By IVES GALARCEP
The U.S. Men’s National Team takes on Nigeria (6pm, ESPN/Univision) today in the final match of their World Cup send-off series, and the toughest test the Americans will have faced before making the trip to Brazil.
The U.S. is coming off consecutive wins against Azerbaijan and Turkey, but Nigeria will offer a significantly tougher challenge as the African champions look to make their own final preparations for the World Cup.
Jurgen Klinsmann said he would use today’s match as a final look at some positional battles, and not necessarily a match where he will deploy his first-choice starting lineup for the World Cup. In Nigeria, the Americans face a team that should offer a strong challenge to the very areas in the U.S. lineup that are still up for grabs, like central defense, left back and central midfielder.
SBI will be providing live commentary on today’s match so please feel free to follow the action here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s commentary is after the jump):
the hat trick cometh…
Altidore has the confidence back.
Don’t even care about anything else in this game…this is HUGE.
YEAH JOZY! Now that’s a right proper goal, showing off his strength and composure there. Any further questions about who should be our starting striker?
Take that Sunderland!
Gooooaaalllllllll!!!!! The return of Jozy
Jozy’s doing work today defensively.
As far as I can determine, so far, is that the only man on the field, players or coaches, that has a clue is Tim Howard.
Not seeing much out of bedoya. That being said im glad he’s starting over green.
Hispanic commentators on Univision saying that this is the most balanced lineup that Klinsman has ever trotted out. High praises for JJones in the first half. And appreciative of the US attack when they flowed through the midfield and started stringing precise pases together. They also stated that they saw the US deservedly go up 1-0 while dominating the run of play and defending very solidly.
I like it! Much better.
I like Beckerman, but those dreads are just too heavy for him or something. It seems at times they pull him back.
Here in Costa Rica, our ESPN is programmed from Mexico, so on ESPN I’m just seeing the Belmont Stakes. Oh well…
I like seeing the more ‘compact’ play. Seems like when the team shifts right the left side of the team stops at half way point of the field and vice versa. We seem to be covering 2-3 of the field at anytime (or most of the time). Review the goal and you will see lots of compact play on the right side. Notice how many short one and two touch passes were made. That is a benefit of playing compact..you develop many 2 on 1 and 3 on 2 passing situations, but it requires players running off the ball into open space and getting on the ‘inside’ of the defender. I hope we can see more.
Donovan would have been perfect in this lineup. Still think were going to miss Mo Edu
I think in the WC is gonna come down to the difference between having him (Landon) or not having him. Like four years ago.
Nope. Your just an LD fanboy. No matter if we advance, go 0-3, lose in the WC final.. you will say ” This is why having LD _________ Yada Yada Yada..”
The Difference will be in our back line. We’ll be okay w/o LD he’s been in and out of the Squad for 2 yrs. Not a real factor for 90 min. Back line is.
Happy with clean sheet so far given defensive formation. Jones is doing well shielding DMB. Nigeria finally started playing at around 40th. USA!
DMB’s play is allowing JJ to venture forward.
The formation is better but there is a lack of understanding between players. Most passes are just a little off.
Ya, I bet the Belgium game has the same set up. Just for more practice.
ah yes, halftime lined up perfectly with the start of the Belmont Stakes!
Yes!
Dammit.
I have watched a lot of soccer, this is the worst I have ever seen the U.S. team play. Thankfully we got a goal.
sorry, man. i’ve seen the USA play loads worse than this.
Need Zusi in over Bedoya to create more.
Sounds like Zack’s never watched the US before.
Seriously? The U.S. has played worse than this? I am talking about going into the world cup, not about playing regional cup-cake teams.
Sorry dude, everyone can tell you’re either a) 13 years old or b) not been watching this match or many before it.
Ask England how they did against a regional cupcake team…
Sorry Zack, I have to agree with the others. Your opinion is strange to say the least.
tdays match result i predict ,Nigeria 2 USA 0
interesting to see this was posted AFTER the USA went up 1-0. you’re not watching the match, are you?
He’s troll. You can tell by his earlier post.
I love you JOZY
6th highest goal scoring American.
someday he will be the 3rd highest scorer in NT history and highest goal scoring Yank in Europe
These home uniforms are awful. So awful.
Agree, hate to see players constantly fussing with their collars. Not a good design and not that attractive.
super eagles shud at least win dis match to prove to nigerias dat our coach cn win in africa ad also at america, kechi shud nt start dis game wit osaze,i prefe emenike, moses dan hm i hate hs stly of play,ad mikel shud at least show us wot he hav 4 us at brazil to nite,we dnt nid draw we nid win to night
Did you text this comment?
Fabian Johnson is a PLAYER. Great pace, great timing of his runs, good defender, and a real menace to deal with.
Naw, he clearly knows the timing and positioning out of fullback better. Leave him there its hardly less effective.
He said nothing about moving him from fullback.
Jozy looking like the new Wondo.
Jermaine jones always going down
Assist to Fabian Johnson…Why limit his ability to get assists or goals at RB? Could we use more?
Because hes our best outside back
Just because he’s good attacking out of the back doesn’t mean he’s good at playing in mid. He’s played there before in the past and wasn’t so good
LOL. Review stats then come back when you got some facts. Enjoy the game.
I hope we can stop hearing the bench Jozy cries now.
The cries will continue until he drops a brace or scores in five games in a row, then the haters will finally shut up.
I see what you did there…
U belong in Vegas…
got the first part right, now lets hope those next 4 goals are game-winning goals, taking us through to the quarter-finals!!……….
+1
Chandler can hold down RB. Put Fabian at LW or RW. Fabian gets assists when playing MF.
Also gets them when playing right back it appears
With Zusi on the right wing and Dempsey up top in place of Altidore, this lineup would be sooo much better. Zero service from the wings with this group
Why is Twellman talking about Bradley taking a risk going forward with the ball? It should be a primary objective.
Jozy moving well off the ball
Are you kidding? He fades away from the dribbler every time. Has no idea how to get open for a pass.
You were saying?
That goal was nothing…. he couldnt possibly not score it. Watch his runs when bradley approaches the goal area. Watch the number of times he turns it over… He is not the answer for us
Stop looking at the good things he does and focus on his mistakes so I can make my point!!!
Trolls going to troll
Haters goin to hate!
Jake and the other Jozy haters are eating crow!
A tap in. Is that a sign that he has gotten good?
Is this a sign you can be quiet now?
I doubt it.
What do 23 international goals say?
Hey gang,
Trying to get this song to the boys headed to Brazil. Any ideas how to make that happen! Go USA!!!!!
https://soundcloud.com/the-ex-gentlemen/our-time-is-now-by-the-ex
Def looks like a 4-3-1-2 defensively
Mix did not have shin guards on. Not playing today? Everyone else had them.
Holy crap Tim isn’t white
huh?
Props 2 the Corner Tavern in BackBay for having the game on! Deuce with a brace and 2-2 result…
Altidore hand over heart!!!!!!!!
Grrr. I’m sure he has his reasons but it still bothers me.
both of his parents are from haiti. He was born in the US, though. He has publicly said that he won’t put his hand over his heart during the Anthem because his heart lies in haiti where his family is from. He does sing along sometimes, just never hand over heart.
I dont like doing it. But im a texan. Yall how it is.
I have NEVER heard him say this! Please provide a citation or I will hold it as false. He was not he only without the hand over heart.
Y does it bother u?.. .. lighten up man. Hes not a terrorist
Who cares? It’s a free country and he’s not in the military. I don’t do any of that fake patriot crap either.
Ditto
Jesus all ESPN has talked about is the German players. We get it. stfu!
And they made it sound like JK recruited all 5 of em…
This has the potential to be our best lineup for the world cup.
Only thing I would do different is put FabJo on the left and Chandler at rb
Jones and Kyle can go back and defend while the outside backs push forward…..
But the way it is is cool also.
Hispanic commentators on Univision saying that this is the most balanced lineup that Klinsman has ever trotted out. High praises for JJones in the first half. And appreciative of the US attack when they flowed through the midfield and started stringing precise pases together. They also stated that they saw the US deservedly go up 1-0 while dominating the run of play and defending very solidly.
I like it! Much better.
I wasn’t sure if Klinsi was willing to move Demps out to the wing. Love having Bradley, supported by Jones and Beckerman. And I ‘m glad Bedoya got the nod as well.
stream? other than 1st row which has been overtaken by ads.
adblocker is a life saver.
ESPN online if you have a friend who subscribes to cable that will share their password with you.
wiziwig
bryan, bryan, wiziwig has never been a word. If you wanted to mean right, exactly you would say ‘genau’, if you meant it was impotent you would say ‘Wichtigt!’
Please tell me bryan, in english, what is it that you want to say, I will translate it into German for you.
worked like a charm. thanks for that.
Donovan for Davis, get ready.
Also, this lineup seems lacking on the wings.
It looks a little bit like the type of 4-3-3 Spain started with today.
Eh yeah but perhaps not a very dynamic 4-3-3
Yeah, this is the formation that Donovan would have thrived in more than any other. Obviously looking at his goals/assists records for the US he is someone who can operate in space and both finish and create. Which is what you need in forward wings of a 4-3-3…his weakness is playing as either a pure forward or a pure wide winger.
Thrilled to see dempsey bedoya and bradley together in the midfield could be very succesful
Beasley? Please, no!
He had a great match
I’m so confused….what formation do you run with a midfield of Bedoya, Bradley, Jones and Beckerman? Who’s playing on the wing? Is this going to be a 3-5-2 with Bedoya and Johnson playing as wing-backs and Bradley Jones and Beckerman all as DMs? Someone make sense of this for me ::head explodes::
It’s a 4-2-3-1
So is Dempsey playing on the wing then? Can’t say I’m a fan of that though he’s done it in the past.
————–Altidore————-
–Bedoya—Bradley—Dempsey–
——–Beckerman—Jones——
Beas–Besler–Cameron–Johnson
This is basically the the line-up I wanted to see. My hope is that Beckerman sits in front of the back 4, Jones goes box to box, and Bradley stays high to forecheck and create.
I do have to say that I think Donovan would perform better in this formation than any other. It’ll be bittersweet if they end up playing something similar to this.
Hopefully Altidore isn’t left alone too much. I see Fabian Johnson getting forward a ton so that Dempsey really pinches in, then leave Beasley back more often with Bedoya/Zusi operating in more space.
Excited to see this formation.
Very interesting midfield selection. I’m looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
becks brads and jones together? love it!
Wouldnt mind seeing Chandler in midfield.
3-1 US. Jozy with a breakout brace
You’re halfway there.
Nice call!
And there you are! Congratulations on being, like, almost psychic.
3-1 US. We get to see if Beckerman can play against world Cup level athletes.
predictions about the result?
0:0
3-2, U.S. wins.