On Friday, the U.S. will continue its restart after the World Cup, playing Colombia in one of its final two games of 2014 (2:30pm: ESPN, UniMás, Univision Deportes). Said coach Jurgen Klinsmann,

[W]e want to finish on a high note. . . . At the same time, we want to gain experience. We want our younger players to grow, mature and step it up, but we also want to send signals to our CONCACAF region that we are ready to rock it in 2015.

He added,

I think if you look at these veterans—Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Nick Rimando, Jermaine Jones—I think those are all players that have to help get the younger players to another level. It’s literally their jobs; it’s what we’re asking.

So, this game is both about getting the younger players more experience, but also is an opportunity to lay down a marker for the coming year. It is a conundrum, to be sure, but the roster gives us a better idea of precisely where Klinsmann’s priorities truly lie.

Goalkeepers

They are: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), and Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake).

Guzan is Tim Howard’s heir apparent, so will almost surely start. In truth, all of these men are known quantities. Hamid and Johnson have been “the next generation” for a while now, so if they do not see minutes soon, one has to wonder how highly Klinsmann rates them.

Defense

They are: DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC).

This is an experienced group. Garza and Yedlin are young, and would make an exciting pair in the fullback positions, but everyone else has been fairly well-blooded for the U.S. Jermaine Jones returns as a centerback, and it would be exciting to see him paired with John Brooks, who many see as the future of the U.S. defense. Matt Besler seems a more likely possibility, however.

Midfield

They are: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), and Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution).

The interesting addition here is Lee Nguyen. One of few players called in still playing in the MLS playoffs, Nguyen hasn’t made an appearance for the national team for more than seven years, but his form this season has been irresistible. He also fills a hole in the lineup. With no Michael Bradley to play in the No. 10 role (regardless of whether he should be playing there, it is where he plays for Klinsmann), a midfield trio of Diskerud, Bedoya, and Nguyen would be very attacking. Likely, though, Beckerman will be at the base of midfield with Diskerud and one of the other two. Nguyen is more likely to appear as a sub, considering his lack of national team experience under Klinsmann. Morales and Green are further exciting attacking subs.

Forwards

They are: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), and Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes).

Altidore and Wondo are the old heads here, surrounded by raw materials. Bobby Wood could have been the hero against Honduras, but didn’t have his finishing boots on. Ibarra scored a highlight-reel goal for his club team recently, and will likely see more than the token few minutes he got the last time out.

Colombia

Colombia had a generally excellent World Cup, only going out by a one-goal margin against Brazil in the quarterfinals, in one of the ugliest games of the tournament. They followed that up with another one-goal loss to Brazil in a September friendly, but have won their next two, against lower-quality opposition in El Salvador and Canada.

Radamel Falcao is still not playing for the team as he returns from another injury, having missed the World Cup due to a torn ACL. However, they do have new world superstar James Rodriguez. After lighting up the World Cup, he joined Real Madrid and has continued his excellent play. Colombia has also only allowed eight goals in its last 11 games.

In short, they will be very, very difficult to beat.

Predictions

Klinsmann’s roster does include some youth and new names, but his defense and midfield are very experienced, and Jozy Altidore will start up top. While Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey are not here, the team is quite talented.

However, Colombia is a real-deal team. If the U.S. team keeps composed defensively, paying special attention to containing Rodriguez, then breaks intelligently, they can definitely hang with Colombia.

Unfortunately, this looks like a tight game won by Colombia, 2–1.