Dos a cero. It’s a
score that USA fans are getting used to when they face rivals Mexico.
And it might be a result that kick starts a US side that has
struggled since their promising World Cup performance in Brazil last summer.
Jurgen Klinsmann has been criticised for his unstable squad
selection but deserves praise for finding Stanford sophomore Jordan Morris.
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| Morris scored his 1st goal in his 3rd game |
Stat Attack:
v
Jurgen Klinsmann is now unbeaten in six games as
USA boss against Mexico (3 wins, 3 draws).
v
This was the eighth time since 2000 that USA v
Mexico has ended 2-0 to the Americans.
v
Jordan Morris is the first college player to
play for USMNT since 1995.
v
The win over Mexico was USMNT’s second victory
in nine games.
v
Agudelo hadn’t scored for the USA since notching
the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Argentina four years, two weeks and six days
ago.
Captain Bradley:
At 27 Michael Bradley is already 96 caps into his
international career and it is clear Jurgen Klinsmann has decided that he is
the man to lead his side for the foreseeable future.
Bradley was heavily criticised following USMNT’s 3-2 defeat
against Denmark when the US were overrun in midfield playing a flat four with
Gyasi Zardes wide and Alejandro Bedoya centrally.
Since then Klinsmann has played his captain at the point of
a midfield diamond and looks to have finally found a system that works for his
squad.
Bradley led from the front following Jozy Altidore’s red in the 1-1 draw in Switzerland and was involved in both goals against Mexico.
Working well:
Jurgen Klinsmann:
Next up for Klinsmann’s side is a trip to face the
Netherlands, who finished third at last year’s World Cup, but have had mixed
results since then.
Images courtesy of Jeff Golden, Bongarts and Martin Rose, with thanks.
Bradley led from the front following Jozy Altidore’s red in the 1-1 draw in Switzerland and was involved in both goals against Mexico.
Working well:
Jordan Morris:
This is a name you may be seeing lighting up USMNT matches
for years to come if last night’s performance is anything to go by.
The Stanford sophomore and Seattle Sounders academy product
has not turned professional yet, but made his first start for his country last
night and scored the opening goal.
On just his third international appearance he looked lively
throughout and was confident enough to attack the Mexican defence every time he
got on the ball.
He capped it off with the opener, latching onto a Bradley pass and calmly firing home beyond Mexico goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo.
What a night. What an honor it is to play for @ussoccer! Great fight and great team win. God is good! #USAvMEX
— Jordan Morris (@JmoSmooth13) April 16, 2015
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| Klinsmann is unbeaten in 6 v Mexico |
It was a bold move to give Morris his full debut in such a
high profile and competitive match, but Klinsmann again showed his bravery and
was vindicated.
Although his side have not been in vintage form of late, his
unbeaten run against Mexico has now stretched to six matches – three wins and
three draws.
Some of the criticism in recent weeks has been fair but
perhaps that is also a sign of what is expected of the US team now, a culture
Klinsmann has helped breed.
With another win in an important game, perhaps this will
give the national side the impetus they need ahead of the Gold Cup where they
enter as favourites alongside the Mexicans.
Must do better:
Start as you mean to
go on:
Although the US recorded a now familiar 2-0 win over Mexico,
it took some sloppy second half defending to open the scoring and a rasping
long range effort for the second.
Some would argue punishing mistakes and moments of magic is
what international football is all about, but having the ability to open teams up
from the off is equally important.
Much of the first half was spent in a central third battle
and speculative efforts were all USMNT could muster – with none finding the
target.
The only time Gyasi Zardes was able to find space in the
first 45, the pass was over hit and the chance was gone for the frustrated LA
Galaxy forward.
“@ESPNFC: #DosACero #USAvMEX pic.twitter.com/7TnPkgZnav”never gets old
— Jose Feliciano (@BmoreJose24) April 16, 2015
Green, green, grass:
The Alamodome in San Antonio was sold out for the highly anticipated
clash, as 65,000 fans packed into the Texas stadium to create a cauldron of
noise.
And with both sets of supporters hoping to see a great game,
the condition of the playing surface was not what it should have been for a
game of this magnitude.
The US Soccer Federation had to come out publically ahead of
the match to allay any fears that it would be called off and while it rightly
wasn’t, standards have to be raised.
The idea to play the game in a highly diverse US and Mexican
area was sound, but if the pitch cannot support the spectacle it’s an
experiment that should not be tried again.
Looking ahead:
If the USMNT have turned a corner in terms of performance,
they could not have given themselves much sterner tests ahead of the CONCACAF
Gold Cup.
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| USA travel to face world champions Germany |
Guus Hiddink’s side lost to Mexico before the turn of the
year but notched up an impressive win against Spain in their latest friendly and
will provide stiff opposition.
After they negotiate that match, it’s off to Klinsmann’s native Germany to play the world champions a month before the Gold Cup opener at home to Honduras.
After they negotiate that match, it’s off to Klinsmann’s native Germany to play the world champions a month before the Gold Cup opener at home to Honduras.
Images courtesy of Jeff Golden, Bongarts and Martin Rose, with thanks.
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