Johannsson celebrates giving the US a 2-1 lead
Photo: US Soccer
USMNT Player Ratings at Denmark
by Marc Serber
The USA squandered another second-half lead, giving up two goals inside the final 10 minutes to slump to a 3-2 defeat in Aarhus, Denmark. Despite a goal and an assist from Jozy Altidore, the U.S. were undone by a Nicklas Bendtner hat-trick. In the end, it was a fair result for a much more dynamic Denmark against a U.S. side whose individuals did not play to their full potential.
Here is a look at the ratings for each player:
GK 1- Nick Rimando (19/0): 5- Rimando started off brightly with two decisive punches either side of a crucial touch on Nicolai Bollesen’s cross to deny Denmark in the 18th minute. The second half was not the best of his national team career. The Real Salt Lake net-minder was lucky to have Michael Orozco behind him after he wasn’t strong enough to push a 48th minute effort around the post. Despite a strong reaction save on the hour mark, Rimando’s distribution was not up to snuff, with two particularly bad clearances coming in the 52nd and 85th minutes.
RB 21- Timothy Chandler (18/0): 4- A terrible giveaway in the 18th minute almost led to the opening goal. The Eintracht Frankfurt defender turned it around just a minute later, however, getting an assist when his innocuous looking cross was lashed home by Altidore. That seemed to be the only time Chandler got forward. Otherwise, he had trouble tracking his runners, communicating with substitute DeAndre Yedlin and failed to get his head onto the cross that led to Denmark’s second goal. To be fair, it did take a, but any touch from Chandler might have preserved victory for the Stars and Stripes.
CB 6- John Brooks (9/1): 6- Brooks had a chance to relive the heroics he performed against Ghana last summer. The center-back did well to get open on a stoppage time set-piece, but flashed his header wide. A better snap of the neck would have had the U.S. walking off the NRGi pitch with a share of the spoils. Other than that, Brooks was solid for the majority of the game. His positioning was good and the Hertha Berlin youngster was well stationed to make some important clearances. Was unable to get in front of Bendtner’s stunning winner, but like the rest of the U.S. he was caught out by Christian Eriksen’s brilliant vision and perfectly weighted chip behind the defense.
CB 15- Michael Orozco (14/3) 80 minutes: 6- Orozco had a steady game in the center of defense. His positioning was smart and it allowed him to slide over and make an important clearance just ten minutes in. Three minutes into the second half, Orozco spared Rimando’s blushes when he had the presence of mind to get behind his keeper and cover the back post, clearing the ball off the line after the ball slipped under the outstretched hand of the goalkeeper. Before being subbed, Orozco made a great play to deny Eriksen. It is no coincidence that the U.S. went from 2-1 up to 3-2 down only after the 29-year-old left the pitch.
LB 3- Greg Garza (6/0): 3- The 23-year-old never looked settled in Aarhus. The Xolos defender’s tackles were often missed-timed and a poor giveaway should have led to a second goal for Denmark midway through the second half. A look at the replay of the third goal shows that Garza was actually positioned inside of center-back Brooks, when Eriksen sent his ball over the top for Bendtner who had taken up the space vacated by Garza. It wasn’t an easy task by any means, but Garza struggled with the movement of Lasse Vibe.
RM 20- Gyasi Zardes (3/0) 67 minutes: 5– The LA Galaxy striker has shown that he is just as comfortable creating from out wide as he is in his traditional striker’s roll. His match started in earnest with a bad giveaway in the 11th minute, but the former Bakersfield standout did well to track back and atone for his error. Zardes also looked to have formed a formidable understanding with Altidore. The two combined well on a few occasions. Zardes did show his naivety at the international level though, often times conceding possession when trying to be fancy while cutting inside from the wing. The 23-year-old should have gotten inside of Bendtner, allowing the former Arsenal man to settle the ball and smash home the first of his three goals.
CM 4- Michael Bradley (94/13): 6- After taking heat for his performances in Brazil, Bradley looks to be back to his normal self, spraying passes around from deeper in midfield while plugging up wholes where needed. He showed his passing range inside just two minutes with a ball that was just beyond Altidore’s reach as it skipped across a very fast playing surface. It was his perfectly weighted ball over the top of the defense which allowed Altidore to feed Johnson for the Stars and Stripes second goal.
CM 11- Alejandro Bedoya (38/2) 45 minutes: 3- At times it was easy to forget that Bedoya was out there. At no point did the Nantes midfielder really stand out or make a move to put his stamp on the match
LM 23- Fabian Johnson (30/1) 45 minutes: 4- It was a quiet night for the Broussia Mönchengladbach midfielder who is usually a creative force when he dawns the U.S. jersey. He had a bad giveaway in the 28th minute and was beaten too easily on the move that led to Denmark’s opening goal.
F 17 Jozy Altidore (79/27): 6- Altidore’s goal was well taken as no one expected him to get on the end of a seemingly speculative cross from Chandler. The movement and finish was excellent and certainly caught the Denmark defense unawares. Early on, Altidore was combining well with Zardes and the swagger of his interplay with Bradley seems to be returning (certainly as a result of the fact they now play together every day with Toronto FC). TFC’s new striker not only showed a deft touch to bring down Bradley’s long ball, but he had the presence of mind to play it across for Aron Jóhannsson to put the U.S. back in front.
F 9- Aron Jóhannson (10/3) 67 minutes: 5- The AZ Alkmaar striker could have done better dropping back into midfield to help Bradley and Bedoya deal with the three Danish central midfielders. The great thing about being a forward, however, is you need just one moment to be a star. When presented with the chance, Jóhannson did well to poke home with two Danish defenders doing everything they could to make sure he didn’t get a touch.
Substitutes:
CM 7- Alfredo Morales (7/0) 45th minute sub for Bedoya: 3- Not the most convincing performance for the Bundesliga 2 midfielder. His first real involvement included missing a header which almost led to what would have been Denmark’s second goal. He unwillingly handed the Danes another opportunity when the ball was cleared off his back to give Bendtner a decent look at goal. When Denmark’s equalizer did come, a big part of the buildup came from Morales getting burned way too easily in midfield.
LM 13 Brek Shea (30/3) 45th minute sub for Fabian Johnson: 5- Shea was solid. He played a delightful ball that no one could stab home just after the hour mark. His defending could use some work and there was a moment when he put his defense and goalkeeper in real trouble. In the end though, we are starting to see flashes of the Brek Shea that gave us so much hope before he left for his ill-fated spell in England.
F 18- Rubio Rubin (3/0) 67th minute sub for Aron Jóhannson: 3- The 19-year-old never really found his footing in the game. The work rate was good, but there were no threatening movements or combinations with Altidore to write home about. Gave up a dangerous free kick in the 90th minute.
RM 2- DeAndre Yedlin (13/0) 67th minute sub for Gyasi Zardes: 3- Made no real impact in his 23 minutes. He and Chandler never got on the same page which, at times, worryingly opened space for the Danes down the left.
CB 19- Ventura Alvarado (1/0) 80th minute sub for Michael Orozco: N/A– His debut will mostly be remembered for a terrible giveaway in the 89th minute which was quickly followed by a foul which produced a yellow card. Some referees might have shown a different color.
Lord Nicklas Bendtner sinks USMNT with first international hat trick
The problem currently is that the U.S. midfield and attack is far superior to its defense
