attacked and swallowing their whistles on the other end.

The most blatant example was in the 58th minute when Altidore scored his second goal of the night but it was inexplicable waved off. It wasn't offside. DThere wasn't a foul on Dempsey's assist. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Yet, a flag went up and Jozy was denied his seventh goal in qualifying. Honduras, by the way, now leads qualifying thanks to goal differential

Qualifying resumes next Wednesday, as the U.S. travels to Trinidad & Tobago.