Zip_ME87

Congrats to Wil Trapp, Dillon Serna, and U.S. U23s on 6-1 win over Cuba guaranteeing a spot in semifinals.

Lighting was beyond atrocious. Had a tough time picking out our players (silhouettes) on far side. Don't know how they had enough light to stream. Worst referees I've seen in a long time. Mostly didn't call anything when they did it was stupid. Gave Robby Dambrot a hard time over his shin guards. Almost cost us a goal when they didn't allow Richie back on the field timely and we were playing down a man. Miserable weather. Really happy to get out of there with this one. Tough schedule for next 2. Travel today. Play Santa Clara Tuesday at home. Travel Thursday to Buffalo play Friday. Glad we have 8 days between Buffalo and NIU. Great meeting you TennZip. Hope you have a good journey home.

3-1 USA final.

3-1 USA on PK by Luis Gil for take down of Jerome Kiesewetter in the penalty area

Canada scores in the 81st minute, USA lead cut 2-1.

Goal Jordan Morris 73'. USA 2 CAN 0 Wil Trapp with the perfect long chip pass to Morris.

1-0 USA at half.

US Captain Wil Trapp (#6) and Dillon Serna (#7) starting. Morris scores 35 sec in for USA!

Thanks. Perhaps Belana is the 6th. Although, Wil Trapp asked me about and then commented he liked Soares during the Wake Forest match.

After the Penn State match last night, I came to the conclusion I was wrong about the trip to UCSB this season. I still think the Gauchos owe us a visit to Akron, and I hope they will come next year or within the next few years. But, the timing of this one was not over burdensome on our players, as I feared it might be. I think it was a good change of scenery at a good time. Of course, I heard that the travel was flawless...flights on time, etc...which was a huge help to making the trip successful. Of course, we were all pleased with the result, but I was happy to hear last night that it was a good change of scenery of which they took advantage, including a team trip to the beach. When I mentioned to one of our current players that USCB will always be special because we won our National Championship there, he said something to the effect...Yeah, there was a sign in our locker room 'Home of the 2010 College Cup'. Seeing that, we all felt we had to find a way to win there knowing that was the Zips' National Championship.

Another example of the crap referees in MLS. I love Wil Trapp, but a pk should have been called when he pulled on Darlington Nagbe's jersey/shorts then rolled over his legs without getting any ball, all in the penalty area. I was there, and it was obvious when it happened. The ref was in position and had an easy view to make that call but didn't. Approximately 34 seconds into video. Oh well, the Timbers went on to win 2-1, but again, Darlington gets nothing for his effort on that one. EDIT: Darlington did get an assist on the Timbers' first goal.

I know we have a "Zips in Pro Leagues" thread, but I thought this deserved its own. Best wishes to Wil Trapp, Dillon Serna, and the US U23 MNT. If they qualify, we could have a number of Zips representing the USA in Brazil 2016. Although DeAndre Yedlin has been getting time with the full USMNT, he is age eligible for the Olympic Team (birthday Jan 1, 1993 or later, I believe) and would not count against the 3 older players allowed on the actual Olympic Team. http://www.ussoccer.com/us-under23-mens-national-team/matches Group Play is: Oct 1 v Canada 9 pm ET Oct 3 v Cuba 5 pm ET Oct 6 v Panama 9:30 pm ET TV coverage doesn't look good. Hopefully, there will be some way to watch online if nothing else. I think the finals and semi-finals take place in Salt Lake City Oct 10 & 13. CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying On a side note, the Zips' Shawn Barber will likely represent Canada in the Brazil 2016 Olympics.

Thanks @MarkS. Glad you were able to get there. I know how much our guys appreciate anyone who comes out to support them, especially so far away. I appreciate the Gauchos fans from 2010, but I was put off a little in 2011 when I mentioned it would be nice to see them return our visit then by the Gauchos coming to Akron in 2012. Their fans gave me the usual, oh we can't go to Akron, Ohio, yada yada, yada. Feels great to beat them! The trip also appears to have been good for our guys. I hope they can carry that into the Penn State match on Wednesday at home.

Does anyone know if Robby Dambrot even traveled. He took himself out of the WFU game with what appeared to be the flu. Whatever happened and why, I'm glad the coaches tried out some changes. I know our team is deep with talent and very happy to see it put to use. Maybe the change of scenery was a help too As far as Soares, I liked his play at Georgetown then he got the concussion. Glad to here he looked good last night. Good player. Great win. Hope our fans realize and show up for Penn St.

Really? How does that happen in Akron!

That would be great. Happy to host if they're up to the trip.

I don't recall blaming you in any of my posts for scheduling this match or personally throwing tortillas. I didn't ask you to comment on my original post which was blaming our coaches for scheduling a long trip that doesn't buy us anything and stating it was especially stupid given that UCSB hadn't returned our trip from 2011. Also, it doesn't matter what anyone is targeting or how bad their accuracy, it's hazardous to be throwing anything onto the field during play, especially from high up in the stands. BTW, funny, how the throwing inaccuracies favored landing near Akron players. Given the Zips' schedule this year, I don't believe our RPI will hurt UCSB, and I wouldn't complain anyway if you really expect to draw 8,000 tomorrow night.

Thanks Dave. I realize the tortillas are soft but many of them were coming from high up in the stands. Unfortunately, even engineers at NASA forgot that kinetic energy is 1/2 x mass x velocity squared. [shuttle Columbia was lost because it was thought that a very light piece of foam couldn't do significant damage.] Also, not sure how even a soft tortilla in one's eye might feel. As I said, I don't mind the UCSB tortilla celebration after a goal. In fact, I think it's pretty cool. But, don't throw anything AT players. I don't understand why the referees allowed it. I don't want Gaucho Mike to get the wrong impression. I like UCSB. I just think that if we're willing to make that trip, they should man up and be willing to counter. Come in September or early October. The Fall colors are beautiful in Ohio and the weather is comfortable for playing soccer. I don't expect anyone to come in November like UCLA is doing. But, I give UCLA every credit for not only taking the challenge of playing on our pitch but also that late in the season.

@DiG, @fknbuflobo I've used up my 2 likes for the day, but I agree.

I haven't forgotten anything about 2010. I appreciated your hospitality while we were there, and you have a beautiful campus and good fans. However, I was also there in 2011, and watched you guys throw your tortillas AT players during the run of play. I don't get that. No problem with your tortilla celebration but not throwing them at players during play. It was a rough midweek trip that isn't worth it during the regular season, especially when you don't have the courtesy to return the visit. You're being happy that Akron is visiting doesn't mean anything to me. Have some courtesy, and balls, like UCLA, and come to Akron. EDIT: BTW, UCSB benefits from Akron coming to UCSB much more than Akron benefits from the trip. If your 8,000 materialize, which they didn't in 2011, you will bring in some serious revenue besides playing a ranked team that is not nearly as rested as your team on your field. The only benefit Akron gets is RPI bump.

Ok 3 games in 9 days. If we played UCSB in a multi-game trip to Cali, ok, but it's stupid to travel to UCSB for 1 game especially when the panzies won't come to Akron. There are teams much closer to us that would be of more value on our schedule. I'll always have a special place in my heart for UCSB since we won our National Championship there, but that doesn't keep me wanting to go there for a 1 game trip during the regular season.

When former players like Wil Trapp attend a match like last night, I would hope the coaches ask for their thoughts on what they see. Perhaps they do. Wil Trapp's would definitely be well worth getting.

It's not just the defending of the midfield. It's the way that the midfield transitions the play from the back line forward to build up the attack. It's sloppy and the errant passes and poor choices of where to go are enabling too many easy counterattacks.

Actually, yes. I overheard one of them talking to his parents about a potential issue with a test he had scheduled today I think, and he had found out they were leaving earlier than originally planned due to some issue with the flight(s). I was happy to hear they were going to get to Cali earlier than planned to regenerate after the long flight, but forgot about the potential issue(s) with class work. Point is that it is an unnecessarily long trip to be taking sandwiched between 2 other games. Pick a midwest or east coast school, a bus ride or short plane trip away. EDIT: By the way, it's 3 games in 8 days. (edit2) + 4.5 hour plane flight + a 2-hour bus ride from LAX to Galeta, CA + a 2-hr bus ride back to LAX + 4 hour plane flight home, assuming non-stop flights (+ bus rides to and from CLE).

Disappointing to say the least. Wake Forest showed up to play, and the Zips were missing much of the first half. Our midfield looked horrible, making errant passes, allowing too much penetration into our backfield, not switching the field, giving the ball away, and then becoming overly aggressive as frustration set in. When the Zips get the ball wide, there's often no runs into the box...oftentimes there's no one there to send the ball into. I don't understand the lack of switching the field. Oftentimes, the Zips try to press through the ball through multiple defenders up the line when there are open guys on the opposite side of the field. One would think with the great teams we've had in the recent past, studying film from 2009 and 2010 would be a requirement. If it is, there seems to be few, if any, lessons learned from it. I thought this team had been showing greatness early. (I didn't see the ODU game.) We seem to be regressing, and it doesn't get any easier. Wake Forest absolutely deserved the win last night. They were the better team, and congrats to them for being ready to come into Akron and get the W. There's a lot for these Zips to work on starting with how in the H@ll to stop giving up so many goals. I think last season's goals against average was <0.70. These guys have more experience and some added help. What's going on? I think our midfield is as much to blame as anyone for giving up all of these goals, and they need to take a hard look at fixing their play. With all of that said, I still love this team and believe they have the talent to go far. But, they have to find the desire, the drive.