If one were to just look at the scoreline from last Friday’s game against St. Vincent and the Grenadians, one might assume that the U.S. Men’s National Team had a cakewalk.
The USMNT did in fact dominate the Caribbean minnow, but for a few moments in the beginning of the game, the Americans found themselves down to the underdog.
Oalex Anderson cut inside from the left wing, beating Geoff Cameron then DeAndre Yedlin before slotting a shot past goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The goal left many stunned, but the reaction by the USMNT was quick and lethal as Bobby Wood scored the equalizer six minutes later. That response will be an important lesson to draw upon, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann says, as the team heads to Port of Spain to play Trinidad & Tobago on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., beIN Sports).
“You go down a goal to a nation like St. Vincent and for a moment it makes you look really bad,” Klinsmann said. “You expect positive body language, you expect a reaction right away, you expect a higher tempo, and all they did all those things. They knew exactly how to react to a problem and they could face that against Trinidad & Tobago, especially away from home.
“Maybe things aren’t going your way and suddenly they might score or things aren’t working out the way you want, and you want them to have a positive spirit, a positive attitude – the attitude that no matter what happens, we’re going to get the job done.”
The USMNT held more than 80 percent of possession against St. Vincent and the Grenadians, but the same is not expected to happen on Tuesday.
T&T and the USMNT met four times during the 2010 World Cup qualifying cycle. While the U.S. won once and lost once away from the States, no meeting in the history of these two sides has been decided by more than a goal when played in the Caribbean.
The Americans’ next World Cup qualifier is sure to be tough, but the Soca Warriors’ recent play, as well as the humidity, has Klinsmann thinking that they will be in for much more of a battle.
“I think Trinidad & Tobago and probably Haiti have been the biggest winners or surprises in CONCACAF this year,” Klinsmann said. “They played a very good Gold Cup and also had some good results in friendlies and other test games. You have to give Trinidad & Tobago a lot of respect. They’re known for their physical game and known for being strong.
“A lot of their players play in the English Championship and obviously playing at home they have a lot of confidence, and they want to prove to the world that they’re a good team. Over the years they’ve improved themselves on the technical side and on the mental side as well.”
Not only did the Soca Warriors have a good summer, the Caribbean nation also just secured an important road win against Guatemala on Thursday. With the result, the USMNT sits just above T&T in CONCACAF’s Group C, and Klinsmann wants to see it stay that way come Tuesday evening.
“The fact they got a win in Guatemala City is huge for them. It gives them a good feeling going up against the United States,” he said. “We have to be prepared for that – it’s one of the reasons we came to Trinidad & Tobago early.
“We flew right after our game all the way from St. Louis down to Port of Spain to be prepared. We’ll be prepared for the climate and we’ll be prepared for a very physical battle.”
What do you think of Klinsmann’s comments? How do you think the U.S. will fare tomorrow against the Soca Warriors?
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