In search of a bounce-back performance, the United States Men’s Olympic soccer team jumped all over New Zealand en route to its first points of the tournament.
Djordje Mihailovic, Walker Zimmerman, Gianluca Busio, and Paxten Aaronson all found the back of the net in a 4-1 group stage victory on Saturday. The result was an important one after the Americans lost 3-0 to hosts France in their opening match last Wednesday.
Mihailovic began the scoring from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, netting the first Olympics goal for the USA men in 5,827 days (16 years).
Fellow overage player Zimmerman bundled the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 in the 13th minute. New Zealand failed to clear its box and the Americans made them pay for their second goal in quick succession.
Left-back John Tolkin, who created the opportunity for Zimmerman, was a standout performer on the day just as he was against France despite not finding his name on the scoresheet.
By the half-hour mark, Busio joined the show to help the USMNT break another record. With his finish to make it 3-0, the men’s team ended a 24-year drought (since Sydney 2000) without scoring three goals in an Olympic match.
Unfortunately, not everything went right as Busio became a forced substitution due to a hamstring injury seven minutes later.
Nonetheless, records continued to fall in the second half as the USMNT added a fourth goal in the second half. Paxten Aaronson finished off Griffin Yow’s service to give the Americans their first-ever Olympic match with four goals scored.
New Zealand’s Jesse Randall came off the bench and pulled a consolation goal back for the Kiwi, but it would be their lone bright moment of the match.
The same starting XI that fell to France three days prior took destiny into their own hands on Saturday, ensuring that a victory in their final match against Guinea on Tuesday will earn the United States a spot in the quarterfinals.
It would be the team’s first appearance in the knockout stages of the Olympics since winning their group en route to their best-ever finish, taking fourth place at Sydney 2000.
Despite failing to hold onto a potential first Olympic clean sheet in 16 years, the confidence has been restored in a youth team that does not put limits on themselves.
KP is a flopper. PA is a flopper. Floppers try to draw fouls because they aren’t athletic enough to be their opponent 1 on 1. King Bizzy – Matko is Serbian. Djordje is Serbian. Djordje gets to take all the free kicks, all the corners, and all the penalty kicks. This coach has no clue what athletes need to be on the field because he’s from Serbia. We need American coaches. Germany isn’t America. Brazil isn’t America. Serbia isn’t America. Spain isn’t America. Remember when a provisional list for the USA was included earlier this year, and Tyler Boyd name was on the list. Well, I was the only human on earth that wasn’t surprised. Anthony Hudson (interim coach) is a Kiwi; Tyler Boyd is a Kiwi. As long as we have coaches like this, we will get further away from Americans playing this sport. GB had CP doing everything, the same as Matko has Djordje doing everything. Bruce Arena & Klinsmann had Michael Bradley doing everything. This is 1990s soccer. It’s a team sport, what happened to sharing responsibility?! There’s some commentators who are intelligent. How many USA men’s teams have advanced when 1 person is taking all the free kicks, taking all the penalties, taking all the corners?
Pretty foolish comments, On multiple levels. Lets just start with the fact that djordje was born in the USA, and doesn’t even speak Serbian. And if you know anything about team sports, defense wins championships. Always has, always will.
We already went through all this nonsense years ago when some people insisted that only “real” Americans belonged on our national team. No Jermaine Jones, for example because, gasp, he spoke English with an accent. I guess with the rise of a certain movement, nativism is back in vogue now.
Interesting comment, because my opinion, US soccer and its fan base has always skewed to the left, and as such has kept a large segment of the population disinterested. Most countries fan base are not so like minded as the US fan. Ultras, be they in Germany, Croatia, Argentina or elsewhere are not liberal do gooders, and that’s a fact. Sorry maradona, but you’re just not athletic enough, and Luka, you to small
Huh? Did you not watch the game? Paxten beat multiple players multiple times. I will say that Paredes does need a bit of bulk.
They both have athleticism.
Preston Zimmerman, is that you? Your a payaso grande aka big clown, with this comment It’s OK 2 Think. America is not going to be a power house because you all dont utilize all talent, if its not rich or first generation white American, they dont deserve to play, smh. Boy looking like Patrick from SpongeBob, go back underneath your rock and go lay down please. I said what I said, I wont be going back and forth with you your forever invisible, ignorant, and blocked
USA had better athletes than the Kiwis. France had better athletes than the USA. The women side benefits greatly from their athletes. USA women can’t get by on athleticism anymore. Fundamentals are needed. The rest of the world in the women’s game is adapting to a more athletic style & less soccer/skilled aesthetic. Zambia brought athletes & less soccer/skilled. The men’s side is the opposite. The men need top athletes and not only soccer skillset. USA is still fielding squads as if we are in the 90s. All team sports throughout the world are skewed towards the offensive end. Unless we are the superior athletic team, like vs the Kiwis, we won’t get very far. We need to get the best athletes that meet soccer/skill set. Simple.
I wonder how fast Messi ran the 40 yard dash? I remember in years past how we got some great athletes and took some of them to the World Cup. It didn’t matter much. Most every top team has very good athletes; the difference is the teams that combine that with actual soccer skill and soccer IQ. You would think you’ve only been following the sport for a little while with such a foolish comment.
The USA did just beat them 3-0 four months ago so it’s not just hype there is some recent result.
As I replied below. Easily could have been 3-3. Watched the match. If you watched their 2 matches here it‘s pretty clear they are not underdogs and we are not favs by any means. Gonna be close. Who will make the big play? Schule needs to be on. That was the match where griffin Yow showed he was going to make the squad. He was excellent.
If the first two rounds are any indication, declaring anyone a “favorite” should be done carefully at this Olympics. I’d guess they’ll activate Johan Gomez to replace Busio, but start Paxten as the 8, and Yow or Booth on the wing. If I did the math correctly a one goal loss should still get us through unless France lays an egg against New Zealand, which again could happen.
Goof grief. Flying through replay and all I hear is how we will be favored against Guinea. Pure ignorance. No different than the over the top hype pre Copa. The ignorance knows no bounds. It will be a close match up. Again….thin margins. Welcome to international football, but US hype is pathetic.
It will be a tough game, But the u23″s beat Guinea 3-0 a few months ago.
I watched that match. Dead even. Guinea‘s finishing was terrible. They missed a couple of sure fire goals. It was an even match on the field in every way. Just like the 3-0 win by France wasn‘t indicative, our 3-0 win against them wasn‘t. Guinea was extremely unlucky against NZ and played France much better than we did. Don‘t expect us to run this team off the field. They will get quality chances. They will push us hard. For me this is a coin flip TBH.
I think Tolkin has been our best player in both games. I’m sure he won’t be in MLS much longer.
I have been a bit disappointed in Paredes so far.
Aaronson looked really good.
The attack looked better when Mihailovich and Mcguire were pulled.
They should have had a couple more goals.
The attack looked better but the finishing was better with the starters.
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Hope Busio is ok. For the “we should have played hardball and gotten more top players released” crowd, that’s why clubs aren’t going to release players if they don’t have to.
I don’t know man. I think if the player had really asked the team would have released said player. I think they were prioritizing preseason over the Olympics. It is what it is.
2tone,
“I think they were prioritizing preseason over the Olympics. ”
Who are “they”? The club or the player?
If I think I am on the verge of breaking into the first team then maybe I say no to Gregg. Either that or the player is valued by the club and wants to protect them. And that is a good thing.
Regardless, that was a very bad New Zealand team.
I thought against France Paredes was the USA’s best player. He pretty much had his way up the wing and made the crosses from which Tolken and Aaronson had good scoring chances.
Guinea gave France fits as they defended well and France had to settle for a single late goal in a game that looked like it was destined for a 0-0 result.
The next game will not be easy.
The players were prioritizing preseason which it is what it is. Nothing wrong with that.
Guinea will be difficult.
No it will not. If anyone thought it would they just don‘t get it TBH. Know what? We played fairly well against France. Margins are thin and we easily could have scored first, and then tied it up. after going down. That wasn’t a 3-0 loss but the game can be cruel. Guinea has a very good midfield. Their D can be had. A draw will be enough for us. Even 1-0 loss if France wins I think. Hope we don‘t play to conservatively. Wish we had scored another one or two against the kiwis.
Paredes really gets under the other players skin. Both fullbacks he played against wanted to kill him. He dives, he is pesky, he gets fouled a lot, he takes little shots at ankles, and he shuts down his side defensively. He may not be the offensive wing we want/need but he clearly is hard to play against. Even when he wasn‘t producing offense at Wolfsburg he always found a way on the field for a reason. Just have to adjust to what he is…and that is more of a defensive wingback/fullback type player. Coaches seem to value him, In US Nat land many are always trying to find excuses/blame for why our guys don‘t play much. This guy gets on the field for a reason. I celebrate a player who is valued by coaches. That‘s what really matters.
You’re right.
Realistically, if and when he finally is a regular first team starter, it will be as a conventional left back as opposed to a modern wingback.
In the same way, Tessman will likely be a center back.
@TK with you on everything you’re saying up and down this thread
I think Paredes has been hampered by Mitrovic putting him on the right side, when he’s been a left sided player his entire career. I’m curious as to why he’s made that switch, anyone else have any guesses as to why?
He’s left footed. Often in today’s game you play left footed defenders on the left because their primary offensive job is to provide width and crosses (many dribbling and passing reasons in build out too). Left footed attackers generally play on the right so they can cut in on their left foot and shoot. It’s why Pulisic was moved to the left since he’s right footed (Leao is better so Pulisic has to play on right for ACM). Think Arjen Robben being left footed playing on right. It’s also why our friend It’s Ok wants Weah to play on left for US, Tim basically can only go to the endline because he’s not as good cutting back in on his left. He plays once in awhile on the right for Wolfsburg. I don’t watch them much, but if they play a big target forward they probably want the left footed Paredes on the left making crosses into the box.