Last night, the USA gave a glimpse of what the future could hold for the program, and overall, did not disappoint. In front of a lively 32,000, the US and Poland drew 2-2 at Soldier Field in Chicago, in a tough fought match that had its fair share of hard challenges and well earned goals.
First lets review the 4-2-3-1 formation that the US used:
--------------------------Howard
Cherundolo-----Onyewu-----Edu-----Bocanegra
--------------------Jones-------Bradley
Holden-----------------Dempsey------Feilhaber
--------------------------Altidore
The chances started just seconds into the match when Benny Feilhaber played a through ball towards Jozy Altidore which was just out of his reach. The tough challenges started just minutes later when Steve Cherundolo went down under a tough hard challenge in which the offender was lucky not to be booked. That challenge was the result of a hospital pass from Michael Bradley, who didn't have one of his better nights in a US kit.
Jermaine Jones took just 12 minutes to make his mark in the US midfield and endear himself to the US fans. Some midfield possession for the US found Jones at midfield who played a left footed floater over the top to an on rushing Altidore, who one touched past a charging Artur Boruc. His first goal in four months and second in his last 12 matches.
The early US goal seemed to ignite Poland, who sustained possession and pressure in the US side of midfield for 8 minutes following the goal, which included two Poland shots on target which forced saves from Tim Howard, the second a 1v1 chance where Onyewu got caught out of position and Howard did very well to beat away the shot for a corner. Just minutes later Howard was forced to make yet another save, three in a span of eleven minutes.
The continued Polish pressure seemed sure to to result in a goal for the visitors and it came in the 30th minute on botched clearance attempts from Stuart Holden, who blasted his clearance straight into the air inside the 18, and Oguchi Onyewu who missed the ensuing header away. The ball fell to Ludovig Obraniak who fed Adam Matuszczyk at the top of the box who blasted a low shot past Howard.
A flurry of chances to end the half for both sides, which saw Howard forced to make yet another save, and saw Jozy Altidore miss twice times in the final three minutes of the half, one blasted off the crossbar and a free header which he failed to put on frame.
A solid start to the second half for the US immediately paved the way for another go-ahead goal. This time from a perfectly served corner by Stuart Holden, which found the head of Oguchi Onyewu, who rose triumphantly to power the ball past a helpless Boruc for his sixth international goal and second against Poland in as many matches.
Not six minutes later, the US was presented with a chance to put the game on ice, when a Maurice Edu long ball deceived the Poland backline and Jozy Altidore leaped in behind them but couldn't finish past Boruc, who saved well.
Alejandro Bedoya was brought on for an inefficient and ineffective Benny Feilhaber, but offered little improvement past an earned corner and an earned foul in his half hour on the pitch. Feilhaber offered his customary vision on several through balls, but none found the mark.
Again, like in the first half after the scoring, the US became complacent yet again, with Poland constantly on the attack and the US conceding four turnovers in a span of six minutes. Poland then scored on yet another botched US clearance, this time Jermaine Jones, trying to play out of the back, sent a pass towards Dempsey, which was blocked and eventually landed at the feet of Obraniak yet again, who this time found Jakub Blaszczykowski, who lashed a powerful shot past a helpless Howard.
The final 15 minutes led to a bevy of opportunities, mostly for the United States, which included a span in stoppage time which saw a scrum in the Poland penalty area and three US chances go begging, one, another Onyewu header, was cleared off the line.
The final statistics:
United States/Poland
Shots: 17 / 8
Shots on Goal: 5 / 7
Saves: 5 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 14
Offside: 0 / 0
Cautions: 1/2
As the stats show, the US had many more opportunities, but Poland made the best of their lesser chances than did the US, forcing Tim Howard to save five of their 8 shots, scoring twice. The US only forced 3 saves from 17 shots, with only 5 of those on target. It's a showing statistic, that while the US is creating chances, they aren't finishing them, or at least, making the keeper save them.
On the 4-2-3-1 that Bradley deployed, it kind of morphed into a 4-4-2 in defense, but severely lacked the width that most 4-2-3-1 formations offer, with Holden and Feilhaber both more inclined to tuck inside and play through Dempsey, Jones, and Bradley. Cherundolo's early knock seemed to faze him in the first half, but looked dangerous with at least two crosses that created chances in the Poland area. Bocanegra will always be better defensively than on offense, but got forward a couple times to try to offer some width. But overall, it was lacking.
Props to Bob Bradley for getting his best 11 players all on the field at once.
Player Ratings
Tim Howard: (7)- Couldn't do anything about the two allowed goals, but kept the US in the game with five solid saves. Nothing less should be expected from the 31 year old.
Steve Cherundolo: (7.5)- Took an early knock, but soldiered on and I don't think it's just a coincidence that Poland did most of their attacking on the side that Cherundolo wasn't defending. His cross to Altidore deserved a better finish.
Oguchi Onyewu: (6)- Onyewu is on his way back, that much is clear, but his first match in 3 and a half months clearly showed there is rust yet to be shed. That said, his movement looked to have returned, and his aerial dominance is back to its best. Got stuck in on some solid tackles and scored a well earned goal.
Maurice Edu: (6)- His distribution out of the back was a god send, but you could clearly see that he's not really comfortable in the back, as it's not his natural position. That being said, he tackled strongly and didn't make any glaring errors. Deserving of another look in the back,
Carlos Bocanegra: (5.5)- Poland made it clear that it was Bocanegra who they would drive the attack towards, and Bocanegra did his best to bend but not break on the flank against Blaszczykowski. Whenever he tucked inside, his clearances were spot on like always.
Jermaine Jones: (7.5)- The single knock on Jones in his debut was the botched clearance that led to the second Poland goal. Otherwise, it's clear that he offers the US midfield a dimension that it has lacked for quite sometime, if it ever had it at all. His assist to Altidore was sublime.
Michael Bradley: (4)- Poor night for Sweatpants junior, and everyone is entitled to one every now and then. Bradley was poor in his distribution and I recorded seven turnovers which can be directly linked to him. Just a poor night overall. Let's hope he bounces back against Colombia.
Benny Feilhaber: (4.5)- Tried his usual quick passing and through balls, but could never really link up or create chances. His wild shot just before being substituted summed up his night. He'll respond. He does his best work coming off the bench anyway.
Stuart Holden: (7)- His time at Bolton has really made Holden a physical presence in midfield, as he got stuck in and his set piece delivery was spot on all evening long.
Clint Dempsey: (7.5)- Normally, when Dempsey is playing in a US kit, it's a love-hate relationship. But not this time. The normally disappearing Clint, who pops up and scores once or twice out of nowhere, was tonight all over the pitch. Winning balls up top, creating chances, and even forced a couple saves from Boruc. He wanted to lead the attack and wanted to be the playmaker. Well done.
Jozy Altidore: (6)- Ohhh where to start here. Took his goal well, but following that, he had four good chances, two forced saves but could have done better, one was blocked away, and one he blasted off the crossbar. The goal should do wonders for his confidence, but he could have scored at least two more.
SUBS:
Alejandro Bedoya: (5.5) Was brought on to try and help stretch the field wide, but he contributed little past an earned corner and an earned foul.
Tomorrow brings the USA- Colombia preview. See you then.
