Dempsey returns to roots in last game of CONCACAF Cup

He began his pro soccer career at Gillette Stadium.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Clint Dempsey returns tonight to the stadium where he began his pro career before emerging on the world soccer stage.

His MLS rookie of the year award with the New England Revolution in 2004 was just the start.

Last year, he was the only American to score at the World Cup in Germany.

He joined Fulham in January and last month scored his first goal for his new club in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool that helped keep Fulham in the Premier League for next season. Now, he’s back as part of the U.S. team that wraps up group play against El Salvador tonight in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

His return to Gillette Stadium will be “weird,” he said Monday, “but also it’s a good feeling as well because it’s good to be back. I had good times with the Revs. The fans always treated me well, so it’ll be nice to go back to familiar stomping grounds.”

Dempsey scored 25 goals in 71 games for the Revolution.

Last Thursday, he scored the only goal in the United States’ opening 1-0 over Guatemala in Carson, Calif.

Fan-tastic

Most fans at that game rooted for the visitors.

In Foxborough, where the majority of spectators back the Americans, the U.S. team is 14-1-4 with 10 shutouts and is unbeaten in three matches against El Salvador.

“It’s nice not to have that to worry about,” U.S. forward Landon Donovan said of the crowd.

Donovan set up Eddie Johnson last Saturday with the second goal in a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago that clinched a berth in the quarterfinals.

Guatemala, tied with El Salvador for second place in the group, faces Trinidad and Tobago in Tuesday night’s second game in Foxborough.

Johnson has a right knee sprain that coach Bob Bradley doesn’t think is serious.

The United States is 12-1-4 against El Salvador.

“When we play Guatemala, that’s their World Cup final,” Donovan said. “When we play a young Trinidad team, that’s their World Cup final. When we play El Salvador tomorrow, that’s their World Cup final.”

Bradley thought his team should have scored two more goals in its last game.

“Against Trinidad, I don’t think that we did a great job moving off the ball,” Bradley said.

It’s important to be “in the right position faster so the movement is right when, as a player is receiving the ball, there’s already people in position for the next play.”

Young roster

Midfielder Pablo Mastroeni will be available Tuesday after completing his three-game suspension for receiving a red card against Italy.

Defender Oguchi Onyewu can play after serving a one-game suspension for a red card in the Gold Cup opener.

Bradley has a relatively young roster.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that are getting experience.” Donovan said.

“We can’t keep carrying that [inexperience] with us and keep it in our back pocket as an excuse if things don’t go well. We have enough guys here who know how to make a difference.”

The United States is 3-0 against El Salvador in Gold Cup matches, with a goal differential of 8-0. But the last meeting was four years ago.

“They may look at everything and feel that a tie is going to be enough for them to look good as far as moving on,” he said.

“They may just say in order to be sure of things we need a win and I think that would obviously dictate their tactics.”