The U.S. Men's national team kicks off a series of five matches in three weeks with a friendly against Scotland in Jacksonville, Florida tonight (8pm, NBC Sports Network).
The match is the start of a busy run that will culminate with the Americans opening qualifying for the 2012 World Cup with matches against Antigua & Barbuda and Guatemala.
The USA will be without Clint Dempsey for tonight's match, but Landon Donovan is back in the fold for the USA, and is in the starting lineup.
SBI will be providing live commentary through out the evening so please feel free to follow along with us. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions on the match in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
Predicto,
What if Donovan had decided to play for Canada? Who would have scored those two early goals?
Also, Donovan has lost his fire and his heart. If you have been reading SBI lately it is clear this team is Clint’s now. All attacking ideas need to be referred to him.
Agree on these points. Depth and quality much greater, Fabian Johnson is really good, and our goals and creativity come from a wider range of play.
But I was one of the few that thought Germany 2006 was more about a vicious draw than any particular failing of the team.
Good times!
How could you forget about Bornstein? You can also add Rossi, Subotic and most recently Chandler.
I respectfully but utterly disagree with your assessment.
Cheers!
I think the biggest difference between Germany 2006 and what hopefully will happen in Brazil 2014 is that we have much more quality at each position. Before, teams could game plan us fairly easily based on the personnel we had. Now, teams need to at least respect the capabilities of our 1-11. The extra attention eventually opens things up for the rest of the squad. Also, I think Fabian Johnson is the real deal – enough so to make me forget about Chandler.
Great performance by USMNT! Played the right way and was exactly as needed. Best I’ve seen them play.
But my questions going into Brasil are:
1) how much did those 2 early goals contribute to the powerful USA attack and confident pressuring defense? What if we didn’t get them?
2) LD was involved in everything attacking. He was the creative force. Who steps in when he runs out of ideas?
Quality of play and skill
jones >>>>>> Bradley, and that will never ever change, Bradley is the most inconsistant midfielder on the squad, hes had maybe 3 good matches the past year, and when one of those matches happens everyon goes rampant and does similiar to the above
” where are all the Bradley haters”
its irritating, if he cant crack the starting lineup for his club he will not be an automatic starter which is something Klinsmen has stated, so damn right he is fighting for a spot
(SBI-Matt, we get it, you don’t like Bradley. You’ve been criticizing him for a LONG time now on this site. Your latest rants about him only serve to show how deluded your views on him seem to be. Funny that you offered no comments during the Italy match. Cat must’ve gotten your tongue that day.)
Still here and still can’t stand the dirty SOB. That said, he was a stud tonight.
I think that was the point.
yup. I’m eating some crow.
Where are the haters?
Scotland’s last friendly was a 1-1 tie against Slovenia in Slovenia and last year lost 3-1 to Spain in Spain. The U.S. has improved. I hope to see a good game against Brazil and can’t wait for that Antigua and Barbuda game.
Understatement King of the Night:
Franco Panizo: 87th minute, USA still on top. Scotland not showing much offensively.
need a little check on your sarcasm meter, Roy. 😉
The Alps? Who plays in the Alps, other than the mountain goats and spanish cyclists?
LOL
Best I’ve ever seen Jones play.
Unless I’m watching a different game, he’s scored 3.
This is the best performance I’ve seen by the US in a while. Good work, Klinnsman.
The Scottish keeper just shrugged his shoulders as his defense got shredded. He made the wtf face.
Yeah, except half the US team plays in the Alps. And Gomez and Torres are probably getting colds.
Glad you inspired him tonight.
He’s really worthless when his heart isn’t in it.
Starting to feel bad for Scotland now. They’re outclassed, and the heat can’t be doing them any favors. The climate difference must be a huge shock for them
Touché.
luv the midfield chemistry between bradley, jones and donovan.
Top three, I meant.
LOL. Sometime we need to get a poll up on this site so we can vote on the SBI Commenters’ Most Hated Players. I would expect the top 5 most hated to be:
1) Michael Bradley
2) Landon Donovan
3) Teal Bunbury
Who cares? They’re both great. Why the need to constantly debate it?
I think Dempsey is the best American player, but Donovan is the best American player when he’s wearing the American shirt. Great stuff tonight
They’re slow
They’re white
They’ll let Donovan score all night
They’re Scotland
donovan is washed up. Just doesn’t look inspired anymore.
Oh God Beckerman is coming in
midfield domination
attacking possession
the more skilled team and players in RW and B
Coach Klinsmann!
In these uniforms with Boyd’s tendency to rove around, I’m even having trouble at times.
The commentator clearly can’t tell the difference between Terrence Boyd and Jermaine Jones.
Jones with a pretty blatant dive there. Whether or not there was contact, he’s was looking for it.
Yes…a guy with 3 caps for Germany must suck
Come on not much he could do against that ball, Cameron is solid he is the modern defender. Please dont get me wrong ive always liked Gooch but he as is everyone else is getting older.
Great performance by USMNT in the first half. Really dangerous when counter attacking in the open field – this is where the goals came – great!
And they are controlling possession with short passes, moving, calm in traffic – great!
Small issue – even with all that possession, they look a bit clueless what to do with the ball near the goal. They seem to want to pass it into the net.
If you search for her name on Youtube (Victoria Zarlenga), she sang the national anthem at a basketball game a few months ago. Sounded like a completely different person. Crazy.
As of yet, I’m not a JK believer. I just think we have better players now and, of course, we’re playing Scotland. They don’t WANT the ball preferring to play counter.
That said, we DO look good on attack.
Then you have not heard many.
God we look good. Klisman is starting to have an effect and our players are getting better.
I’m seeing glimpses of quality from Boyd. I definitely want to see more from him.
I’m sure Rosanne Barr’s effort is on YouTube. Go ahead, listen–I dare you.
I don’t think that was Cameron’s fault. Him and boca both stepped and got that offsides, just unlucky it came down like that
yes i have a scottish feed with no picture would Live to see the game not just listen
Torres with the smart play, so unlucky
At 20:33, Cameron and Boca made a beauty of a step-up and got an offsides on an over the top.