Match report
Effectively, That Was Ugly: Ukraine 2, United States 0
The People had a 3rd straight poor match in opposition to European opposition, falling 2-0 to a Ukraine workforce that was superior all through. American Soccer Now’s Blake Thomsen has the story.
BY
Blake Thomsen
Posted
March 05, 2014
4:56 PM
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IT WAS UGLY IN CYPRUS.
A makeshift American protection that includes Oguchi Onyewu and John Brooks seemed overmatched early, and america struggled mightily to deal with Ukraine’s runs from midfield, conceding a straightforward aim within the twelfth minute. The U.S. midfield additionally struggled, failing to realize any form of management in the midst of the sphere. Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones, and Sacha Kljestan have been particularly culpable, every responsible of a number of giveaways.
In fact, it was a dreadful first half exhibiting, and it might simply have been 2-0 and even 3-0 at halftime in favor of Ukraine.
The People seemed a lot better within the first 20 minutes of the second half, however Ukraine’s counterattacking second aim proved to be a decisive blow. Although Aron Johannsson supplied one thing of a late spark, the U.S. by no means seemed able to getting themselves again into the sport.
The match began slowly, with each groups failing to place collectively something of observe within the last third. That modified within the twelfth minute, when Denys Garmash sprung the U.S. offside lure and located himself in nearly limitless area behind John Brooks and Oguchi Onyewu. Tim Howard saved excellently from Garmash’s preliminary shot, however Garmash picked up the rebound and rolled it to Andriy Yarmolenko, who coolly slotted into an empty web.
Issues ought to have gone from dangerous to worse for the People simply 4 minutes later. Following a set piece, Ukraine obtained in behind the U.S. backline once more and scored one other easy aim, however the assistant referee wrongly raised the offside flag.
The Ukrainians threatened twice extra within the subsequent 10 minutes, first on a lightning counter assault. Geoff Cameron’s excellent defensive header denied a tap-in for Garmash. Two minutes later, Onyewu practically turned a Yarmolenko cross into his personal web, however Howard saved nicely.
Within the twenty seventh minute, the U.S. lastly created an opportunity of observe. The primary high quality passing transfer of the day noticed Jozy Altidore play a first-time ball out to Geoff Cameron, whose whipped near-post cross was practically reached by Sacha Kljestan.
Ukraine responded to the uncommon U.S. attacking foray by practically scoring a second. Denys Garmash once more obtained behind the U.S. backline however hesitated far too lengthy and was ultimately crowded out by John Brooks.
The remainder of the primary half performed out at a strolling tempo, with neither aspect critically threatening to attain.
Given the very poor efficiency within the first half, it was a little bit of a shock that Jurgen Klinsmann made no substitutions at halftime. The American starters rewarded Klinsmann’s religion in them, although, flying out of the gates and making an attempt twice as many photographs within the first ten minutes of the second as that they had in your complete first.
Alejandro Bedoya, maybe the People’ greatest participant on a day to neglect, had two respectable scoring possibilities in a four-minute stretch. He had a sweetly struck volley blocked within the forty ninth minute earlier than firing a half volley narrowly large from 22 yards within the 53rd.
In between Bedoya’s possibilities, Altidore headed simply over the bar from a wonderful cross from Cameron close to the proper nook flag. Dempsey nearly broke his prolonged aim drought quickly after, practically latching onto a Michael Bradley-esque by means of ball from Jermaine Jones.
The introduction of Brek Shea and Aron Johannsson for Edgar Castillo and Sacha Kljestan within the 62nd minute helped proceed the momentum for the U.S., with the People shifting right into a diamond midfield behind a strike partnership of Altidore and Johannsson.
The sustained spell of stress from the U.S. continued till the 68th minute, and an equalizer seemed doubtless. However Ukraine launched a backbreaking counterattack and took a 2-0 lead, successfully ending any hopes of an American comeback.
Brooks and Onyewu have been bizarrely absent once more as substitute Marko Devic raced in behind the U.S. backline. Equally to the primary aim, Howard saved nicely from the preliminary shot. This time Devic collected his personal rebound and slotted into one other empty web.
The People seemed surprised and by no means regained the territorial dominance that they had loved within the first 20 minutes of the second half. The sport devolved right into a little bit of a midfield battle till the ultimate whistle, bar a number of possibilities from both aspect.
Yarmolenko practically scored from fifty yards after a poor giveaway from Brooks within the 78th minute, however a stumbling Howard made a stable save from the Ukrainian’s lobbed effort. On the opposite finish, substitute Aron Johannsson produced the best attacking second of the day for the U.S. within the 87th minute. From a Bedoya nook, Johannsson drilled a goal-bound volley along with his weaker left, solely to see it cleared off the road by a Ukrainian defender.
It was a becoming finish to a disappointing night time for the U.S., because the Yanks actually didn’t do sufficient to deserve even a draw in opposition to a a lot sharper Ukraine aspect.
Klinsmann will take some solace from the truth that he was lacking his regular middle again pairing, in addition to the calming affect of Michael Bradley. However all instructed, it was not an encouraging exhibiting with the World Cup lower than 100 days away.
What did you consider the U.S. efficiency? Who have been the very best People, and who have been the worst? Tell us within the feedback part.
Blake Thomsen is a frequent ASN contributor. Comply with him on twitter and inform him how you are feeling concerning the Brooks and Onyewu middle again pairing.
