Home / Soccer Fans / Snoozefest Stalemate In US v Colombia Has Bright Spots

 


Last night’s pointless affair in Philadelphia between the US and Colombia was one of the most boring soccer games I’ve experienced in a while. Both sides seemed to not appear lively until about the 75th minute, and even then, chances were few and far between. However, US coach Bob Bradley did mix up things from Saturday’s friendly against Poland and inserted some fresh blood to the talent pool, which for the most part saw positive results or at least gave the Bradley some perspective for the future. World Soccer Reader has an excellent breakdown of all the players who participated in the contest.

One of the few bright spots included Eric Lichaj, who earned his first Cap for the USMNT by coming off the bench in the second half. The 21-year-old Aston Villa back looked confident from the beginning, playing more as a right winger or right wing back than a traditional outside back to which the US have become so accustomed. Lichaj’s cross to Altidore in the 86th minute created the best chance of the game and gave fans brief hope of a late goal. His defensive ability has something to be desired still, as he was caught too far forward and off his mark on more than on occasion. However, he looked like a well-seasoned veteran with his confident play as soon as he stepped on the pitch, making dashing runs on the wing and providing a new bit of creativity. Fans can look forward to seeing more of Lichaj’s brash play in the future.

Jermaine Jones also showed his worth for the second match in a row, playing the entire 90 minutes of the contest. Jones constantly played the “ball-winner” role quite well, hustling the entire game on both sides of the field. His offensive spark may not have shown as brightly this game, however, he did link well with Altidore on 2 occasions, both through balls to the young striker. The work-horse midfielder, unfortunately, also showed his reckless style, receiving a yellow card late on in the contest for hacking at a Colombian midfielder running ragged on the outer edge of the US box. The Schalke midfielder wasn’t the best in distribution on the night, missing clear cut passes on more than one occasion, but his work rate was unparalleled. Jones defensive abilities should allow Michael Bradley to explore his attacking ability in more depth, something that Coach Bradley would love to explore.

 

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