Beasley Ends Long Road Back With Breakout Game

It had been nearly 16 months to the day since DaMarcus Beasley last scored for the United States, and in that time the veteran midfielder had gone through one of the most difficult challenges of his career.

Beasley tore his posterior cruciate ligament in a collision with VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Raphael Schafer in a Champions League match for his club team, Glasgow Rangers on Nov. 27, 2007.

It was the first major injury of Beasley's career, and what followed was a six-month journey back to the field -- including four months of rehabilitation with U.S. national team trainer James Hashimoto in Delaware and in Scotland with Rangers.

And though Beasley returned to the field for the first time in May for Rangers, starting and playing 75 minutes in the Scottish Cup final, and then returned to the U.S. lineup in a friendly against England days later, the winger had struggled to find the form he displayed before the injury.

"It's funny because you think you're doing a good job but you know you're two steps behind," Beasley said. "And you can see it and you can feel it. But at the same time it just takes time."

So for Beasley, who scored twice last night for the United States in its 6-1 win over Cuba in a World Cup qualifier at RFK Stadium and was a threat on the left side throughout the match, last night's performance marked yet another satisfying step in his extended recovery.

"As an attacking player you want to put the ball in the back of the net and I haven't done that in a while with Rangers or with the national team," Beasley said. "So it was a good feeling to do that tonight."

Beasley made his presence known almost immediately in the match and showcased the quickness and awareness that has made him a stalwart in the U.S. midfield since 2002.

After the United States had missed two early chances, it was Beasley who finally broke through for the Americans.

The 26-year-old made a slashing run into the box and was rewarded when midfielder Sacha Kljestan jumped on a poor header by a Cuban defender and slotted a pass through finding Beasley on the run 10-yards out and setting up his curling shot far post that put the United States up 1-0. The goal was his first for the national team since scoring two goals on June 12, 2007 in a 4-0 win over El Salvador.

Twenty minutes later, Beasley again timed a run perfectly and was picked out alone in the box on a cross by Landon Donovan. Beasley peeked and saw that the goalkeeper wasn't yet approaching, calmly chested the ball down and side volleyed it home to double the U.S. lead.

"Credit to the boys, they're always behind me," Beasley said of the scores. "Sacha and Landon played me two great balls."

Beasley continued to wreak havoc along the sideline, setting up Donovan on an opportunity late in the half and nearly getting a hat trick when he found himself alone with the goalkeeper in the 60th minute.

And his perfectly placed left-footed cross to the far post in the 63rd minute set up Kljestan's header that Brian Ching nodded in as the ball crossed the goal line.

The performance was a return to form that didn't go unnoticed by his teammates who had watched Beasley work back since the England friendly six months prior.

"DaMarcus played like DaMarcus," defender Oguchi Onyewu said. "I know it's been awhile since he scored a goal but there you go. He is dangerous at any given moment. And he can finish with both feet."

And for Beasley, who said the knee is not yet 100 percent, the game was an indication that he is finally nearing full health.

"It wasn't more so me lacking confidence just getting into games and playing," Beasley said. "I mean, I always had confidence in myself, but at the same time just getting sharper with the ball, first touch, second touch, playing and seeing things quicker, everything's got to be better. And I felt that everybody today did pretty well."