FanHouse CONCACAF

This much is simple for the U.S. national team's Saturday night 2010 World Cup qualifier at Honduras. If the U.S. leaves San Pedro Sula with three points, then it automatically qualifies for next June's World Cup in South Africa. Anything else? Well it's so confusing that the U.S. Soccer site has established a scenario generator to run through all the possible outcomes.

It's also known that a) the U.S. is stepping into a tricky road environment in a country in the midst of a political crisis, b) the U.S. won't have midfielder Clint Dempsey and c) the game will not be seen in America except for select closed circuit establishments.

Ever since he burst onto the worldwide scene at the 1994 World Cup thanks in part to his unmistakable fiery red goatee and flowing locks, Alexi Lalas has been one of the Apostles of spreading the world on U.S. soccer.

In the 15 years since the U.S. announced its ambition on the world stage, Lalas has witnessed the gradual steps as soccer awareness in America has slowly crept from the fringes, edging closer to the mainstream.

So when his brother Greg decided to host a soccer-themed film festival -- Kicking & Screening -- earlier this year in New York, he jumped at the chance to help. And when Greg Lalas decided to host another event next week in Washington, well, Alexi Lalas was going to be there to both help his brother and help spread the gospel of soccer.

For fans of the U.S. national team clamoring for midfielder Clint Dempsey to move from the right side of midfield to the right side of the bench, well, they've gotten their wish, though the circumstances aren't exactly ideal.

Dempsey has been ruled out for Saturday's 2010 World Cup qualifier at Honduras due to a shoulder sprain. Dempsey picked up the injury in the closing minutes of Fulham's 2-2 draw Sunday vs. West Ham United. His status for next Wednesday's final qualifier vs. Costa Rica in Washington is still unknown.

Whichever side of the fence you fall on in the matter of Bob Bradley coaching the U.S. men's national team, there's one thing both his supporters and detractors can agree upon -- the man is consistent.

Thursday Bradley selected his 22-man roster for the upcoming CONCACAF 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Costa Rica. There is little, if any, surprise in the players Bradley recalled for the crucial games, which will determine if the U.S. qualifies for South Africa automatically.

As of right now, the Oct. 10 CONCACAF World Cup qualifier between the U.S. and Honduras still has the green light from FIFA to be played in San Pedro Sula, even though the Central American nation is a state of political turmoil.

Wherever the match is played, Honduras manager Reinaldo Rueda brought in a a first-choice squad, which could pose some problems for the U.S. who will qualify for South Africa with a win. Honduras, would guarantee a place if it beats the U.S. and Costa Rica loses to Trinidad & Tobago.

In the wake of Mexico's 3-0 demolition of Costa Rica on the fast turf of Saprissa late Saturday night, fans of El Tri ought to be grateful coach Javier Aguirre doesn't have the same policy for playing young players as his U.S. counterpart Bob Bradley.

After spending most of the summer worrying whether or not if Mexico would get out of CONCACAF World Cup 2010 qualification, El Tri are squarely back in the mix for one of the region's three automatic spots thanks to 20-year-old rising star Gio Dos Santos.

As if Wednesday's hotly anticipated U.S./Mexico showdown at the Azteca Stadium didn't already have enough prematch buildup, Mexican midfielder Andres Guardado did his best to fan the flames by making a bold prediction. Monday the Deportivo La Coruna player not only predicted a win by El Tri, but told Goal.com that it would come by a 3-0 margin.

Guardado and the rest of the Mexican camp have plenty of reason to be confident for Wednesday's crucial 2010 CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in light of a 5-0 win over the U.S. at Giants Stadium last month in the Gold Cup final, even if the U.S. fielded a secondary 'B' lineup.

In the grand scheme of things, the first five matches for the U.S. national team in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup haven't had all that much long-term significance. That, however, changes Sunday afternoon when the U.S. meets with rival Mexico at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to crown the tournament champion. (Fox Soccer Channel, 3 p.m.)

It doesn't matter so much that when that most of the players contesting Sunday's final won't be around come Aug. 12 when the teams meet again in Mexico City for a crucial 2010 World Cup qualifier. This is still U.S. vs. Mexico, the most heated rivalry in the region regardless of the starting XIs.

For the second straight match in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. national team is breathing a major sigh of relief. Trailing by a goal at the half, the U.S. rallied for a 2-1 win over Panama Saturday night in Philadelphia in extra time to advance to the semifinals.

A week after needing a stoppage-time cracker from Stuart Holden to salvage a 2-2 draw with Haiti, again the U.S. left it to be decided late. Saturday night Kenny Cooper was the hero, placing a 104th-minute penalty kick just inside the left post and past diving Panama keeper Jamie Penedo.

With two wins already in the books during the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, for all intents and purposes there wasn't a whole lot riding for the U.S. in their final Group B match Saturday night in Foxborough, Mass., against Haiti.

For about 92 minutes, though, it looked like the U.S. might have some major egg on its face. But with about a minute left, Stuart Holden cracked a wonder strike from outside the penalty area into the upper right corner of the net to save the U.S. some major embarrassment and salvage a 2-2 draw, winning the Group in the process. It was his second goal in as many games during the tournament, which are also his only two full senior level international appearances.