Before the Gold Cup begins, the U.S. Men’s National Team faces an old rival.
The U.S. hosts Ghana at Rentschler Field on Saturday in a tune-up before hitting CONCACAF play. The match will serve as a first and last tune-up for an experimental U.S. roster for the upcoming Gold Cup.
With that in mind, head coach Bruce Arena handed Dom Dwyer and Kelyn Rowe their USMNT debuts while fellow newcomers Cristian Roldan and Kenny Saief are options off the bench. USMNT regulars like Brad Guzan and Jorge Villafana headline the lineup alongside young up-and-comers like Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola.
🗣 Raise the curtain; it's showtime! Introducing your #USMNT starting XI for #USAvGHA.
Lineup notes: https://t.co/cCvXRxM2Wk pic.twitter.com/tLMkHsc8rG
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) July 1, 2017
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.
So, any chance you can ask Ives about when/if Episode 277 will drop? Maybe a Gold Cup preview or something?
Check in this week…
Cool
US owned the midfield, McCarty Acosta and Corona cutting through pretty well, right up the middle. also ball rdcovery after losing it in midfield was well coordinated and the US either won the ball back or disrupted the quick counter effectively. and that was a fun half to watch, US looking to get in behind early and often
Agree with this a million percent. This team is VERY technical, which is good heading into the Gold Cup. Thought Corona excellent. Liked Rowe’s contributions. Dwyer the standout.
and they kept it up throughout the match even with the hard fouls from behind. everyone kept showing and moving and the target players had a good night in hold up and linking guys with one touch balls whether wide, back or forward. Acosta lost a ball on top of the Ghana 18 late after some great US possession with him in the middle of it, almost cost on the Ghana counter but didn’t. would have been a tough last play after such an excellent performance from him tonight
Did Taylor twellman just bring up wondolowski when discussing Dwyer????!!
Our firm definitely called it re:Dwyer 2 years ago. We will be publishing our forecasted lottery numbers weekly for $10….
4-5-1? What’s the formation with this group got it recording.
4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 or whatever you want to call it, yeah. Corona pushing forward in behind Dwyer. He’s been playing pretty high throughout.
would call it a 4 4 1 1 or 4 2 2, 4 4 2 defensively
4 2 2 would be something…4 4 2
We can expect suffering with our full backs
today
Definitely thing it’s a test for Zusi. I’m sure Arena will be rotating, but Zusi is definitely one to watch in the first half.
Zusi played very well first half, can he keep it up, keep mentally tough as the game and challenge wears on? we’ll see.
he did
Kickoff and we’re underway in East Hartford. New USMNT jerseys look good.
4′ Ghana with an early chance that’s cut out in the center of the box. USMNT with the bulk of the ball since.
9′ Fantastic cross from Rowe. First time bass across following an Acosta pass. Nearly finds Corona/Dwyer but it’s cleared away. Best USMNT chance so far.
13′ JUST WIDE FOR GHANA! Headed chance from a dangerous set piece, but it’s hit wide to the left. Good look for the Black Stars from a free kick.
16′ Dwyer’s first USMNT chance goes right at the goalkeeper. Got a little overexcited there
18′ Dwyer dragged down in the box but no call. Looked like he was in on goal.
GOAL DWYER!Just 19 minutes into his debut, Dwyer fires.Shot is blocked and falls right to Dwyer, who fires home on the volley. 1-0 to the USMNT
24′ Ghana VERY lucky as Ofori takes out Dwyer. In a non-friendly? Probably a red card, but only a yellow today.
30′ Early sub for Ghana. Sackey in for Abu in the midfield.
40′ Another sub for Ghana. Opoku in for Sumalia, who leaves injured.
45′ PENALTY TO GHANA AND GUZAN SAVES IT! Villafana with a handful of jersey to draw the PK. Guzan guesses right, though, diving to his left to stop the shot.
Second half is underway.
GOAL! Acosta with a fantastic free kick on the ground that finds the right side of the net. 2-0 to the USA. Should be smooth sailing from here on out.
Arriola commits a foul that leads to a dangerous free kick for Ghana, but it hits off the wall and out of play.
The USMNT can’t let its guard down just because it’s ahead by two goals. A shutout would be huge for the team’s confidence entering the Gold Cup.
Acosta’s free kick isn’t as good as the last one. He sends this one well high of the net in the 56th minute.
So, so close again for the USMNT! Dwyer’s shot is saved by Ofori before the goalkeeper stretches to knock the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately, the set piece comes to nothing and now Ghana has a chance in its end.
GOAL GHANA! Asamoah Gyan strikes a beautiful free kick into the upper 90 to beat Guzan.
We have a game all of a sudden in Hartford.
Zardes has come on for Rowe, who had a solid 60-minute shift that could lead to a start in the next two weeks.
A dangerous 4-on-3 from Ghana turns into a wasteful opportunity, as Acheampong sends a cross well wide of the net and Guzan easily catches another cross from the left wing.
Saief and Bedoya are coming on for the USMNT with Corona and Arriola leaving the contest.
Nice intervention by Besler on the left side of the box to slide in and deflect a cross before Guzan comes over to cover the ball. The US defense has been tested more as the second half wears on.
Jordan Morris comes on for Dwyer, who had an excellent debut for the Americans.
Guzan rushes off his line to end a dangerous move forward by Ghana in the 83rd minute. Closing out the game in the final seven minutes will be crucial for a back line gaining confidence.
What a save! Morris sends a tremendous cross to Bedoya, who has his header denied at the right post!
Gonzalez for Villafana is the next USMNT change in the 88th minute.
Three minutes of stoppage time have been added on to the end of the second half.
Final: United States 2, Ghana 1. Nice workmanlike performance from the USMNT with goals from Dwyer and Acosta. Good start to the month of July.
Bummer… no Lichaj… no Saief… no Morris…
Some of the players I was most interested to see… Zusi at rb is seriously favor over Lichaj? Lichaj was great when he got a run under BB and has played at a high level since… I don’t get it.
Might be a fitness thing. Several of the non-MLS guys were a bit behind. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Lichaj/Saief in the second half.
Hello all. Settled in here at Rentschler for tonight’s match. Dwyer and Rowe set for their debuts in what turned out to be a pretty balanced USMNT lineup.
Got some time before kickoff. Any predictions/questions/comments? Throw them our way.