Jurgen Klinsmann brought a strong team with inexperience on the edges to St. Louis. Brad Guzan was in goal behind Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler. DeAndre Yedlin was the right back and Tim Ream was across from him on the left. Fabian Johnson was pushed forward into the midfield to the left of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones. Gyasi Zardes patrolled the right flank supporting Jozy Altidore and the intriguing Bobby Wood. The big name for St. Vincent and the Grenadines was Anderson, a winger/striker for Sounders II.
The match began with a moment of silence for the victims of the coordinated terror attacks in Paris.
First half
The US were slow out of the gate and struggled with the packed visiting defense. In the sixth minute, the match sprung to life as St. Vincent attempted to go over Yedlin’s head down the U.S. right. Cameron slid over, but the ball popped out to Anderson. He drove at Yedlin, who appeared frozen as the attacker dipped into the center and easily curled the finish past Guzan.
If Klinsmann was feeling pressure before, going behind to St. Vincent must have upped the PSIs considerably. Luckily for the USMNT coach, DeAndre Yedlin quickly made up for his defensive lapse with a fine assist.
Zardes collected the ball deep in the right corner and found Yedlin as the right back zipped behind his defender toward the endline. A dinked cross found Bobby Wood at the top of the six yard box and the first-time starter’s cushioned header was a fine tying goal.
In the 23rd minute, Michael Bradley nearly put the Americans ahead with a glorious individual move. Collecting the ball at the top of the box, he cut around two defenders and fired a left-footed blast that was parried by a desperate goalie.
Fabian Johnson did what Bradley could not in the 29th minute after Jozy Altidore won a free kick 20 yards from goal. Altidore easily turned his man and was in on goal if not for a clear foul. Johnson strode forward to take the kick and, helped by a generous deflection, put the US in front.
Soon it was 3-1 as Johnson’s corner was flicked across the face of goal and Jozy Altidore snuck behind the defense to head in from two yards out. Notably, Altidore made a slick run inside the goalmouth to get free at the back end.
Michael Bradley had another chance from distance when the St. Vincent defense backed off in the 42nd minute. The captain picked out the right corner only to see the ball dance around the far post.
The first half ended with St. Vincent locked in their final third and the Americans approaching 90% possession. Fabian Johnson and Bobby Wood provided the movement that made the US dangerous while Altidore slowly grew into the match as a dominating physical presence.
Second half
It did not take long for the home side to add to their lead. Off a 51st minute corner kick, Bobby Wood flicked the ball over the defense to Geoff Cameron who looped the ball twelve yards into the back of the net.
Almost immediately the US scored a fifth as Altidore sent Zardes in and the Galaxy attacker notched his third international goal. In the 58th minute, Cameron found Altidore in the channel and when three St. Vincent defenders collapsed on him, Altidore slipped the ball behind them to Zardes, who powered his shot into the net.
The fifth goal was all Jurgen Klinsmann needed to introduce a new generation of American players. Darlington Nagbe and Matt Miazga earned their first caps in the 64th minute and Jordan Morris entered four minutes later.
In the 71st minute, Besler clanked the crossbar off a Bradley corner kick but could not add a sixth to the tally.
The half dozen was complete in the 74th minute as Jones let the ball run through to Altidore. The big striker fought his way in and fired home his second of the night.
Scoring Summary
StV: Anderson — 5′
US: Wood — 11′
US: Johnson — 29′
US: Altidore — 31′
US: Cameron — 51′
US: Zardes — 58′
US: Altidore — 74′
Disciplinary Summary
None
| USA | St. Vincent | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Shots | 2 |
| 10 | Shots on Target | 2 |
| 9 | Shots off Target | 0 |
| 1 | Blocked Shots | 0 |
| 11 | Corner Kicks | 1 |
| 26 | Crosses | 2 |
| 2 | Offsides | 0 |
| 2 | Fouls | 8 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 916 | Total Passes | 188 |
| 92% | Passing Accuracy | 58% |
| 83.1% | Possession | 16.9% |
| 50 | Duels Won | 25 |
| 66.6% | Duels Won % | 33.4% |
| 11 | Tackles Won | 15 |
| 1 | Saves | 4 |
| 2 | Clearances | 26 |
We have become a civilization cloaked in the constant everpresent threat of wrong place wrong time.
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How do you even begin to reason or arrest the secret actions of large groups of people willing to strap bombs to themselves and die for an idea after causing the maximum amount of harm in the most minimal amount of time… I’m sad for us. I’m sad for europe. I’m sad for our children and theirs. I’m even sad for the people capable of committing such horrendous deeds. I’m not for isolationism but on a night like tonight it is hard to argue otherwise.
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Here’s to the randomness of never being at the intersection of wrong place wrong time.
It’s taken me awhile to want to react. I’m numb but I feel heartsick and angry. I don’t talk about my 9/11 experience much because I still don’t know why I’m here. Therapy helps some. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Paris and those fighting to eradicate pure evil. NO true faith, religion, spirituality or the belief in the goodness of people at heart can condone this. There is no excuse or justification for any of this whether it be domestic/international terrorist,supremacist,racists, hate groups, political
extremist,bad cops, gangs(of all kinds). NO EXCUSE OR JUSTICATION WHAT SO EVER!
First time I’ve really watched Darlington Nagbe, and man…he’s one of those players that you can tell within two touches of the ball, that he’s the real deal. Quick, effecient, crisp touches. If he can just work out the positioning with Bradley, I’d love to see what he can do against a quality side.