Noonan Helps National Team to Gold Cup Title
7/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
July 27, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Former Hoosier All-American Pat Noonan helped the United States National Team to its third CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Ballwin, Mo., native appeared in three matches for the U.S., while making two starts. The U.S. defeated Panama, 3-1, in penalty kicks to claim the title on July 24 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The U.S. National Team claimed the top spot in the opening round, Group B, of the Gold Cp with a 2-0-1 record. In fact, the U.S. improved to 18-0-1 all-time in group play at the competition.
Noonan started the final two matches of Group B play for the U.S. at the forward position. The national team opened Gold Cup play with a 4-1 victory over Cuba on July 7. Noonan sat out the match after sustaining an injury during training for the competition. He made his first appearance in the Cup as a starter against Canada on July 9. The U.S. defeated its neighbor to the North, 2-0, on a pair of second half goals.
Noonan nearly put the U.S. on the board in the opening moments of the match. The three-time IU All-American sent a header off a corner from Landon Donovan, just wide of the back post.
The U.S. got on the board against Canada thanks to an own goal in the 48th minute. John O'Brien attempted to cross the ball into the penalty area, but a Canadian defender, attempting to clear the ball, headed it into his own net.
Noonan nearly doubled the score three minutes later. The 2004 MLS Scoring Champion sent a chip over the Canadian goalkeeper, who was playing out, but the ball hit off the crossbar.
He again had a golden opportunity in the 60th minute of play. Fellow New England Revolution teammate Steve Ralston launched a free kick from the right flank that Noonan sent outside the right post on a header. Noonan came off in the 81st minute as substitute Chris Armas came on.
The U.S. iced the match against Canada in added time. DaMarcus Beasley hit Donovan with a cross in the box that Donovan finished, giving the Americans a 2-0 win.
Noonan got the nod at the forward spot against Costa Rica as well. The two teams played to a 0-0 tie after both squads entered with perfect 2-0 marks in Gold Cup play on July 12. The U.S. won Group B by virtue of a goal differential of five compared to Costa Rica's difference of three.
After not seeing action in a 3-1 victory over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, Noonan provided a spark off the bench for the national team against Honduras in the semifinals. The U.S. overcame a 1-0 deficit in the final five minutes of action to win, 2-1.
"It was a good win for our players," said U.S. Manager Bruce Arena following the win over Honduras. "They played exceptionally well in the second half. Give Honduras credit. They capitalized on a mistake and produced a goal out of it. We weren't our best in the first 10 or 15 minutes of the game, but we played quite well after that. We knew at halftime the adjustments we had to make. We had planned to bring in (Pat) Noonan and (Clint) Dempsey, and I think they did a good job to help us. Obviously, they were great goals by John O'Brien and 'Gooch. Overall, it was a good win."
Noonan came on as a sub up top for Josh Wolff in the 63rd minute and the U.S. trailing 1-0 to Honduras. He provided an instant spark, nearly helping the U.S. tie the match in the 71st and 83rd minutes. On the first chance, Noonan had his header off a cross from Donovan saved by the Honduran goalkeeper. Noonan nearly got Donovan back 12 minutes later. O'Brien sent a cross that Noonan headed back to Donovan, but his header at the Honduran goalkeeper was stopped on a good reactionary save.
The U.S. finally knotted the match in the 86th minute as O'Brien toe-poked a ball just inside the right post. It was O'Brien's first national team goal since the 2002 World Cup against Portugal.
With seconds remaining in stoppage time, the U.S. scored the game-winner on a set piece. Donovan curled in a free kick from the right side that saw a streaking Oguchi Onyewu head the ball off the crossbar and in. It was the first come-from-behind win for the U.S. since the 1991 Gold Cup. That year, the U.S. scored in the 85th and 87th minutes to defeat Trinidad & Tobago, 2-1.
The U.S. went on to capture its third Gold Cup in penalty kicks, 3-1, over Panama. U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller saved Panama's first attempt in the shootout period before Santino Quaranta, Donovan and Brad Davis scored for the U.S. to ice the shootout.
Noonan sat out the Panama match after a rough tackle in the Honduras match. Noonan injured his foot during the early part of training for the Gold Cup.
Onyewu, Beasley and Donovan were named to the All-Tournament Team, while Keller and O'Brien were named Honorable Mention.
Players Mentioned
