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U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team 3, Mexico 0: A Look Back

Jordan Morris, Jorge Espericuete

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIPhotos.com

By RYAN TOLMICH

Following last week’s U.S. Men’s National Team performance against Mexico, Wednesday’s Under-23 encountered proved to present much of the same.

After a contentious first half, Jordan Morris came alight, helping to lead a U.S. side to a dominant victory on the heels of an improved second half en route to a 3-0, or Tres a Cero, victory.

Yet Morris was far from the only positive for a U.S. side that had plenty to smile about, as well as quite a few reasons to exude caution going forward.

Here is a look at some of SBI’s takeaway’s from Wednesday’s U.S U-23 victory: 

JORDAN MORRIS CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

To this point, Jordan Morris remains a 20-year-old prospect, but this much is known: the Stanford product has both speed and ability in abundance.

Morris, like the rest of the team, had a quiet first half, but the forward was truly unleashed in the second stanza. Even prior to his well-taken finish for the game’s third goal, Morris was a menace from open play from the first minute of the second half.

Repeatedly darting and ducking past the Mexico backline, Morris has the physical tools to be quite a presence as he continues to mature. However, he is not without fault, as several of his touches in the final third could have been better, leading to a breakdown of several U.S. attacks.

At the end of the day, Morris is a prospect, and should be viewed as such as he continues to refine the technical aspects of his game. That comes with time, something which he has plenty of, but his innate physical tools and mental strength will only prove to be assets for the youngster going forward.

CROPPER BOOSTS RESUME IN CROWDED GK POOL

The U.S. has always had an ability to produce quality goalkeepers, and the country’s current stock of netminders is no exception.

The man charged with protecting the net Wednesday was Southampton’s Cody Cropper, and the 22-year-old turned in quite the performance. Making every save from the routine to the spectacular, Cropper certainly impressed, despite making a few mental mistakes in distribution.

The question now lies in where Cropper fits in the goalkeeper hierarchy, as the U.S. Youth National Team pool is as crowded as ever.

Zack Steffen is seen as the most promising, with the Freiburg goalkeeper widely regarded as the diamond of the U.S. pool. In addition, senior team regular Bill Hamid is just 24, Sean Johnson just 25 and fellow up-and-comer Alex Bono is waiting in the wings at just 20.

Cropper finds himself in an ever-crowded pool of U.S. goalkeepers, but it’s obvious that the Southampton shot-stopper improved his case with Wednesday’s performance.

ABSENCE OF TRAPP A GLARING HOLE

Despite the team’s dominance in the second half, the first half saw the U.S. having to deal with a major Wil Trapp-sized hole in the midfield.

Mexico suckered the U.S. into playing their game through the first 45 minutes, as El Tri bossed possession while making the Americans chase. The U.S. remained unable to clog the midfield at the start, leaving Mexico with plenty of chances to score, even in the second half when the U.S. was more dominant.

Having the Crew midfielder stationed in his favored deep role would have been a game-changer, as Trapp has already demonstrated his ability to both break up and funnel play forward at the highest level.

Trapp is an integral piece of this team as the group heads to qualifying, one that head coach Andi Herzog will surely be glad to have back when the team next convenes.

U.S. MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVEREMPHASIZE PERFORMANCE

The last time the U.S. U-23’s took on Mexico, the Americans emerged with a 2-0 victory on the back of goals from Mix Diskerud and Juan Agudelo.

We all know how that story ended.

Mexico went on to claim the Olympic gold, upsetting highly favored Brazil in the process. The U.S., meanwhile, bumbled through Olympic qualifying, culminating in the now-infamous Nightmare in Nashville.

Wednesday’s victory is just another step in the process, one that truly begins in October’s qualifying. The result is far from an end product, and discounting a team like Mexico should be done at your own peril.

The result was a positive sign, yes, a very positive one in fact. The U.S. demonstrated that it an handle pressure, adjust on the fly and score when needed. What the team did not demonstrate is that it is ready for an Olympic berth, an honor that is achieved in October, not March.

Comments

  1. Reading this article reminded me of how much talent we had on the last team that tried to qualify for the Olympics. Agudelo, Adu, Diskerud, Brek Shea, Opara, Kitchen, Corona, Bunbury and Hamid among others, It was criminal that they didn’t qualify.

    Reply
    • You have to take into account a couple of other facts when looking at the last Olympic Qualification squad.
      1) Opara was NOT very good at the time. He was actually very Bad.
      2) Kitchen was the other starting CB…and not at CDM where he would have been better.
      3) It was Shea’s bone headed play that gave El Salvedor the opportunity to tie the match.
      4) Hamid & S. Johnson were the Keepers and 1 got injured and the other had a gaff.
      5) There were NO OUTSIDE BACKS worth a damn on that team.
      6) Porter used Shea….when Gyau actually performed much better in the friendly before the tournament.
      7) Agudelo got injured, and Porter didn’t use Boyd until it was too late.

      While we should have qualified (on paper), Porter did not have enough time to prepare the team, there was limited team chemistry, and the substitutions were bad.

      Reply
  2. The finer point I was making that wasn’t really picked up on was.. Sure as a sounder possession he chose Stanford. But that was before all this exposure and surely Euro scouts who had no idea who he is now do .. If he plays lights out this summer some Euro club might make the choice much tougher

    Reply
    • Also, if he looks into it, it’s not like playing soccer now would close off other opportunities later. Just off the top of my head I know of several athletes who have become doctors and lawyers after a long pro career. I believe it is Alan Page, a former all pro NFL defensive lineman for the Vikings, who is now a Minnesota supreme court judge.

      Reply
  3. Odds that Morris receives a quality enough offer during the summer window that he doesn’t return to Stanford? Or hold out one more year post Olympics..

    Reply
    • Morris will be at Stanford until he graduates. The money was there yesterday, it is there today, and it will be there tomorrow. He has turned it down. I would be surprised to see him suddenly change his mind. Especially since the more time he spends at Stanford, the more silly it would be for him to have turned down all that money the last two years and still have not gotten his degree. It would have all been pointless.

      Reply
      • I think he should have already left (or never went) if he were serious about his soccer career. But the longer he stays the closer is he is to getting a degree and that’s true even if leaves early. He can always go back.

      • hopefully there is a bit more money on the table now that every US Soccer fan knows his name and face. MLS its all about marketability…

        my hope/guess is one more college season and he signs with Seattle prior to the preseason. in full pro season mode before the Olympics, maybe Copa America.

      • Actually if he completes his junior year, he can probably finish his 4th year of school over a couple years without much trouble. (It is not like soccer players do not have ample time to read and study and actual attendance, as in buts on seats, is not that big a deal. If he were to sign with SJ, he could even make some fraction of classes in the fall semester.)

      • If he plays in MLS it will be with Seattle.

        Also, don’t discount the fun factor of having a full-time presence, and living on or around campus. For all we know his perspective is, “I only have a chance to do this one time in my life, and its just two extra years. The money and my professional soccer career will still be there regardless. Even if I stay at Stanford until I graduate, I will get to play professional soccer for the next 10 to 12 years.”

      • Stay @ Stanford. Nobody will care you played for the Sounders 30 years from now. Stanford degree worth more than leaving early for soccer.

        He missed so many chances to score yesterday; could have had a hat trick. Looked really raw with his touch. If he goes pro now, no way he is 3rd choice after Dempsey/Martins. He has to finish those chances in order to start in MLS.

      • Sure …by all means stay in that world class league – the NCAA ! You’ll play 3 months a year 🙂
        We gotta let them guys break out of that BS league where US players go to die.

      • Duke is almost as prestigious as Stanford. 3 of the underclassmen on their basketball team have declared for the NBA draft. While the NBA is more money, Morris has a better chance of making an MLS team than a lot of the BB players going pro have of making the NBA. There is no time limit on getting your bachelor’s degree and almost all units would be transferable if he wanted to finish out somewhere else. If it’s grad school, there is a time limit on when you can get your masters and and often units aren’t transferable.

    • I figure he’s there next year unless something strange happens. By something happens, I mean he does really well in this year’s games and get’s a big money move in Europe this fall or next spring. Otherwise, I assume he’ll be there through his junior and come out after the Olympics (his senior year – Fall ’16).

      Reply
      • I think it is more about money comes his junior year. Frankly, MLS does pay enough to make leaving early worthwhile.

        That being said, I friends who went to Stanford, and they told me if you stay 2 years, Stanford makes easy for you to finish (depending on your major – he does not have an engineering major) if you leave. My buddy told me if Morris goes through Fall Junior year (Fall this year), he could probably do the rest part time/remote.

    • I read on another site from a poster, that by finishing his second year he can come back at any time in the future to finish his degree. I dont know if it is true, but i read it from a few different posters. If true it would make sense for him to leave this summer.

      Reply
    • There is an article on the MLS website where Jordan Morris pretty much confirms that he will be at Stanford at minimum till the end of his Junior year. So basically the earliest he would leave Stanford in May/June 2016. But he didn’t rule out coming back for his senior year.

      Reply
    • Not sure what our defense would look like but I’d take:
      Villareal
      Green
      Giddeon (if he gets his status squared away)
      Hynman
      Morales
      Joya
      Morrison
      Cropper
      Gil

      Reply
    • Our qualifying team might be a lot closer to full strength. The final game (third game) in the group stage, the semi-final, third-place game, and the final, all fall during FIFA international dates.

      So expect to see guys like John Brooks, Rubio Rubin, and whoever else is age eligible on the team. This is a nice little wrinkle for this cycles qualifying tournament.

      Reply
    • this year’s tournament falls on a fifa break, and hopefully there are just pre qualifying friendlies (Confed cup playoffs would be the alternative) going on for JK’s team.

      ——Villareal——-Rubin——-Morris——
      ———————–Gil————————–
      ————Trapp———Zelalem————– or Hyndman (alt)
      -Serna–Packwood–Brooks—-Yedlin—-
      ———————-Cropper———————

      if top players are not available then I would expect something very similar to last night’s lineup with Trapp in the midfield. U20 WC should change this up..

      Reply
  4. The misery of Mexican soccer. A rank amatuer scores against them twice in a week. Wondo put that chance last nite over the crossbar.

    Reply
    • I’m not sure I would call it a misery over two friendlies vs the US, especially last weeks squad with reserves. When Mexico had fielded their main squad they’re 2-0 in 2015. I’d wait till the G.C when all teams have their prime squads, to call the Mexico N.T a misery.

      Reply
      • This is the biggest rivalry for both countries. Anytime you win or lose to your biggest rival, in any match, is cause for misery or celebration.

      • ALWAYS better to win, as you alluded to esp v a rval… perspective is good too though. No big take-away or celebrations for me beyond a slap on the back, a cheer and a beer. Some good signs but too, it was a uneven performance in an early friendly on our home turf between two incomplete squads/products.

      • The 0-5 2009 Gold Cup final loss still smarts, and that Mexican squad was much higher caliber than the US B-team we sent to that tournament.

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