3 youthful players who could mean a lot for the future of the USMNT: Mix Diskerud, Jordan Morris, and Joe Corona
On a pitch borrowed from an unidentified high-school in the drought stricken state of California, the U.S. Men’s National team defeated Mexico by the familiar dos a cero score-line at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
With the quality of the pitch taken into consideration, here are the player ratings for the Stars and Stripes:
GK 1- Nick Rimando (21/0) 45 Minutes: 6- A solid 45-minutes for the Real Salt Lake shot-stopper despite having little to do. Despite the conditions, showed some excellent technique to take the ball at his feet and elude a Mexican attacker who was on the prowl.
RB 2- DeAndre Yedlin (15/0): 5- Yedlin was skinned early on, but did a good job to recover at the expense of a corner. He then showed his blazing speed, breaking Luis Montes’ ankles as he glided past him. The move ended in disappointment, however, as Yedlin passed the ball right to a Mexican midfielder. The Tottenham Hotspurs defender showed his ability to get back behind the ball again in the 33rd, but the danger was self created as he lost the handle and could only salvage the situation by conceding another corner.
Showed his growth just before halftime, coming in to cover for Omar Gonzalez when the center forward drifted out wide. Yedlin improved on the defensive side of the ball in the second half as witnessed by some textbook defending and a crucial clearance in the 67th. Judgement on his crossing will be suspended until he gets another crack at it on a field that meets international standards.
CB 3- Omar Gonzalez (25/0): 6- Won the battle with Erick Torres. Gonzalez had a few questionable clearances in the early going. Came up with a really smart header in the 21st, but it still wasn’t the most assured. As the game wore on, Gonzalez got more comfortable. Worked well with Alvarado as Mexico didn’t really have any clear breakaway opportunities. Also did well to know when to hold his position and when to drift outside to help on the flanks.
CB 19- Ventura Alvarado (3/0): 6- Was very good at coming over in cover and made a well-timed sliding tackle on the half-hour mark. The Club America defender broke up numerous rushes throughout the match. Made a rye hash of a back-pass which led to a Mexican corner in the 33rd, but kept the in-form Eduardo Herrera quiet for the majority of the evening.
Worked well with Gonzalez, sliding into the space vacated by his defensive partner when the Galaxy man slid out wide. Was burned on Mexico’s best chance of the game in the 74th minute as Montes blew by him before flashing his shot just wide. Despite a few blips, Alvardo put in a solid shift, not allowing the play to get behind him and proved to Jurgen Klinnsman that he is growing into a strong option at center-back.
LB 14- Gregory Garza (7/0) 45 minutes: 5- Kept it simple for the most part. His passes often reached their intended target and Garza showed no fear in getting forward.
RM 10- Mix Diskerud (28/5) 80 minutes: 8- Mostly pinched into the center so that Yedlin could take the outside channel. This allowed the New York City FC playmaker to combine with Michael Bradley. One such one-two between Diskerud and Bradley led to a corner in the 16th. Diskerud also combined well with Yedlin and rarely gave up the ball, connecting the majority of his passes. Diskerud also showed that the defensive side of his game has some bite to it. Executed a stellar sliding challenge in the 64th and stepped in with authority to break up El Tri attempt to pass their way out of the back ten minutes later. The 24-year-old seemed to be the only player that wasn’t bothered by the status of the pitch. One of the former Rosenborg man’s last acts was to create a good scoring opportunity for substitute Perry Kitchen.
CAM 4- Michael Bradley (96/13): 8.5- Bradley dictated the rhythm and pace of the game. Jordan Morris’ goal was started by Bradley navigating his way out of pressure, running into the space and playing the pass at the top of the box that was deflected into Morris’ path. The captain recorded his 13th assist with a gorgeous ball played over the top of the defense for Juan Agudelo.
Michael Bradley was the Man of the Match
CDM 15- Kyle Beckerman (43/1) 63 minutes: 7- Beckerman might have played longer had he not gotten injured just after the hour. The Real Salt Lake midfielder set about plugging holes all over the field, making a usually menacing Mexican attack look rather subdued. On the other side of the ball, Beckerman did well to create space for himself, but couldn’t open the scoring after putting his shot wide of the frame. Despite a bad give-away in the 16th minute, the World Cup veteran got back on track, using his ability to read the game to be in the proper position to step in front of Torres in the 36th. He dispossessed the youngster again just before halftime.
LM 7- Joe Corona (15/2) 45 minutes: 5- The Tijuana midfielder had some good moments such as a great tackle in the 30th minute. Corona had a good sense to know when to collapse inside to allow Garza to take the outside route. Corona also got a decent cross off in the 38th minute. Despite putting in a decent and tidy shift, Corona did not show enough creativity to warrant his inclusion in the starting XI this summer. He did show he is a viable option and a spot on the Gold Cup roster will be hard to come by, but is not completely out of the question.
F 20- Gyasi Zardes (5/0): 6.5- While not the best game of his very young USMNT career, Zardes’ commitment and willingness to never stop running, create the right angles, and look to combine with his midfielders was impressive. The LA Galaxy forward’s hold up play and distribution was a bit off kilter in the first half, but as the game wore on, Zardes got stronger. Involved in the build-up play on Morris’ goal as the deflection to starve Zardes of Bradley’s pass fell into the path of his strike partner.
F 8- Jordan Morris (3/1) 65 minutes: 7- Took his opportunity with real tranquility. Morris’ mobility and determination to run at Mexico’s back-line was a thorn in their side. His speed and comfort level on the ball also created problems. Once Morris learns the proper angles and timing of his runs at the international level, and continues to bring other attackers into play, he could be a force to be reckoned with. There might be life after Cint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and the less mobile Aron Johannsson after all.
Substitutes:
GK 22- William Yarbrough (2/0) 46th minute for Rimando: 4- There were more nervy moments than good ones for the Liga MX keeper on the few occasions that he was called into action. He did well to get a hand to a 54th minute free-kick sent into a very crowded box, but he didn’t look to confident about it and the punch was unassured. Yarbrough’s qualities were on display just four minutes later though as he made a good save on Torres. Just as quickly as “El Cubo” finally found some space in the box, Yarbrough came off his line to make sure Torres didn’t have anywhere to place his shot. The nerves seemed to return, however, as a low line drive punt right down the center of the park gave the ball back to El Tri. Luckily for Yarbrough, Efrain Velarde flashed the resulting effort just wide of the near post.
LB- Brek Shea (32/4) 46th minute for Garza: 5- Shea is still learning the position and he was guilty of conceding the dangerous free kick in the 54th minute. Even so, he did a good job to come over in cover on the play. Shea’s short passes were on target, but his long distribution out of the back could use some work.
LM 9- Miguel Ibarra (3/0) 46th minute for Corona: 6- While his work-rate was never in question, Ibarra’s second half cameo will be remembered for the smartly timed tackles made after long runs to get back behind the ball. The first came in the 51st minute. Three minutes later, Ibarra flung himself in front of a cross to keep the ball from re-entering a chaotic penalty area following an unsteady punch-out from Yarbrough on a free-kick. 15 minutes from time, Shea did the dirty work to win the ball inside the six, but Ibarra had come back and was on hand to make the vital clearance to ensure that Shea’s work was not in vain.
CDM 21- Perry Kitchen (2/0) 63rd minute for Beckerman: 7- Kitchen’s first order of business was to receive a smart pass from Diskerud. The 23-year-old took his chance well, but was unlucky to see it saved. In the 82nd, Kitchen drilled a perfectly weighted 70-yard-cross field ball that Yedlin would most likely have kept in play, had the game been played on any other surface. In-between Kitchen’s positioning and ability to step in front of the pass or win a 50/50 ball with real authority was very impressive. He left Klinsmann with something to think about until June as he made another strong, well-timed tackle deep into stoppage time.
X 6 Brad Evans (18-1) 80th minute for Diskerud: N/R- Made a smart sliding tackle to dispossess Carlos Esquivel in the 85th minute.
F 17- Juan Agudelo (19/3) 65th minute for Morris: 7- Agudelo reminded everyone what he is capable of when he isn’t being sent from club to club without the proper papers. With practically his first involvement, Agudelo brought down Bradley’s pass with a velvet touch and smartly cut the ball back to create space as the Mexican defenders ran past him, before firing a missile under the diving Cirilo Saucedo. From there until the final whistle, Agudelo battled hard to pressure high, win the ball and create chances. You couldn’t ask for a better return.
