U.S.A. vs. Cuba

So Olympic qualifying started yesterday. And in case you haven't heard, the U.S. is off to a flying start. It took only 11 minutes for the U.S. to strike first. And they didn't let up after the first goal. The final tally ended up 6-0. Joe Corona scored 3 for the U.S., our own Freddy Adu scored on a rifle shot, and Juan Agudelo notched the final U.S. scored goal. Cuba also scored an own goal.

So will the U.S. just waltz through Conacaf qualifying? Well, it certainly helped that Cuba was down to 10 men last night. But the offensive firepower that the U.S. displayed was certainly impressive to behold. And it can only grow from here. Cuba was on their heels last night, and it wasn't only due to being down a man. The U.S. looked strong in attack and possession. Passes were crisp and on target, crosses looked beautiful. The U.S. had attacking balls going into the box from all over the pitch.

So where does the U.S. go from here? Clearly the Olympics are a must. If the U.S. does not qualify for the Olympics, especially after the offensive display of last night, than this year is a bust for U.S. international soccer. The real question is not will they make the Olympics, it is what will the U.S. do once they get there? I think the future looks good for international soccer.

Will they win a medal in these Olympics? That has to be the question. After last night's display, the U.S. has to be the favorite coming out of the Conacaf. And how will they fare against Europe? Only time will tell. But if the U.S. can play with the same offensive cohesion and firepower, they have the potential to go far in the Olympic tournament. Even medal. The European powers will of course be very tough to beat. But they shouldn't sleep on the U.S., especially with the firepower of MLS stars like Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo, and Freddy Adu.