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USMNT vs. St. Vincent and the Grenadines: SBI Live Commentary

Photo by Scott Kane/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Scott Kane/USA TODAY Sports

Just two games stand between the U.S. Men’s National Team and the next stage of World Cup qualifying, and Jurgen Klinsmann’s men must start that two-game schedule by navigating a tricky trip to St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

The Caribbean minnow is by far the lowest-ranked side in group play, but an early Oalex Anderson goal put a scare into the U.S. when the two sides collided last year in St. Louis. Friday’s clash is set for Arnos Vale Stadium, a traditional cricket venue that will feature scorching temperatures and game-changing wind.

Heading into Friday’s clash, the U.S. will be without several veteran leaders. Micael Bradley joins Michael Orozco on the suspension list, while Jermaine Jones returned to the Colorado Rapids due to injury. Add in the absences of Gyasi Zardes, John Brooks and Clint Dempsey, and the U.S. will see several shakeups to the lineup.

Leading the USMNT squad will be captain Jozy Altidore, who is joined up top by Bobby Wood. In defense, Kellyn Acosta steps in at fullback as Fabian Johnson slides into a wide midfield role.

The SBI staff will be offering updates and analysis in the comments section below, so feel free to follow along, and as always, please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions below.

Enjoy the action.

Comments

  1. Pulisic definitely have to hold and Zusi not.
    bedoya, Yedlin and beckerman very badly.
    Finally it was a very poor football that
    presented by USMNT

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  2. Another goal for St. Vincent, but another offside call. Anderson just a shoulder off again, but the hosts have looked significantly better in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

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  3. Normal sub pattern, I expect. Take off an attacking midfielder around the 65th minute, Zusi for Pulisic maybe, swap a striker 10-15 later, Jozy for Morris, and around the 85th minute sub out either the other forward for a midfielder or a straight mid for mid swap, either Nagbe for Wood or Bedoya.

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    • Yes. StVG actually had 1 or 2 decent chances. He also received some criticism from the announcers over a choice to come off his line on a cross.

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    • yeah, he made a decent stop on a header from the 6yard box. Not a hard shot, but it could have gone anywhere from there. Damn Guzan stinks

      Reply
  4. if you play this way against Trinidad and
    Tobago will lose the game, the midfield can
    not be maintained for the next game,
    bedoya, Zusi and beckerman are terrible

    Reply
  5. Ives with the 3-0 lead at the half when would you start subbing some of the starters to rest them and save them from getting any cards. Before the T&Tgame? And what subs would you make?

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    • Not sure if I’d call it “letting up” but would expect Klinsmann to get some guys out of there to save them for what could be a very important match against T&T.

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  6. that horror, through very bad field, hope to
    replace soon.
    bedoya out Nagbe or Kljestan in
    beckerman out Pulisic in
    altidore out Morris in

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  7. Man the Vinnies are not very good. If me and my mates were fit at all we could give them a run skill wise. hope nobody gets hurt

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  8. Goals from Wood, Besler and Altidore have the U.S. up 3-0 heading into the half. Feel free to fire some questions our way to get everyone through the halftime break.

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  9. Excellent play from Wood to control that ball and earn the penalty. Horror show defending. Jozy steals the goal, though. More ammo for the Jozy apologists. Not very well struck but he gets keeper to move (keeper guesses?). He does have a very powerful shot though.

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  10. 3-0 after a Jozy penalty. Wood draws the penalty after being taken out by a “flying tackle” from the StVG defender. Stupid tackle really…

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  11. Jozy nearly nips a chance at goal but dribbles right into a defender as he tries to shape his body to goal. This guy really needs a cracker to get his confidence back.

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    • Would a penalty kick do? Wood taken down in the box and the U.S. will have a chance from the spot. Would assume Altidore is on it.

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      • I’ll take it on the sheet but for his confidence I think he needs one of those goals he would have attempted and scored when he was on top form. He takes so many touches on the ball now and with each successive touch his odds to score get slimmer. He needs a good two-touch screamer from the edge of the box or a nice hard low shot off a square ball.

  12. Besler right place, right time. What on earth was that defender thinking with that header though. He headed it softly right across the face of his own goal. Good finish at any rate.

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  13. Ives – how long does BeIn have the away rights to the games? Any idea of any of the other domestic networks (with better platforms) interested in picking up those rights?

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  14. Excellent shot from Wood makes Jozy look good for having bad feet. Fabian looked to mis hit his first touch too, that didn’t look like an intentional pass; he kind of stretched his foot awkwardly.

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  15. At least we were smart enough to go with the all whites today instead of the black unis the U23s wore in Colombia earlier this year.

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  16. Acosta a surprise, I would think we are better with Johnson at LB and Pulisic on the wing, but maybe Acosta has really been “expressing himself” in training.

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    • Acosta has looked very good in previous appearances at left back, which has obviously been a position of weakness. Gives Johnson a chance to get forward and give USMNT another playmaker in the attacking third. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Pulisic later if the U.S. has a lead, though.

      Reply

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