Final thoughts
An impressive Colombia got the result they deserved for their swarming attempts to unlock an obdurate USA defense. Lots of neat interplay and invention as you’d expect from James and co, though the USA looked to have ridden their luck, that begin with a fortunate penalty decision in the first half, all the way through to the final whistle, when Colombia got their late winner to inflict the USA’s first defeat since the World Cup. Even when Colombia made changes late on, the quality of players they were able to introduce was pretty remarkable.
More worryingly in the short term for Klinsmann, that’s the third game in that sequence where they’ve given up a late goal, though doubtless he’ll focus on the positives of getting to see his various selection experiments tested under what are some of the most trying circumstances available in international gameplay right now. He’ll know more about the center pairing of Brooks and Jones, the longevity of Beckerman, the still to be determined potential of Yedlin, and the growing influence of Alejandro Bedoya after this game. He was also given a couple of intriguing glimpses of Wood and one sublime looking flick by Nguyen that might have marked a dramatic return to the national team.
It’s a work-in-progress all round then, and the adventure will continue for the US in Dublin next week. We’ll be back with that. For now, thanks for joining me this evening, and good night.
Final score: USA 1-2 Colombia
Final thoughts in a moment...
90 mins+3
USA have a free kick midway inside the Colombia half. Nguyen over it and it’s a decent inswinger towards the back post. It’s flicked clear only as far as Altidore, but he’s always stretching for the ball and his attempted pass to a team mate is picked off, and that will be that.
90 mins +2
Long ball forward from the US runs straight through to Vargas, who’s in no rush to kick the ball forward — Colombia seem to feel they’ve done enough. They’ve certainly been on the front foot for most of the game and got the reward for their positivity.
90 mins
Gutierrez comes off for Jackson Martinez. Gutierrez understandably cheered all the way off by this Colombian-dominated crowd. Cuadrado comes off for Juan Quintero.
Wood and Nguyen try to combine again going forward but Wood can only give up a throw deep in Colombia territory.
GOAL! USA 1-2 COLOMBIA (GUTIERREZ!)
Jones goes to ground to make an interception, but the USA are again caught deep and James gets the ball behind the defense for Cardona to flick the ball to the back post for Gutierrez to head home the simplest of chances and surely win it.
86 mins
More Colombia pressure, but the USA trying to force the ball upfield a little more meaningfully now rather than conceding possession immediately. Altidore runs into traffic while trying to do this though and Colombia get the ball back.
Yedlin off, Julian Green on for the final few minutes.
84 mins
Jones needs a couple of touches when he’s found at the back post by a deep free kick, but he does well enough to cut to his right and make the angle for a low shot on target that’s never going to get past Vargas.
Back to the other end and James cross almost confuses Beasley and Brooks, but in the end the ball bounces harmlessly to Guzan.
82 mins
First action for Nguyen and it’s a fantastic little flick just in front of the Colombia center backs that allows Wood to race into the box and force Vargas to come out and block him one-on-one.
Colombia immediately go up the other end and force Guzan into another save low as Armero and Cuadrado combine.
80 mins
The USA’s next opponents, Ireland, are a goal down to Scotland in their European qualifier, by the way.
78 mins
Minor panic for Colombia as Beasley’s cross flies across the box and is only cleared as far as Morales on the left. He squeezes into the box and is just forced off the ball by Arias, apparently catching a stray limb to the face in the process.
That’s the cue for Lee Nguyen to make his long-awaited return to the US, replacing Diskerud, while Adrian Ramos comes on for Colombia as they go for the win.
76 mins
Colombia free kick just inside the US half, after an agricultural challenge from Beckerman. The USA regain possession though and for a second Yedlin has space in front of him as he sprints forward with the ball before colliding with Armero near the corner of the Colombia box. no foul says the referee.
74 mins
More Colombia pressure on the edge of the US box, as Gutierrez’s shot flicks off a defender and loops to the edge of the box, where James improvises an immediate volley on goal that Guzan has to react to quickly. He does, and holds onto the ball.
Colombia sub: Aguilar off, Edwin Cardona on.
Another quick Colombia free kick wide left — again they switch the play to the other flank but the USA just about fashion a clearance. They’re pinned back very deep now though.
Equalisation…
72 mins
Beasley instantly give Altidore a ball to chase and he does so well to bring US players behind him into play — always Plan A for games like this at the World Cup, before Altidore pulled up in the first game. But Diskerud gives the ball away in a dangerous position and the US are lucky to see the resulting Colombia counter break down.
70 mins
Wood nearly introduces himself with a bang as he digs up a fierce shot that Vargas has to touch out.
DaMarcus Beasley comes in for his 121st cap to replace Garza. As things stand Klinsmann might like to spend the next 20 minutes making really slow substitutions.
68 mins
Alfredo Morales on for Bedoya; Bobby Wood coming in for Rubin as well. It gives us a brief pause in the relentless Colombia attacks, but immediately a Beckerman clearance is only as far as teeing up Armero on the edge of the box, but he can’t get a clean shot off to work Guzan hard.
66 mins
Colombia looking rampant right now as the game opens up, and james, inside the corner of the box cuts inside to make space for the shot around Johnson. It’s low, but soft and straight at Guzan. All Colombia right now and Klinsmann is readying his subs.
64 mins
Colombia take a quick free kick wide right and it sets up an awkward loking shot from Sanchez that’s spinning goalwards until Guzan, reacting late, is able to dive and smother it.
62 mins
Colombia fans in full voice celebrating a goal that replays show may be as controversial as the USA’s first half goal — fair amount of evidence to suggest Beckerman was impeded by Gutierrez as he tried to run back into the box, which would count as “interfering with play” in most cultures. Regardless Colombia have the momentum and a corner...
GOAL! USA 1-1 COLOMBIA (BACCA!)
It’s been coming...Colombia laying siege on the edge of the USA box but finding it packed by a resolute US defense. But then James flicks a ball behind the US defense, an offside Gutierrez holds his run and Bacca pushes the ball wide around Guzan and touches the ball home with his right foot!
58 mins
USA earn a little patch of possession and push forward, earning a free kick wide left as Bedoya is pulled down by Arias.
Bedoya floats the free kick to the back post and Yedlin’s header goes off Romero for a corner. This one results in a header on goal from Jones, though never enough to trouble Vargas in the Colombia goal.
56 mins
Another direct ball by Colombia sees Jones cushion a header back to Guzan. Colombia beginning to try and stretch the US a little with balls over the top and out wide, but so far the USA holding relatively firm.
54 mins
It’s still lively and still holding the pattern of the first half, though doubtless we’ll see some substitutions soon that’ll affect the flow of the game. You suspect the USA will be the happier to enter that phase of the game.
52 mins
Cuadrado should have done better as Beckerman was wrongfooted in closing him down and there looked to be space for a much better cross than Cuadrado could manage.
More of a straightforward ball forward now as Bacca sprints into the box and goes down under pressure from Brooks, but to be fair to Bacca he wasn’t looking for a call there (and didn’t get one).
Protestation…
50 mins
USA attacking again now down the right (Yedlin has started in front of Johnson in this half), but Yedlin loses the ball and James springs forward at pace looking to punich the error. He sprints to the edge of the US box and then checks enough that the US cavalry catch up with him and surround him to force the ball wide, but only at the expense of conceding a free kick wide right. James inswinger from the free kick is punched clear by Guzan for a corner.
48 mins
Altidore gives the ball up sloppily and Armero and James combine down the left to try and start attacking again. They earn a corner from the move and James fires a fierce one to the near post, where it’s flicked on and then battered clear by Yedlin.
And that’s another great chance for Rubin! US come forward and Bedoya, on the left for once puts in a great ball towards the penalty spot that sees Rubin sneak in behind his marker and glance a powerful header just past the far post.
Second half kicks off
USA get us under way, after a trio of Colombia players have provided constructive criticism to the referee about his first half performance.
Hair news
Daniel Stauss emails again:
“Mix Diskerud is taking Movember too far. That thing is scaring the children.”
You should see Alexi Lalas in the ESPN studio. Actually both men look straight out of Tombstone.
Half-time thoughts
Well, that was pretty much as we might have expected it given how these two teams like to play, at least in terms in pattern of play. Perhaps less expected is the scoreline — with the USA getting the benefit of a lucky call on the early penalty and, by the looks of it, an equally lucky call at the end of the half, when Jones appeared to have clearly handled Bacca’s shot.
James Rodriguez has been typically lively and hit one fierce free kick low and just the wrong side of Guzan’s post, while Cuadrado too had a number of decent looks. It’s certainly been a tough work out for an unfamiliar looking US defense, but Greg Garza’s composure and DeAndre Yedlin’s speed and ever-improving defensive work have done a job on dealing with the Colombian wide threat, while Jones and Brooks have done well enough for an unfamiliar pairing at the back. Whether they can hold out for another 45 minutes is another matter.
As for what the US offer up front, Bedoya has been their most proactive player and has been a threat from set pieces, while Altidore has done some good work holding up play and giving his defense some much-needed breaks from time to time. It’s set up for an intriguing second half.
Half-time: USA 1-0 Colombia
Half-time thoughts in a moment...
Updated
45 mins+2
Colombia finishing the half at full tilt again, and James torments the US defense on the edge of the box before the ball breaks kindly to him again and he flashes a low shot across Guzan and just past the post for the final action of a lively half.
Celebration…
45 mins +1
Bacca REALLY wants a penalty now as he digs the ball out from a crowd of players in the US box before smacking a shot goalwards, where it’s blocked by Jones. Bacca thinks it was handball and is joined by the crowd in a pantomime claim to that effect. Nothing doing though.
And the replays tend to show that the USA and Jones got away with one there...
44 mins
A brief lull as we head to half-time with Colombia settling in possession for a moment. Now they come forward and Yedlin’s timing has to be very good as he tussles with Bacca on the edge of the box. The latter goes sprawling but the tackle was clean.
42 mins
Bacca sniffing around in the US box looking for a chance as a chip over the top almost finds him. The US keep him at bay but then James changes the angle of attack with the deftest of touches and the US are happy to concede a corner with Armero finding space on the other side. A lot of Colombian lockpicking going on.
40 mins
Yedlin picks up the ball in midfield and scampers forward down the right, though he seems to veer needlessly away from goal before hitting a cross that would be dangerous if there was anyone from the US in the box. There isn’t.
38 mins
And that’s a very presentable chance for Rubin, as Beckerman does well to get a cross in from the left that Rubin gets up to, but the youngster can only glance his header wide. USA getting some encouragement (as if being gifted an early goal through a dodgy penalty wasn’t encouragement enough...)
36 mins
Altidore picks up a yellow card as he clatters into Cuadrado 30 yards out left of center. James is pouting in a sultry manner in the general vicinity, but it’s Cuadrado who steps up and hits a right footed curler that’s always going over the bar.
Colombia hit the post!
34 mins
Ball still in the Colombia end for now, in some welcome respite for the US defense. This is where the value of Altidore’s hold up play is apparent.
They’re defending again now and Gutierrez gets behind a high line and whips a dangerous ball towards the penalty spot that Cuadrado runs towards to hit a stinging shot past Guzan and off the outside of the near post. The keeper did well to narrow the angle but that was a very presentable chance for Colombia
Action…
Updated
32 mins
Altidore tries to force his way through at the byline and is hauled down by Arias for a free kick on the edge of the area. Short corner, effectively... USA make rather a mess of it though as it’s worked short and looped high and aimlessly to the back post, where it’s cleared.
30 mins
Cuadrado cuts inside on the right and sends over a dipping shot that goes just past the far post, with a couple of yellow shirts closing in for any rebound.
Now there’s a yellow card for Aguilar as he goes in hard on Bedoya to let him know what he thinks of the US danger man
28 mins
Bedoya working hard at the back in support of Yedlin and they combine to thwart James and Romero down the left at the expense of a corner. From the set piece Guzan has to deal with a looping header and concedes another corner, but he gets some relief as the referee blows for an infringement as that one comes in from James. More Colombia pressure now...
26 mins
Bedoya flicks the ball towards the back post where Altidore has peeled off the Colombian wall at the last minute. The defense reads it though and the chance goes.
24 mins
Garza has to be alert down the left as Colombia try to spring the ball behind the US backline again. He does well, as he generally has done since coming into the team recently. At the other end another newcomer, Rubin earns a free kick some 30 yards out...
22 mins
Colombia pass their way out of trouble in their own half and launch another attack at pace, that ends with a vicious Aguilar shot taking an equally vicious deflection that carries for the corner. USA get it away but the Colombians are building the pressure now.
20 mins
Sloppy pass inside from Yedlin has Jones lunging in on Bacca on the left edge of the box, and now Colombia have a free kick in a dangerous position. James over it, and he hits a vicious swerving free kick low past a poor USA wall, and Guzan is relieved to see it bending away from the back post at the last minute. Still USA 1-0 Colombia
18 mins
Bedoya outpaces Franco down the right again , but can’t keep the ball in play and runs into the advertising hoardings, where he is given a none-too-gentle “pat” on the back by Franco — who may suspect he’s in for a long evening against the USA’s liveliest player so far.
16 mins
Yedlin in action at the other end as he bombs back to stop Cuadrado getting a break going as they clear the ball quickly from the corner with multiple USA players stranded upfield. A warning for the US and an advert for Yedlin’s speed.
14 mins
James runs down the right and cuts back level with the edge of the box to scoop a cross that Bacca can’t keep down.
At the other end Bedoya, who’s had some joy down the right, tries to get another attack going, but Rubin’s touch is loose and the chance looks to have gone, only for Yedlin to pick up a late tackle some 45 yards out. Bedoya loops the free kick to the back post and Altidore causes enough havoc in the box to earn a corner...
12 mins
Well that’s set things up very interestingly for this game, with the USA not looking particularly threatening until that moment, though they’d held their shape well enough under Colombian pressure and certainly made a set piece count there. Rubin can count himself a little lucky to get the penalty though, as he looked to be pulling Romero off balance on the corner.
GOAL! USA 1-0 COLOMBIA (ALTIDORE!)
Well then... Altidore, who’s been decent holding up the ball when he can so far, gets on the board with the penalty. It was not particularly well placed and the keeper went the right way, but it had the power to get through.
Updated
PENALTY!
Armero handles in the box under pressure from Rubin and Marciniek points to the spot!
8 mins
USA just trying to play their way into the game through this constant Colombia pressing. And now Bedoya gets forward down the right and earns another corner as Franco blocks his cross...
6 mins
Long throw into the US box finds James who can’t find space for the shot, but can find Sanchez on the edge of the box — his low shot lacks power and is straight at Guzan though.
4 mins
A little bit of head tennis in midfield, then the ball breaks to Diskerud who tries an optimistic shot from distance that’s comfortably charged down. But now there’s a better chance as the US pick up the first corner of the game...
...it floats towards John Brooks near the penalty spot but doesn’t clear the first yellow shirt and Colombia break at speed and Rodriguez and Gutierrez go close to forcing an opening for a shot near the other penalty spot, only for a US boot to deflect the ball clear.
2 mins
Colombia move the ball around the back to get settled then pump it forward and Gutierrez twists and turns a little on the edge of the box looking for an opening, but finds only an offside flag that had been placed there a few seconds earlier.
Peep!
Colombia get us under way! With obligatory squeeeeeal for Rodriguez touching the ball with his toe.
Anthems etc
Colombian anthem being belted out lustily by the proverbial “sea of yellow” at Craven Cottage. And now the US fans are giving the Star Spangled Anthem a solid bellowing. Whoever did the recording of the anthems on the latter loves a good cymbal splash.
Atmosphere pretty great in the stadium right now. Let’s hope the teams can live up to it.
The perils of being Jürgen
Despite the USA getting out of the so-called group of death at the World Cup, Jürgen Klinsmann has not had it all his own way in his ongoing project to reshape the USA from the grass roots level up. Last month he even had to deal with the MLS commissioner Don Garber calling him out for comments by the coach that Garber believed to be detrimental to the league. It was slightly bizarre, and secretly rather entertaining — though as Daniel Stauss notes via email, it could be even more entertaining:
“I can’t be the only one who wants to see Jurgen and The Don square off in a steel-cage grudge match in the center circle at half-time, can I? Let Gulati referee, 2x4’s and folding chairs are welcome and encouraged, let’s get it on! On an unrelated note, please let Yedlin survive the day unscathed, we need him vs. LA next weekend.”
It’s made for interesting times in US soccer.
Colombia
GOALKEEPERS (3): Camilo Vargas (Independiente Santa Fe), Jose Fernando Cuadrado (Once Caldas), Leandro Castellanos (Independiente Medellin)
DEFENDERS (8): Pablo Armero (AC Milan), Cristiano Zapata (AC Milan), Santiago Arias (PSV), Eder Alvarez (River Plate), Murillo, Pedro Franco (Besiktas), Brayan Angulo (Ludogorets), Daniel Bocanegra (Atletico Nacional)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Abel Aguilar (Toulouse), Carlos Sanchez (Aston Villa), Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina), James Rodriguez (Real Madrid), Alexander Mejia (Atletico Nacional), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto), Carlos Carbonero (Cesena), Edwin Cardona (Atletico Nacional)
FORWARDS (5): Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate), Jackson Martinez (Porto), Adrian Ramos (Borussia Dortmund), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Yimmi Chara (Tolima)
Colombia have had to adjust to a revised set of expectations every time they play now. It was fascinating to watch their encounter with Brazil in Florida in the first outing after the World Cup. Not just the pop star adulation for James Rodriguez, but the general sense of expectation of what this team could become if the likes of Juan Cuadrado continue to perform at the level he is with Fiorentina (who have sensibly slapped a $657575734 squillion release clause on him). No Radamel Falcao tonight of course, but no less sense of expectation that they’ll be a handful for the USA. Colombia will expect strong support in London tonight too, despite Craven Cottage being home from home for many US players over the years.
USA
GOALKEEPERS (4): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Having mentioned Lee Nguyen, it may be worth mentioning his partner in the New England Revolution midfield — one Jermaine Jones. Jones went to the Revs after the World Cup and was one of a handful of MLS veterans playing in the national team who was singled out this week by Jürgen Klinsmann as having a key role in this next phase of the national team’s development, in mentoring younger players into the squad.
In the first case, that’s going to be with next year’s Gold Cup in mind, and Nguyen isn’t the only fringe player hoping to impress, with the intriguing return of Miguel Ibarra from NASL side Minnesota United, and Eredivisie new kid Rubio Rubin, whose scheduled to get a start today. Here’s the squad in full (the USA are also playing Ireland in Dublin in a few days).
Preamble
Hello, and welcome to USA vs Colombia — real friendly like.
Yes, it’s one of those great FIFA international weeks that club teams and fans love so dear — as domestic leagues are paused for us all to think long and hard about what the nation state means in our lives. On this particular occasion that can only mean a bunch of young players being cycled into post-World Cup squads, so that they’ve been around too long to be promising anymore by the time the next World Cup comes round.
Among the hopefuls being trotted out today are the trio of Brayan Angulo, Daniel Bocanegra and Leandro Castellanos who could make their debuts for Colombia, who will have James “squeeeeeaaaal” Rodriguez but don’t have the injured Radamel Falcao. Meanwhile the USA are taking a look at Lee Nguyen, who has had a call up before, but not in a few years, and certainly not in the type of form he’s been in since July, when he’s been on something of a one man mission to drag his New England side to an MLS Eastern Conference final, which will kick off a week on Saturday (international break don’t you know).
From the USA’s point of view it’s a chance to continue Jürgen Klinsmann’s policy of playing the toughest friendlies he can, while for Colombia, currently perched at number 3 in the FIFA rankings, it’s a chance to refine and test a young team who should only be stronger by the time Russia 2018 heaves into view.
I’ll be back shortly with a little more build up and team news, but for now get your tweets coming in to @KidWeil or emails to graham.parker@theguardian.com and I’ll be back shortly.
