American fans have a new dual national to get excited for after Tuesday night’s 4-0 U.S. Men’s National Team win over Guyana to open up the Concacaf Gold Cup.
New Zealand born winger Tyler Boyd scored two of the team’s four goals in its first competitive match in nearly two years and just his second game with the USMNT. He put in a man of the match level performance overall and essentially announced himself as the latest promising American talent that most fans had never heard of.
The 24-year-old Boyd was born in New Zealand and he lived in California until he was ten years old. He’s a dual citizen with an Kiwi father and American mother and he made the permanent switch to the USMNT in May after only playing in a couple of friendlies with the New Zealand National Team. He saw the field in the USMNT’s pre-Gold Cup friendly against Venezuela and showed what he could do in earnest on Tuesday.
His first goal showed his deft first touch when he knocked down a pinpoint pass from Michael Bradley. He then calmly collected the ball and smashed a shot into the corner of the net like it was second nature to him. His second of the night demonstrated an ability to create some space for himself by carving out a shooting lane in a crowded penalty area. That first goal was the 1,000th goal scored in USMNT history, a moment at Boyd was proud to be a part of.
“It’s a special moment for me,” Boyd told reporters after the match. “I had my family in the crowd, they travelled from New Zealand. After the game I gave my mum my shirt, so just very special moment. Also to score two goals for the team and for the nation and for that to be the 1,000th goal, I had no idea. What a special moment and what a good performance for the team.”
Boyd’s route to the USMNT was far from conventional. He played on youth teams in New Zealand before making the move to Vitória de Guimarães in Portugal in 2015. He hasn’t appeared much for their senior team, but he went on loan to Ankaragücü in the Turkish Super Lig and impressed with six goals in 14 matches. That was enough to attract Gregg Berhalter’s attention in the spring.
He officially filed for a one-time switch since he had yet to play a competitive match with the All-Whites and FIFA approved the move in time to see Boyd added to the Gold Cup roster.
The obscure path to the USMNT has paid off early on. While he still loves his homeland, he cannot be happier with his decision to move on to a new adventure halfway around the globe.
“Now I’ve represented both countries and I made the switch and I’m so happy that I did,” Boyd said. “I love both countries but at the moment I’m playing for the USA and I’m so happy and it’s a dream come true, honestly. All the hard work and all the people that have helped me on the way, it’s just an amazing moment.”
He’s earned the support and appreciation of his teammates as well. He worked well with Christian Pulisic while playing out wide and he took advantage of a system designed for wingers like Boyd to thrive. Midfielder Paul Arriola, who played opposite Boyd at the top of a 4-3-3 formation and also scored against Guyana, is impressed with the way he plays the game.
“Tyler’s been great,” Arriola said. “Great addition on and off the field. He’s been real professional, real good dude. We’ve been happy to have him with us and his goals, it was a flash of the type of player he is and what he can bring. He can be very flashy at times, he can be very simple and he can make big plays and tonight he was able to do that.”
Boyd will need to keep that flashy style going throughout the Gold Cup if the USMNT wants to make another run at a continental title. Assuming Berhalter has enough faith in him to keep him in the starting XI, he will be out to prove that his performance was more than just a one time deal. If he can, Americans can get excited for another young talent capable of leading this team beyond their recent struggles.
Was at the game and boy-oh-Boyd, did this kid look a cut above. Just played with a freeness and flair that a lot of Americans lack. Been awhile since I’ve watched a USMNT match and seen a player who was dangerous every time he touched the ball.
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Good start, but time will tell, if he can bring it consistently and against better competition.
Dom Dwyer only played in the 1st 2 matches of the 2017 GC, and wasn’t called in, after that. He’s only played in 4 matches for the USMNT. I’ve been watching Dom play, since he won a USL Championship for OCSC in 2013, on loan from Sporting KC. GB won’t call in Dwyer, since Precourt, owner of Austin FC, said something about the way Dwyer plays. Dwyer also rubbed, GB the wrong way, when GB was coaching the Crew. Boyd, who’s a lot younger, will have a better opportunity! I’m a huge Dwyer supporter! I think, there’s no comparison, especially looking @ the leagues, both have played. Boyd,-(1st division- NZ, Australia, Portugal, Turkey); Dwyer,-(IV division- England; US College Soccer, USL, MLS).
While this was a great game for him, Dom Dwyer was once highly touted as well and showed flashes in his debut and following games. Let’s see how he fairs this summer and what his club situation will be like.
The last player who could cross for us was Eddie “The American Beckham” Lewis.
Arriola is a horrible crosser. He just kicks it with no target or accuracy. Sorta like Frankie Hedjuk.
Hejduk earned himself a contract and playtime at Leverkusen when being American was detrimental to your prospects of playing European football. You’re a total moron if you think hejduk couldn’t provide service from out wide.
Further, while arriola isn’t a player that should, ideally, garner minutes for our national team in my opinion, the idea that he hits and hopes is utter bollocks. You’re under cutting him bigtime. He’s got a top notch work rate and little bits of quality come out every now and then. If anyone, Lima provides surprisingly good quality and pulisic should have buried that header.
As an aside, I hope you all thought the same as me in that Christian cannot be squandering those chances. He should have scored on both of his chances and he cannot afford to do that in front of the Chelsea faithful at Stamford bridge. Bottom line. He has to be better.
Hedjuk was never known for his crosses. He was hard-working, fast and very good at tackling, never known for technical ability such as crossing the ball. Some USMNT fans even referred to him as a spaz as in as spastic. Just because Arriola’s lack of crossing skills was evident last night that reminded me a bit of Hedjuk doesn’t make one a total moron.
Arriola last night proved that he cannot put in an accurate cross to save his life. Every one of his crosses was to high and to far. Believe me he will be excoriated once we lose for his poor crossing and inconsistent finishing. He should have scored at least two other goals last night or the very least registered two more shots on goal. Anyone who thinks Arriola is a starter for the US must be smoking some strong dope.
That’s fine but what LW player do we have that can put in these crosses? Weah isn’t known for his crossing, Green is a shooter not a crosser.
Jonathan Lewis could probably play there. Don’t know if his work rate is as high as Arriola but definitely he has better individual skill and probably crosses well too.