Photo: Marjorie Elzey

Monday night the USMYNT U-20s came from behind twice to draw Canada 2-2 in Honduras in the 2022 Concacaf U20 championship tournament.

The Philadelphia Union have four players on that roster, and all four started against the neighbors to the north.

Brandan Craig, uniform No. 5, was the left center back in a four-man line, and a free kick taker.

His match characterized his current state of development. On the Canadians’ first goal, he learned from his mistake in Rochester that had led to a PK and did not lunge, but did not manage to block the scoring strike either (the way Jakob Glesnes might have done). On the other hand his free kick in the third minute of stoppage time correctly judged that the Canadian goalkeeper was positioned too far towards his far post, and the shot beat him. But it also went wide of the near post and missed being a game winner at the death.

By the time the second half rolled around Jack McGlynn, No. 8, at midfield seemed to be the creative force through whom the US team was playing. When he went off with cramps in the final ten minutes, the U.S.’s possession became aimless. It lacked its former offensive threat –  combination play, forward passing, and off the ball movement.

McGlynn had scored the first pull-even goal in the first third of the second half on a strike from distance in the immediate development of a short corner kick. When he is set up and not pressured, his left foot is lethal.

⚽ 🚀 What a strike by Jack Mc Glynn!

🇺🇸 @USYNT ties the game! | #CU20 pic.twitter.com/2CvFQM6L6e

— Concacaf (@Concacaf) June 21, 2022

To the eyes of this writer, on the night McGlynn may have shown his best future positional fit. The U.S. often had two of its three midfielders positioned in front of the defense as a double pivot. McGlynn was almost always in it but with a clear license to use judgment thrusting forward into the attack. And as mentioned, he was the match bell cow.

Quinn Sullivan, No. 7, was the right winger in a three-man attacking line. Often he stacked in front of McGlynn, and the familiarity of teammates with each other was obvious. As an attacker he is more of a garbage man than a creator, but his improvisational melee attempt two or three minutes after McGlynn had tied it was three inches too high and struck the left-side upper angle of the steelwork rather than taking the lead.

Paxton Aaronson, No. 10, started as the center forward. He has enough twinkle in his toes that he can generate shots from that position when in a crowd, and did so. Unfortunately they were all struck right to Canada’s properly positioned keeper. He also showed good field coverage and aggressive high press defending. He is not yet his brother, but he is noticeably better at those things than he was in March.

The draw against Canada means Cuba leads the group with six points to the U.S.’s four. Both have already qualified for the tournament’s knockout stage.

The final match of the group stage is Wednesday night against Cuba at 8:30 pm Eastern. It is a “must-win” match if the U.S. is to finish first. TUDN is supposed to broadcast it. TUDN means it is in Spanish of course.