Chivas...more USA than you would think: Heath Pearce, Part 2...

• By John Santos, Chivas USA Examiner

2008 saw Heath Pearce as the most capped players on the national team with 11 appearances.  7 of those coming during the first 7 World Cup Qualifiers and all as a starter.  The future looked bright for Pearce as the Left Back of the future as 2009 kicked off.  With that, so too did the CONCACAF Hexagonal (aka the Final round of World Cup Qualifying).  Up first in qualifying was a familiar opponent in a familiar setting.  Mexico in Columbus, Ohio.  Pearce would go the full 90 as he and the US would win the day by the all too familiar scoreline of 2-0. 

The following month saw the script flipped as the US travelled down to El Salvador for the next World Cup Qualifier.  Where many had predicted a cakewalk for the US, they found themselves down 1-0, 15 minutes into the match.  The US looked outplayed throughout long stretches of the match and would eventually go down 2-0 with less than 20 minutes remaining. 

Advertisement Even though they were able to mount a comeback and finish at 2-2, the match itself had left a bad mark on the defensive line.  Particularly on Peace, who was dropped from the starting lineup.  While he did make the roster for that years Confederations Cup team, he did not see a second of action as the US went on to finish 2nd in the tournament.

With the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup though, Pearce was thrown a lifeline.  Being scheduled to start only days after the end of the Confederations Cup, most of the US 1st team was given time off.  As he was well rested to begin with, he was named to the roster for the tournament where he would participate in 5 out of 6 matches as a starter on route to the Final.  Unfortunately, the Gold Cup Final was marred in a devastating 5-0 loss to Mexico.  Pearce would go on to sit out the rest of the year.

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