UNITED STATES pair Geoff Cameron and Maurice Edu took giant steps towards qualification for the 2014 World Cup Finals in Brazil on Tuesday evening . . . after they helped to secure a vital 3-1 victory over Guatemala.
The win at the Sporting Kansas Stadium secured the US a spot in the final round of CONCACAF qualification, having finished top of their Third Round qualifying group ahead of Jamaica, Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda.
Tottenham Hotspur star Clint Dempsey stole the show for America with a well-taken brace after defender Carlos Bocanegra had levelled matters in the tenth minute following a surprise Guatemala opener at Livestrong Park.
Cameron impressed again in the starting eleven for the hosts, earning him praise from boss Jurgen Klinsmann, who feels the 27-year-old is already showing signs of development since his move to the Britannia Stadium in the summer.
“We are very, very pleased with Cameron’s development,” the Germany legend said. “He came in for the first time in January camp and I was impressed by him.
“He told me: ‘I want to go to Europe. I want to make it.’ I told him what it takes to get there and what to do. He’s a very hungry kid.”
He added: “I think he still has a lot of room to improve, but playing in the Premier League day in, day out will form him. It gives him another level to become even better.”
Cameron has cemented himself as a first team regular under Klinsmann over the past 10 months, featuring in each of their last eight internationals, four of which have been crucial World Cup qualifiers.
The US are next in action next month when they travel to Russia for an international friendly ahead of the fourth and final round of qualifying which commences in February next year.
Six nations, America, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and Honduras, will be vying for the three automatic qualification spots for the World Cup Finals, whilst the team which finishes fourth in the group will undertake a two-legged affair against the winner of the OCEANIA qualification campaign.