Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies are too young to remember the last time the United States missed soccer's World Cup. But they're big reasons why the U.S. could close in on a sixth straight berth with a victory tonight at Trinidad and Tobago.
"We have a lot of pace. We're young guys with a lot of energy," Davies said. "It's definitely helpful. I think it definitely brings a lot to the team."
Davies is 23, born four days before Diego Maradona and Argentina beat Germany to win the World Cup in 1986 -- the last time the Americans failed to qualify.
The United States (4-2-1) has 13 points, second behind Honduras on goal difference and just ahead of Mexico and Costa Rica (each 4-3, with 12 points). The top three teams in the CONCACAF finals will automatically qualify for the 2010 World Cup, and the fourth-place team will advance to a one-match layoff.
Bob Bradley, the coach of the U.S. team, seems to have found his forwards of the future in Davies and Altidore, the 19-year-old who leads the U.S. in scoring.
Altidore scored his sixth goal in qualifying late in the first half to put the U.S. ahead to stay in Saturday's 2-1 win over El Salvador. He and Davies celebrated with a brief combination of dance moves and low-fives that seemed to break down in laughter.
"They give us a physical dimension -- the speed, the strength -- to keep defenses on their heels," Bradley said. "I think both are improving in terms of the understanding between them and also the overall sense of how to play within the team. It's progress for sure."
The promise of the two showed Saturday. Altidore scored the winner and had another goal waived off in the second half because of a foul. Davies applied pressure for most of the game before leaving with a bruised left calf in the 71st minute. Davies had one shot off a pass from Altidore almost reach the net before a defender kicked the ball away at the last minute and also had a nice crossing pass to Clint Dempsey, who shot wide to the left.
Dempsey was on target in the 41st minute with the tying goal off a free kick from Landon Donovan, who set up Altidore's go-ahead goal two minutes into stoppage time.
Donovan, the U.S. career leader in goals and assists, has two new targets.
"If you take it upon yourself to get into a good spot, he'll find you," Altidore said.
Altidore rejoined the team last week after a successful debut with England's Hull, getting an assist and goal.
Davies had a breakthrough season last year in Sweden with 14 goals and moved to Sochaux of France's first division this summer. He had two goals in qualifying, including the only U.S. score in a 2-1 loss at Mexico last month.
So far, the pairing up front has shown potential.
"We're hopeful that this can continue to be something that we can build upon," Bradley said.
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