U.S. 8, Barbados 0

6/15/08
barbados
By Max J. Dickstein

U.S. 8, Barbados 0

Photo credit: Game Face

CARSON, CA - JUNE 15: Goalkeeper Alvin Rouse #1 of Barbados can't react fast enough to a deflected ball directed into the net by Brian Ching #11 of the USA (not in picture) during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match at the Home Depot Center on June 15, 2008 in Carson, California. USA defeated Barbados 8-0. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

The United States ended a 287-minute scoring drought with an eight-goal gale against Barbados in its opening match of World Cup Qualifying in Carson, Calif., Sunday. But the 8-0 win, as impressive as it was, should not be viewed as much more than a positive training exercise for the later rounds of qualification.

Barbados, with a population just over 280,000 (about the same as Newark), placed 121st in the latest FIFA world rankings. The U.S., by comparison, has a population over 300 million and is currently ranked 21st. The teams’ only other meetings came in August and November of 2000, when the US won 7-0 and 4-0, respectively.

It was no surprise, then, to see little resistance from the Caribbean side as the Americans attacked in numbers from the opening whistle. Within the first minute, forward Clint Dempsey took a lofted pass from captain Carlos Bocanegra in the box and nutmegged goalkeeper Alvin Rouse for the opening goal. Brian Ching provided a bookend in the 89th minute when he scored the team’s eighth and final goal while completing his own hat trick.

Barbados, at times, played like a high-school squad. In fact, Landon Donovan’s bit of trickery in the 59th minute — he forewent the referee’s usual measuring of 10 yards on a free kick to sneak a shot past Rouse, who was naively still setting up his wall — was a play my own high school team used to great effect against our more oblivious opponents.

So dismal is the state of soccer in Barbados, it seems, that the Barbadian Football Association has placed a want ad for players on its official site.

Think you’ve got what it takes to suit up for the 121st-ranked team in the world?

— Andrew Keh
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