ASN: Can the U.S. Males Increase Their Sport In opposition to Haiti?

The U.S. shall be heavy favorites in tonight’s Gold Cup match in opposition to Haiti, however will Jurgen Klinsmann’s males discover a strategy to construct out of the again and break by a tricky, bunkering opponent?

BY

Josh Deaver

Posted
July 10, 2015
10:30 AM

SHARE THIS STORY

THE UNITED STATES MEN’S nationwide workforce’s Gold Cup marketing campaign kicked off with a less-than-stellar efficiency in opposition to Honduras on Tuesday evening. The post-match chatter centered on the issue of getting outcomes in opposition to CONCACAF opponents wanting to upset the applecart of regional dominance.

With that in thoughts the Honduras end result shouldn’t come as that a lot of a shock. Los Catrachos have had the People’ quantity the previous few years—securing a 1-1 draw after the final yr’s World Cup and, in fact, the now-infamous San Pedro Sula collapse within the opening match of the 2013 Hexagonal.

After Tuesday’s slim 2-1 over Honduras, captain Michael Bradley put the brand new world order of CONCACAF in perspective.

“They have all the traditional qualities of a difficult CONCACAF opponent,” Bradley mentioned earlier than taking a considerate pause. “These games are never easy. We’ve played Gold Cup games against teams, on paper, much worse than Honduras and had hard times. No one is our group expects an easy game…in the end the only thing that matters is points, and we’ll take our three.”

True, however the People confirmed some distressing tendencies in Frisco, Texas—because the spotlight under reveal.

Tonight the U.S. will face Haiti in Foxborough, Mass. (8:30pm; Fox Sports activities 1, UniMas) and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is anticipated to trot out some vital personnel modifications forward of the second group match. A win ensures passage to the knockout spherical, however as we’ve seen by the primary spherical of matches, issues in CONCACAF don’t all the time go in response to plan.

After Tuesday’s sport, it’s clear that Klinsmann acknowledges the challenges of the event—a lot of them particular to his chosen squad.

“It is always tricky to get everybody on the same page,” Klinsmann mentioned, citing league breaks in Mexico and Europe. “There will be struggle…but at the end of the day, with this tournament, you have to move on right away.”

After which there are the accidents.

Within the waning minutes on Tuesday evening, fullback/winger DeAndre Yedlin took a number of exhausting pictures to the leg and was visibly limping on his approach out to the workforce bus, bypassing the media within the combined zone.

There are additionally health questions circling Aron Johannsson, Alejandro Bedoya, and a not-quite-100-percent Jozy Altidore—three gamers anticipated to make key contributions on this event.

Altidore, particularly, seemed nowhere close to his explosive greatest in opposition to Honduras. The perpetual lateness of his runs is an actual concern—and ultimately prompted Klinsmann to convey on Chris Wondolowski early within the second half.

Klinsmann had this to say about his first-choice striker: “Jozy continues to be within the part the place we’ve got to construct him. The one approach we’re going to get him stronger every day is by giving him minutes, enjoying him, and dealing him exhausting in coaching. Right here’s not there but, which we knew. He got here from that hamstring harm, so we’ll do all the things potential to get him to high kind as rapidly as potential.

“However it’s not going to occur in a single day.”

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Throughout his nearly 4 years on the helm of the U.S. nationwide workforce, Klinsmann has proven a willingness to maneuver gamers across the pitch. On Tuesday he as soon as once more performed ahead Gyasi Zardes as a large midfielder. The choice fell in need of resounding success standing.

Regardless of exhibiting some good offensive flashes from the wing, the 23-year-old could be a defensive legal responsibility. This was very true on Tuesday evening. Honduras head coach Jorge Luis Pinto, praised by each Klinsmann and Bradley after the match, targeted his workforce’s assault on the flanks and Zardes and Yedlin each struggled with their defensive obligations. Honduras’ Mario Martinez scorched the L.A. Galaxy ahead on quite a few events.

Additionally noteworthy, Timothy Chandler didn’t have a superb evening in opposition to Honduras. Klinsmann tried to melt the criticism post-game, however solely finishing 16 of 32 passes doesn’t paint a reasonably image.

Chandler tends to play effectively in Europe however has had uneven ends in CONCACAF. (May the warmth and humidity be contributing elements?) Lack of assist from his companion on the precise wing, Yedlin, definitely didn’t assist. Regardless of the cause, Brad Evans introduced composure to the again line after being subbed in and will very effectively get the beginning nod tonight.

So far as the aim: I’m undecided how a lot you may blame Ventura Alvarado, who obtained his first official cap on Tuesday. He ought to’ve finished higher with the problem, however he was caught on an island after Honduras’ Mario Martinez pulled John Brooks out of the play with a pleasant dummy run. It occurs.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM HAITI

Good groups discover a strategy to win, and that’s what the People did in opposition to Honduras. Panama is an efficient workforce too—at the least by CONCACAF requirements—however the Central American squad could not discover a strategy to beat Haiti in Tuesday evening’s curtain-raiser at Toyota Stadium.

“I think they surprised a lot of people with their game against Panama,” Klinsmann mentioned. “That will not be an easy one either.”

Panama managed the run of play and got here away with a majority of the possibilities however ultimately Los Canaleros couldn’t draw back and needed to accept a 1-1 draw. A late-game counter assault and an distinctive particular person effort from substitute Duckens Nazon saved the purpose for Les Grenadiers.  

Inspecting the roster, it’s clear that Haiti’s gamers are removed from scrubs. Haiti’s squad boasts gamers from a exceptional 16 totally different skilled leagues, operating the gamut from Poland, Argentina, and Switzerland all the way in which to India and even the American fourth-tier, NPSL.

“Now it’s very hard for a big team to beat a so-called little team because football is international now,” Haiti coach Marc Collat mentioned Thursday. “Players are playing everywhere.”

The aspect is anchored by the expertise backline duo of Ligue 1 veteran Jean-Jacques Pierre and MLS journeyman Mechack Jerome, at the moment with USL’s Charlotte Independence. On Tuesday evening the duo absorbed all of the inventive aptitude Panama may muster, absorbed it once more, after which absorbed some extra. Pre-tournament assertions by Klinsmann ought to maintain true on this case: Haiti will stay and die by the counter assault.

The midfield contains a high quality duo of Wilde Donald Guerrier, who options often for Polish membership Wisla Krakow, and veteran Jean Sony Alcenat, who has 57 caps. Alcenat not too long ago earned a contract for Romanian treble winner Steaua Bucarest for the 2015-16 marketing campaign.

Up entrance Haiti isled by Cyprus-based strike Kervens Belfort, the workforce’s main scorer with 10 objectives in 19 nationwide workforce appearances. In aim is former French worldwide and workforce captain Johnny Placide, who at the moment performs for Ligue 1 membership Stade de Reims.

Latest outcomes don’t reveal a lot about this workforce. Whereas struggling only one defeat in its final 9 matches, Haiti not often strains up in opposition to anybody outdoors CONCACAF. After a robust exhibiting within the Caribbean Cup, the place the workforce fell to eventual champions Jamaica earlier than taking third-place honors, Haiti took a uncommon journey abroad for a March pleasant in opposition to China that led to a 2-2 draw.

PREDICTION

On paper, the U.S. are heavy favorites however don’t be shocked if it’s nearer than anticipated: 3-1 for the People.

PROJECTED STARTING XI

Brad Guzan; Evans, Alvarado, Brooks, Greg Garza; Fabian Johnson, Combine Diskerud, Bradley, Bedoya; Zardes, Clint Dempsey

Give us your ideas under, please, and create your very personal U.S. males’s Beginning XI with our drag and drop software.