ASN: Penalty Kick Woes and the Emergence of Kelyn Rowe

It hasn’t been fairly—and it actually hasn’t been simple—however the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce obtained the the three-goal win it wanted Saturday night time and completed atop Group B within the 2017 Gold Cup.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
July 15, 2017
11:00 PM

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THANKS TO A SECOND-HALF RALLY to defeat Nicaragua by a crucial three-goal margin, the US managed to win Group B regardless of being its personal worst enemy via the primary three video games of the Gold Cup.

Simply as the primary two video games had some robust moments, Saturday’s contest featured an virtually unthinkable two blown penalty alternatives. Nonetheless, the U.S. was in command all through the 90 minutes and deserved a lopsided end result.

Now Bruce Area and Co. has a a lot simpler path to the semifinals. Had Matt Miazga not hit the again of the online within the 88th minute, the U.S. can be dealing with a powerful Costa Rican within the quarterfinals. It doesn’t but know its opponent however there isn’t a query it dodged a bullet avoiding the Ticos.

Abysmal penalty taking

The large speaking level from the sport is the U.S. lacking two penalties within the second half. Dom Dwyer drew the primary penalty however Nicaragua’s Justo Lorente saved his shot. Joe Corona claimed the second PK however his weak try was by no means going to beat the keeper.

Missed penalties occur but it surely does beg the query: Is there a chosen penalty taker on the workforce or does Area let the gamers resolve? Having a few predetermined takers is normally the perfect. Regardless of the miss, Dwyer’s seven transformed penalties out of 9 makes an attempt for Sporting Kansas Metropolis nonetheless most likely makes him the perfect taker on this roster—and he most likely ought to have taken the second shot after lacking the primary.

And a followup query: Who’s the workforce’s penalty taker when the complete workforce is in camp?

This was by no means a lot of concern for the U.S. in earlier generations: Landon Donovan was an ideal penalty taker and earlier than him Eric Wynalda was additionally top-notch.

And now? Christian Pulisic was by no means nice at penalties relationship again to his youth stage. Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore usually are not stellar from the spot. It isn’t an excellent state of affairs.

Greatest recreation of the group stage

Whereas it is true that Nicaragua was a poor opponent, the U.S. loved its finest recreation of the event. The Yanks made fewer dangerous errors than it had within the Panama or Martinique video games and easy penalty conversion would have given the U.S. a end result that extra pretty mirrored the expertise hole between the groups. 

The most important distinction? The U.S. simply received possession at any time when Nicaragua was on the ball.

The entire overhaul within the beginning lineup proved to be a shrewd transfer because it halted any detrimental momentum from Wednesday’s lackluster win over Martinique. And provides the gamers credit score: Poor ending and penalty taking might have taken their toll however the gamers continued to struggle via their frustration to get the wanted end result.

Kelyn Rowe is massive winner thus far

Forward of the event Area indicated he was searching for gamers who might pressure their means into the participant pool, and he discovered no less than one: Kelyn Rowe. The New England Revolution attacking midfielder has proved very efficient to date, creating probabilities and being concerned and at all times trying to pounce. On Saturday Rowe scored the Individuals’ econd aim, his first worldwide tally.

His protection might have some work however the 25-year-old is clearly price bringing into the fold with the common first workforce gamers.

Veterans step up

In a recreation that required an enormous margin of victory, Area turned to some veterans—and so they delivered.

Alejandro Bedoya had his finest recreation in a very long time as he contributed defensively and maderuns and passes that helped open up the sport within the second half. Matt Besler’s passing out of the again was instrumental for U.S. possession and Graham Zusi’s free kick on Miazga’s winner was among the finest sequences of the match.

Whereas a number of new gamers additionally stepped up, it was three veterans who made the distinction. 

Replacements will considerably assist

Michael Bradley and Tim Howard have been noticed watching from the stands Saturday night time—a transparent indication that they are going to be a part of the workforce when Area makes his roster adjustments. Area is allowed to swap out six gamers between the group stage an the knockout spherical, and experiences indicated that Jozy Altidore is becoming a member of the squad. Darlington Nagbe and Clint Dempsey are anticipated as properly.

This quintet ought to convey an enormous increase to the workforce, each on and off the sector.