The 33-year-old striker rose to the problem Friday evening in opposition to Colombia, creating the Individuals’ solely significant scoring probabilities within the Copa America Centenario opener.
BY
John Godfrey
Posted
June 05, 2016
5:45 PM
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SANTA CLARA, Calif.—A day earlier than the US misplaced to Colombia within the opening match of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, Jurgen Klinsmann spoke in regards to the “wonderful opportunity” the event offered. He known as the 16-team competitors a benchmark for this system and identified that his gamers will get a transparent sense of how they match up in opposition to a number of the finest gamers on this planet.
“That’s a big stage for Michael Bradley,” Klinsmann stated. “That’s a big stage for Clint Dempsey. That’s a big stage for Jermaine Jones. That’s what they want to play. Now they have the opportunity so go out there and play that stage.”
Bradley and Jones didn’t carry out notably effectively on Friday evening, turning the ball over repeatedly and struggling in opposition to the gifted Colombians. Bobby Wooden didn’t become involved within the contest. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic got here in as second-half subs however couldn’t affect the match. Alejandro Bedoya apparently wasn’t happy along with his exhibiting, as he slipped previous reporters with out going through questions.
If there’s one participant who can maintain his head excessive within the wake of Friday’s loss, it is Clint Dempsey.
“Clint was a warrior out there,” Klinsmann stated after the sport. “He gave everything he had. He was really fighting and fighting positively.”
Geoff Cameron agreed.
“Clint’s Clint. I love playing with him,” Cameron stated. “He’s nice on the ball, he creates loads of issues—issues lots of people don’t actually discover. And for me, each time I’ve the ball I attempt to get him on the ball as quickly as attainable as a result of he creates house and brings guys in and permits different guys to become involved within the recreation.
“He was fantastic today and worked hard and threw his body on the line.”
Neither American fullback managed to push ahead and threaten from the flanks. The three midfielders did not create noteworthy alternatives. Gyasi Zardes labored exhausting however his first contact let him down. Which implies the U.S. assault consisted of 1 man: Clint Dempsey.
He drew fouls. He earned harmful spot kicks. He tried an audacious bicycle kick. If the U.S. offense was concerned, so was Dempsey.
Within the thirty seventh minute the Seattle Sounders striker generated the Individuals’ finest alternative from the run of play, a left-footed blast from 25 yards out that froze Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina however flew a foot or so extensive. It was a laser of a strike, and it will have notched the sport at one if it was on body. Nevertheless it wasn’t.
Within the sixtieth minute, Dempsey broke free from his marker on a Bradley nook kick and nodded the ball towards purpose. His header was heading in the right direction, low and completely positioned, however Colombia defender Sebastian Perez slid to avoid wasting the shot, retaining Colombia’s lead at two.
4 minutes later, Dempsey unleashed a superb free kick from simply outdoors the penalty space. It swerved across the Colombian wall and veered towards the higher nook of the purpose, however Ospina lurched to his left, prolonged his arms, and parried the shot away.
If not for Dempsey’s efforts, Ospina may have plopped down in an Adirondack chair, cracked open a can of Aguila beer, and watched the sport unfold.
And if one other Yank introduced delivered the identical stage of grit, dedication, and ability as Dempsey, the ultimate scoreline might need regarded completely different.
The 33-year-old Texan met with reporters after the match, sporting a shiner and stitches—a testomony to the bodily battles he endured as he tried to create house and probabilities. He wasn’t about to dwell on the near-misses—he was trying ahead to Tuesday’s must-win match in opposition to Costa Rica.
“We want to take more chances but it was one of those games where they kind of sat back once they had the two-nil lead,” Dempsey stated. “It’s tough to interrupt groups down like that. That penalty modified the sport.
“If you want to keep going in the tournament, you’ve got to win.”
John Godfrey is the founder and editor in chief of American Soccer Now.
