(Paul Kuharsky, The Tennessean, 05.24.06)

NASHVILLE — Plenty of words described the U.S. National Soccer Team’s effort Tuesday night against Morocco at the Coliseum.

Jagged. Choppy. Disjointed.

None of the terms are the sort the group wants stamped on its luggage en route to Germany for the World Cup.

In front of 26,141 in the first of a three-game Send-Off Series, the team swallowed a 1-0 loss on a goal in the final minute of play.

U.S. Manager Bruce Arena credited Morocco’s game plan and execution, but said his team was a bit tired from over-training, contributing to the uneven play.

“We’re training for June 12 (against the Czech Republic) not for May 23rd,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll see a game that looks like this one in the World Cup.”

A late surge by the U.S. saw Landon Donovan and Eddie Johnson denied on quality scoring chances by goaltender Tarek El Jarmouni.

Then Morocco counter-attacked into wide-open spaces. American defender Steve Cherundolo had possession about 20 yards from Keller’s goal and could have put the ball out of bounds. Instead he lost it to Bouchaib El Moubarki.

El Moubarki circled, waited and found streaking teammate Mohamed Madihi on the left side. From six yards out and wide of the goal, Madihi put the ball over helpless goaltender Kasey Keller, who went low in front of him.

“I just took a bad touch and they took advantage of it unfortunately for us,” Cherundolo said. “Mistakes are a big part of this game and those are not allowed to happen at this level.”

Midfielder Bobby Convey nearly pulled the U.S. to a 1-1 draw in the four minutes of stoppage time added to the end of the game, narrowly missing a 22-yard direct kick that hit the right side of the netting of the goal.

“Our opponents played a better game than us,” Arena said. “They had a definite game plan and their objective was to keep the U.S. team off the scoreboard and they certainly accomplished that.

“They shortened the game with fouling, delaying, which is all fair and within the rules of the game. And then they caught us at the end of the game with a mistake and got a goal. I think they would have been very happy 0-0.”

Arena applauded the atmosphere for the National Team’s first appearance in Tennessee. The Coliseum’s lower bowl was nearly full, with only small gaps in two corners, and fans also filled much of the club level on the West side. The second and third decks on the East side served as patriotic stripes of empty seats that happened to be red and blue.

Enthusiastic fans wore U.S. Soccer shirts or jerseys of teams they play for. Others waved flags and tooted horns. “USA” chants broke out when the home team flashed good spurts. A good share of fans stood for much of the match.

Moroccan fans held their own in the noise department – banging drums throughout and breaking into song. 

The first half featured few solid scoring chances, but things improved for the Americans after Arena went from four defenders to three in the second half, adding Cherundolo to the midfield.

Donovan fed Josh Wolff for one close-range chance fired right at the keeper and substitute forward Eddie Johnson’s header off a corner kick flew two yards wide of the top left corner.

Keller was hardly challenged until the end as the U.S. finished with a 13-5 advantage in shots.

Morocco’s packed-in defense was somthing the U.S. should have solved, forward Brian McBride said.

“Mentally I think that game is something where we just have to figure it out a little better,” he said. “We weren’t sharp, we didn’t play extremely well, we didn’t pass the ball well for that matter.

“But it’s one of those games you realize, ‘We’ve got to think of something else to try to break them down.’ We probably didn’t do that well enough.”