Honduras is not as poor as Grenada, so as expected, the U.S. encountered a few more difficulties in the 2-0 victory Wednesday night. But overall I thought it was another exceedingly positive performance from this makeshift group.

Against an opponent that actually applied pressure on the ball, the play was a bit ragged at times. But with Kyle Beckerman taking charge in the midfield, and Robbie Rogers always providing an outlet down the left side, the U.S. was able to get up the field and look threatening throughout the game.

The U.S. back line was split open once or twice on the counter but remained fairly composed. Chad Marshall in particular was outstanding. Right back Steve Cherundolo also put in a good shift, though he didn't have as many opportunities as Heath Pearce for overlapping runs, given Santino Quaranta's penchant for drifting toward the middle.

Once Bob Bradley removed Logan Pause and Freddy Adu -- the two worst players on the night -- the rest fell into place, as substitute Charlie Davies was able to stretch the Honduran defense even further and Benny Feilhaber added that last bit of creativity in the midfield. The final 20 minutes was a massacre.

For his part, Adu appeared over-eager to impress, continually running down blind alleys. In what turned out to be his final match of this tournament, thanks to a (supposedly) pre-arranged agreement with Benfica, he simply tried to do too much. It's tough to say how much these two games hurt his standing with Bradley, but they certainly didn't help.

Nevertheless, the U.S. has showcased its depth in this competition so far, and with a place in the next round virtually assured, Bradley can continue to test out different combinations Saturday against Haiti and expect similar results.

Running with the Devils

Anyone completely bowled over by the news of AC Milan's signing Oguchi Onyewu hasn't been paying close attention to the plight of one of Europe's biggest clubs. The Italian giants are in dire financial straits, even after selling Kaka to Real Madrid, and have become bargain hunters in the transfer market, seeking out loan deals and free transfers.

Onyewu's out-of-contract status made their eyes light up, as did his play in the Confederations Cup. As I mentioned in this space last week, Onyewu was the U.S. player earning the most rave reviews from the Spanish and Italian papers, so the move wasn't all that surprising.

He definitely represents an upgrade over some of the players Milan was trotting out at the position last season, like Philippe Senderos and Giuseppe Favalli. There are certain aspects of Serie A he might struggle with, but overall, I think he will do fine.

And the fact that Alessandro Nesta arrived for preseason training this week healthy and raring to go is actually a good thing. If Nesta's back holds up, it will mean less playing time for Onyewu, as Thiago Silva is expected to pair with Nesta, but a better Milan will create a much more positive atmosphere for Onyewu to settle in.

Since this will be my final chance to blog before David Beckham makes his much-anticipated MLS season debut against the New York Red Bulls on July 16, I just wanted to reiterate my position that forcing Beckham back here to play the rest of the 2009 campaign makes no sense.

If recent comments by certain L.A. Galaxy teammates are any indication, the hostility from the fans is nothing compared to the frosty reception he will receive in the locker room. Beckham's return will bring plenty of attention, but for all the wrong reasons.

Given my luck with predictions lately, Beckham will probably play the best soccer of his career, rediscover his love for America and decide to see out the remainder of his deal with MLS. But more likely, I believe, we are headed for a very awkward few months.

Podcast

For those of you wondering, this week's U.S. soccer podcast can be heard here.