Tim Ream, Bobby Wooden, and Paul Arriola all scored because the U.S. males’s nationwide staff defeated Puerto Rico in Bayamon. It was an odd match that felt extra like a scrimmage than a world pleasant.
BY
John Godfrey
Posted
Might 22, 2016
2:00 PM
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DON’T READ TOO MUCH into the USA males’s nationwide staff’s 3-1 victory over Puerto Rico, the 152nd-ranked staff on this planet.
It was a low-intensity match on a highly regarded day that felt extra like an intrasquad scrimmage than a world pleasant. The pitch didn’t assist issues, as gamers on each groups have been slipping and sliding everywhere. Additionally unusual: Puerto Rico did not trouble to mark DeAndre Yedlin on the best flank, permitting the Sunderland fullback ample house to ship crosses with out a care on this planet.
The match was a comfort prize of kinds for Tim Ream, Danny Williams, and Alfredo Morales — all gamers who earned begins however have been left off the Copa America Centenario roster.
For John Brooks and Michael Orozco, the sport was a superb alternative to see some recreation motion after lengthy stretches of inactivity.
Nothing a lot occurred till the 20-minute mark, when Morales took a shot from outdoors the 18-yard field. Puerto Rico goalkeeper Matthew Sanchez might have caught the ball—it was hit straight at him—however as a substitute he punched it out after which sprawled to the turf. The rebound fell to Ream, who delivered a left-footed blast into the far nook as Sanchez scrambled to get to his toes.
It was Ream’s first purpose for the USA in 21 worldwide appearances.
The People scored once more 14 minutes later. With two Puerto Rican gamers writhing on the bottom because of a pair of rugged Alfredo Morales challenges, Paul Arriola discovered Bobby Wooden 35 yards out and the newly minted Hamburg striker blew previous two defenders, closed in on purpose, and lifted a shot over Sanchez and into the again of the web.
Wooden’s muted purpose celebration appeared to counsel that it was all too straightforward, and it seemed just like the People have been more likely to run up the rating.
After which Puerto Rico pulled one again.
On the Forty second-minute mark Luis Betancur discovered a spot between Orozco and Brooks, and delivered a left-footed shot from 20 yards out that flew previous Brad Guzan and into the again of the web.
The house staff celebrated prefer it had simply received the World Cup. The People seemed embarrassed—and rightly so.
The primary half ended with the Yanks up by a purpose however Puerto Rico got here out of the break with confidence and ambition. Three minutes after the restart Puerto Rico’s Alexis Rivera floated a cross to a wide-open Manolo Sanchez who volleyed a left-footed strike from 10 yards out that flew simply broad of the upright. After the play, U.S. defenders checked out each other as if to say, “What’s going on here?”
No one appeared to know. Maybe a few of it could possibly be chalked as much as the three halftime substitutes who had simply come on—Tim Howard, Emerson Hyndman, and Matt Miazga—however actually, the U.S. defending was ridiculously dangerous at occasions. Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay can be far much less forgiving throughout the Copa America group stage.
To be truthful, Puerto Rico’s defending was additionally atrocious, evidenced by Paul Arriola’s oh-so-easy 56th-minute purpose. On the play Alejandro Bedoya pushed down the best flank, seemed as much as discover two targets alone in entrance of internet—Wooden and Arriola—and apparently determined to supply the debutant together with his first worldwide purpose. Arriola tapped the ball house simply and the Yanks went forward 3-1.
On the 60-minute mark Klinsmann introduced on two extra subs who have been left off the Copa America Centenario roster, Eric Lichaj and Julian Inexperienced. A couple of minutes later Fafa Picault got here on and made his U.S. senior staff debut.
Wooden and Yedlin stood out for the Yanks, and each seem like in nice kind forward of this summer season’s large event. Inexperienced was very lively throughout his half-hour on the pitch, however his crosses and pictures left a lot to be desired. Lichaj made a really spectacular push ahead across the 80-minute mark, however Sanchez’s sliding save prevented the Nottingham Forest fullback from notching his first-ever worldwide purpose.
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