The Gold Cup knockout stages are here for the U.S. Men’s National Team, and Bruce Arena has deployed the big guns for Wednesday’s quarterfinal match.
Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Darlington Nagbe join the USMNT lineup for Wednesday’s quarterfinal match against El Salvador. The four were called up following the group stage, joining Jesse Gonzalez, who was named to the bench.
Crunch time! The #GoldCup2017 Knockout Round is here. Introducing your #USA starting XI for #USAvSLV.
Lineup notes: https://t.co/FMBvAncHP9 pic.twitter.com/PQjLLes6IC
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) July 19, 2017
The match could be a particularly memorable one for Dempsey as he has the chance to equal Landon Donovan atop the USMNT’s all-time goalscoring chart. In defense, Eric Lichaj and Justin Morrow join the lineup at the fullback position while Omar Gonzalez and Matt Hedges anchor the defense.
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.
That goal will be the highlight of Lichaj’s international career. He won’t be anywhere near Russia in 2018.
Arena has a problem. He is in live with his vets. When has the US played at its best in a 3 5 2 or 4 2 3 1, but a team built on speed. This team looks slow and out of place, with Arriola who needs to play off players with his speed.
Not one of our defensive players tonight should see the field again.
Don’t watch many fc Dallas games but how was hedges defender of the year, all he does is foul and he seem slow
I turned on the game late and just caught the Lichaj goal. Obviously he had a great half.
Dang… Lichaj with a clinical finish.
That was a sweet turn from Dempsey. That goal from Omar seems to have opened things up. Much better last 5 minutes.
Nicely executed free kick by MB to setup Omar’s header.
Lichaj is awful never want him called up again.
But, but… he had an assist vs Martinique.
I do digress and eat my words with that goal he just did.
I was joking, agree with you. While the goal is nice offensive points are merely a bonus for defenders. His D has been atrocious
Awful call on the (non) US goal.
Definitely looks closer on replay than it did live. Looks like he might have been held on.
The main takeaway so far is how iffy our D line looks against weaker competition.
Lichaj lovers will appreciate that solid pass.
Has 85 minutes or so to atone for that but, yeah, he owes Tim Howard a steak or seven.
Kickoff and we’re underway in Philly.
3′ Early look for the USMNT is deflected just up and over the goal for a corner kick. The ensuing set pieces is cleared away.
4′ HUGE SAVE HOWARD! Awful giveaway by Lichaj and Howard has to come off his line to save a one-on-one. USMNT VERY fortunate.
8′ Another chance for the USMNT from a corner kick but it goes just wide for another corner. Ensuing set piece is cleared.
10′ El Salvador with an incredible set piece routine to get a great look at goal but it just can’t get through the logjam in front. Great setup.
16′ Chance for Altidore but it’s saved by a diving Carillo.
17′ GOAL ZARDES BUT HE’S OFFSIDE! Great ball from Dempsey but Zardes is just a step or two offside. Buries the finish far post, though.
19′ Quick shot from Dempsey but it’s right at Carrillo.
34′ Altidore incensed after a challenge in the midfield. Looked like a hard foul and medical team is out checking on a downed El Salvador player.
GOAL USA! OMAR GONZALEZ! One of the most ridiculous free kicks I’ve ever seen. Bradley pings it 35 yards and puts it on a platter for Gonzalez. Absolute dime and it’s 1-0.
GOAL LICHAJ! He’s had an up and down first half (mostly down) but he fires home the second goal. Goes five hole and proceeds to unleash a ridiculous sliding celebration as the USMNT goes up 2-0.
HALFTIME: 2-0 to the USMNT on goals from Gonzalez and Lichaj. Defense was a mess for quite awhile but two of the back four step up with goals. Rocky half for most of it but the USMNT is seemingly cruising.
Second half is underway.
52′ Lichaj mistimes his step and allows a chance for El Salvador but it’s dragged wide of the post.
USMNT struggling to get back on corner kicks. Lichaj recovers and the U.S. dodges a bullet again.
FINAL: USMNT use two goals from defenders to topple El Salvador. This match had pretty much everything from CONCACAF hijinx to defenders goals to calamitous mistakes. Plenty to dissect here.
Omar and Hedges, hold on to your shorts everybody.
Omar has been solid thus far. Hedges is coming off a ROUGH outing. Could really do with a bounce-back effort to restate his case.
Whoa! That’s a lot of stars on the uni. I thought the GC kit just has a few stars on the shoulder. They’ve migrated and multiplied!
Just the warm-up kit. Don’t be too alarmed. Love the tops though, but would like it better with white shorts. Current Gold Cup kit is also fire, but would like to see a variation of this warm-up in the rotation.
I hope Lichaj does really well this game and convinces Arena of a starting role for the rest of the tournament.
Think a big game could put him in the mix. Now, if all goes to plan, the U.S. plays four times in 11 days, so rotation is going to happen no matter what. However,a big performance could certainly make him a candidate to push on down the line, especially with the uncertainty at left back.
Hello all. Checking in here from Philadelphia ahead of the USMNT’s clash with El Salvador. Hoping it’s a little bit more exciting than Costa Rica-Panama…
In terms of lineup, Arena goes for veterans and rotation. Five recent call-ins join the XI while the fullbacks are rotated ahead of a potential quarterfinal against Costa Rica.
What do you think of the lineup? What do you expect from tonight’s match? About an hour until kickoff so feel free to offer some comments/criticisms in the chat or hit me with any questions, USMNT or otherwise.
A familiar face captaining El Salvador today: San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Darwin Ceren. Cosmos midfielder Richard Menjivar, Cosmos defender Andres Flores and Reno 1868 midfielder Efrain Burgos all on the bench.
Have to say the El Salvador fans have shown up for this one. Plenty of blue and white throughout the lower bowl.