Soccer Season Just Getting Started for American National Team this Summer

Posted on May 17, 2013 by nrspiller@gmail.com

In this summer before the 2014 World Cup, instead of relaxing and recovering for the upcoming club season, American international soccer players will be gearing up for a tough set of international fixtures that will extend fully throughout the entire summer break. With a pair of big-time friendlies and all-important World Cup qualifiers extending throughout June, and then with the 2013 Gold Cup encompassing most of July, the American players will have to be ready to endure a tiresome journey in the summer heat. Once August arrives, the players will then re-up with their respective clubs and begin their new seasons. And so as the majority of club seasons draw to a close, it seems as if soccer season is just about to start for our nation’s stars.

In just several weeks time, America will take on two powerful European soccer teams in Belgium and Germany. Although they are largely meaningless friendlies, these games will be a great test of potential matchups at the World Cup. Belgium is an up and coming soccer nation with stars like Eden Hazard and Marouane Fellaini, two of the best players in the English Premier League, while Germany is a usual contender at the World Cup. With two German clubs set to play for the UEFA Champions League (basically the Super Bowl of European club soccer), the national team is full of proven talent that will greatly test our national side.

As June continues, the Americans will turn their attention to the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with games against Jamaica, Panama, and Honduras. With a qualifying group that is very tight on points through three games, the American National soccer team will need to be focused in order to ensure a comfortable qualification. Against three teams that America should be able to handedly beat, this are must-win games for both qualification and for national pride. However, as recent history suggests, such games are no cakewalk. The USA lost in Jamaica just last September so they will have to be up for several tough tests.

Enter July and with it the 2013 Gold Cup. With 12 North American nations battling it out for regional supremacy, this will provide a great warm-up for a major tournament like the World Cup next year. With a group composed of Belize, Costa Rica, and Cuba, America should play well in this stage, especially as the entire Gold Cup will be played on home soil in America. This tournament often comes down to a final between America and Mexico, and while Mexico handedly beat America for the last two Gold Cup titles in the final (5-0 and 4-2), America won the two previous tournaments and would love nothing better than to claim this title.

And at this point, the players will be set to return to their clubs for next season, which begins in August. But for American soccer fans, these games will be exciting tests for a team that has generally failed to impress under new manager Jurgen Klinsmann. Players like Jozy Altidore and Landon Donovan will be under heavy scrutiny and the team will be expected to come together for these upcoming matches. This summer will also provide a great understanding for expectations at the 2014 World Cup. If America can compete against big European oppositions, set themselves apart in qualifiers, and win the Gold Cup, American soccer fans will be excited and ready for next year in Brazil. But should America continue to stutter and falter, more questions about the players and manager will simply continue.

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United States 2014 World Cup Qualification Campaign Begins with Trip to Honduras

Posted on January 31, 2013 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The United States Men’s National Team will begin the final group round of 2014 World Cup qualification next week with a trip to Honduras. Although this will be just the first of 10 matches to determine America’s World Cup fate, starting off in the right way and securing a win against a team that will be eager and hungry to reach the World Cup as well is sure to present a tricky proposition.

Honduras is one of those teams that may or may not make the 2014 World Cup. They were present in South Africa 2010 and also performed admirably in the 2012 London Olympics where they defeated Spain. The team is made up of several international stars who play abroad and can definitely cause the United States some trouble playing on their home soil.

Their defense will prove especially difficult to break down for the Americans. Maynor Figueroa is a powerful defender with an incredible left-footed shot that you can watch here. He plays for Wigan Athletic of the English Premier League and has made a solid career and brings talent and experience to the Honduras backline. Additionally, Emilio Iaguirre is a very skilled left back who plays at Celtic in Scotland. He has been linked to Barcelona in the past and is as good as they come.

Several other Honduras players play in Britain like Wilson Palacios and midfielder Roger Espinoza, who impressed in the Olympics.

America will be favored as usual with the lineup of Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore. Dempsey has been in solid form with Tottenham and recently scored a dramatic late-game equalizer against Manchester United. Donovan is coming off of a fantastic MLS Cup victory and Jozy Altidore has been wonderful scoring tons of goals for AZ Alkmaar of Holland. Hopefully some of this magic will carry over to the United States National Team in this game.

Clearly this will be a game that showcases America’s offensive prowess against the mighty Honduras defense. This will be a tricky nut to crack, especially on a scrappy Honduras field with a passionate fan base that has seen Honduras find success in recent years.

This game is all about setting the tone for the qualification group. If America can head on the road and scrap a win, one of the toughest tasks will be completed and the future will look ever so bright. However, if the United States suffers a loss, or even a draw, questions will be raised and nervousness will infiltrate the American camp. This is a game that a team like America should be able to win, especially against one of those teams hoping to scrape by and qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

The Americans need to come into this match with a good mindset. Patience will be required throughout the team as Honduras is tough to break down. Additionally, goalkeeper Tim Howard may need to step in and make the necessary saves. Although I fully expect the USA to have the majority of chances and shots, Honduras will get a chance and Howard will be called into action. Let’s hope for an American victory, 2-1.

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America Could Really Use Jozy Altidore in 2013

Posted on January 9, 2013 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The United States soccer team had an up-and-down year in 2012, defeating the likes of Mexico and Italy, but also suffering an ugly defeat to Brazil and generally struggling throughout their CONCACAF third round 2014 World Cup qualifying group. Goals have been rather hard to come by since Jurgen Klinsmann took over the squad, and it has resulted in his dropping of top American striker Jozy Altidore last October.

In 14 total matches in 2012, the USA only managed 23 goals for a marginal 1.64 goals/game rate. Five of those goals came in a 5-1 thrashing of Scotland, and if you subtract that game, the USA only managed 18 goals in 13 games for a 1.38 goals/game rate. Considering that most of the matches were played in qualification games against teams like Jamaica, Guatemala, and Antigua & Barbuda, there is a high amount of evidence that America could stand to improve in their goal-scoring department.

Jozy Altidore must be the answer up top. The young striker has been in sensational form for AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, where he has scored 11 league goals in just 8 starts this season. His goal mark is nearly half of the entire team’s goals! Nevertheless, Altidore hasn’t replicated that form with the national team, and Klinsmann’s patience has worn thin. Last October, Altidore wasn’t included in the final two games of CONCACAF third round World Cup qualification, when the team needed results to progress. Clearly this was a lesson to the young player and resulted in stories circulating the web that Altidore had poor work ethic and was seen as a negative presence to the team as a whole.

Having no inside information, I doubt that the reality is as bad as those stories have suggested, but clearly the move was made to give Altidore a bit of a wake-up call. He has been a great young talent for the country and has already scored 13 international goals, remarkable for someone just 23 years old. But his international play last year wasn’t up to scratch, and I actually think the message from Klinsmann could do some good into improving his attitude and his game.

For 2013, I sense that Jozy Altidore will be called into action in the final round of World Cup qualifiers that includes teams like Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Jamaica (who memorably defeated America last September). Mexico is always a tough team, and Honduras had a memorable 2012 Olympics where they defeated Spain. These games will challenge the team, and players like Altidore will need to be at their best to ensure qualification.

America is well stocked with offensive talent. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan are natural forwards who often make plays. Midfielder Michael Bradley brings a great physical presence and also scores plenty of goals. But regardless, America needs the top striker center man, and Jozy Altidore is clearly the man for the job. Here’s to hoping that he continues to develop and score plenty of goals, and is able to replicate his club form for America to help the USA navigate the treacherous last round of World Cup qualifiers!

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American Victory Sets up All-Or-Nothing Encounter With Guatemala

Posted on September 12, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The USA Men’s National Soccer team earned a vital victory over Jamaica last night with an excellent Herculez Gomez free kick to establish a three-team stalemate on top of their CONCACAF 2014 World Cup Qualifying group. Jamaica, Guatemala, and America all sit with 7 points from four matches, but only two are set to progress to the next round. Naturally, America would prefer to have already progressed from the group at this stage like Mexico achieved in their group. But fortunes did not fall in that way and now the US is facing a certain all-or nothing match against Guatemala in mid October.

Clearly the recent Jamaica games proved to be a tough task without the services of Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley, two hugely influential members of the USA team. The loss in Jamaica was a true stinger and will dampen the hopes of our fans regardless. There really is no excuse to losing to that sort of opposition, even if the match was in a foreign stadium. But that was what fate beheld.

Fortunately, the Americans were able to take a victory during the home match as widely was expected. This prevented an all out panic for American World Cup hopes, but looking ahead the future is still uncertain.

America will have to travel to Antigua and Barbuda to play the team at the bottom of their group. The nation has only scraped 1 draw in four matches. They are beatable, but considering that America’s away form in the group has achieved 1 draw and 1 loss, don’t expect anything to be taken from this match.

Guatemala will host Jamaica in their next match that is vital for both teams. Regardless of the outcome, it certainly means that for America, the Guatemala match will decide their qualification hopes. Lucky for the USA the match will be played at home, and one must hope that our injury situation will have improved in the next month. America proved that they need their key players in order to compete and so having the likes of Donovan and Bradley back, as well as the improved match-fit Clint Dempsey should serve to help their efforts.

But one must feel a level of concern given that the USA has struggled in such a weak group of nations. How in the world will this team actually compete in Brazil in 2014 if they play like this? Manager Jurgen Klinsmann will need to address some glaring weaknesses in the squad ahead of the tournament or else the World Cup may yet be another short trip for Team USA.

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World Cup Qualifiers Take Team USA to Jamaica

Posted on September 5, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The CONCACAF Qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup are well underway and the USA will play two matches against Jamaica this week. The United States naturally is the most dominant force in the qualifying area and will be looking to win both matches and qualify smoothly without any hiccups. As the youthful USA Olympic team learned the hard way, qualification isn’t a guarantee and every match is simply 11 vs. 11, so the team will need to be in top form to avoid embarrassment. Pressure will surely be on the squad chosen by Jurgen Klinsmann which features a good amount of young faces.

The Americans started off this round of qualification in solid form drawing Guatemala away and managing a win against Antigua and Barbuda at home this past June. However, Jamaica has also been solid so far, also earning a win and draw against the same teams. Both nations reside on top of the group with four points, and Jamaica will be eager to hold onto that spot to earn a place in the final qualifying round.

Jamaica has not reached the World Cup since 1998 and will be desperate to earn a trip to Brazil. America had better not overlook these matches. The first game will be in Jamaica, meaning a tough trip. The small nations of CONCACAF are known for their less-than-glamorous stadiums and pitches. Therefore, the away matches usually provide a hard task for Americans. The first game will be the away with the home match coming a few days later.

Further providing difficulties for the USA will be their lineup. Both Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan are unavailable because of minor injuries, which will greatly hamper our goal-scoring exploits. Superstar Clint Dempsey will play with the team, but one has to question the form he will be in. Dempsey was recently embroiled in a transfer fiasco at his former club Fulham, which escalated to the point of his refusal to play with the team. He eventually earned a deadline-day move to Tottenham, but he has yet to play a competitive match this season. The last time he played was in June for the United States so it will be interesting to see what kind of shape he is in and if he will even be a starter.

Overall though, America has a vastly superior side, even without our key men. Jozy Altidore has been stellar at AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, and has already scored four goals in only two matches. Also, experienced goalie Tim Howard is a rock on the opposite end of the pitch. I am also excited to see more of Brek Shea, whose incredible run paved the way for the historic American victory in Mexico last month. Shea is a youngster with huge potential in the national side.

Let’s hope that the USA can stroll through these two games. I predict a draw in Jamaica, and a blowout victory when the nations play stateside. America is simply too good for the Caribbean island nations of CONCACAF.

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Powerful USA Win in Mexico Provides Hope for Future

Posted on August 24, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The USA Men’s National Team has been a bit of an anomaly in the past couple of years. By defeating Mexico at the legendary Azteca Stadium, America has increased the list of big victories that includes teams like Italy and Spain in recent times. But, amongst such glorious victories have also been painful defeats at the hands of Brazil and also Mexico. Another issue for the USA was the failure to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, which hampered hopes that America will improve in international matches.

But the youth was on fine display in the Mexico friendly and proved vital in scoring the game’s lone goal. Brek Shea made a fine run to set up the goal, putting in a glorious nutmeg on a Mexican defender and penetrating deep into the penalty box, before sending a pass across the face of the goal. Shea is only 22 and plays for FC Dallas in the MLS. At 6’3”, the winger is a physical presence and will be a key weapon for the national team if he continues to make plays like these. Shea trained with Arsenal during the offseason and may well make a move to Europe in the coming years to further develop.

Another solid youngster is forward Terrence Boyd. Only 21, Boyd played a fantastic role in setting up the goal against Mexico when he received Shea’s pass, and back-heeled it further across the goal where Michael Orozco Fiscal could tap it into the net. Boyd plays in Austria and looks like he could be a favorite of Jurgen Klinsmann with his German roots and good early performances.

Although he didn’t play in this match, Jozy Altidore is enjoying a resurgent season at AZ Alkmaar in Holland. Through the first two games, he has scored an impressive four goals and could be righting himself again. Aged 22 he is another force to contend with up top.

Clearly USA is still going to favor Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey as they continue to impress and are in the prime of their careers, but these young forwards are biting at the chomp to impress and have earned the right for extended playing time. More competition is only a good thing for the team, so this week America can celebrate the glorious Mexican victory and feel confident going forward to 2014 World Cup qualification matches. Let us only hope that the team can establish some sort of consistency after this run and may actually compete when another big match comes about. If the youngsters continue to shine, we may have a great American soccer team in the making.

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Antigua and Barbuda to Supply America with Confidence…We Hope

Posted on June 5, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

It seems a long time has passed since the inspiring 5-1 victory over Scotland. What was initially seen as a rallying point for American soccer to gain international attention turned into a minor blip following the beating by Brazil and the humbling 0-0 draw with Canada; I may add that the match featured the starting duo of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey that all of America seemed to be eager to watch and were regretfully disappointed in actual viewing.

It was not to be, and team USA stumbles ahead into 2014 World Cup qualification. The first match pits America against Antigua and Barbuda, a combined island nation from the Caribbean. The United States players seemed to be dreaming of such island beaches during their poor recent showings and as such this match will hopefully repair some of their bruised egos.

A quick scan of the Antigua and Barbuda team shows a squad made up mostly of players from Antigua Barracuda FC, a startup club in the new USL Pro League, which comprises of a host of Caribbean clubs. A few of their players reside in the lower echelons of British soccer, such as Mikele Leigertwood who plays for Reading FC.

This match is a must win for America. They will have a roaring home support in Tampa, Florida at Raymond James Stadium. The players play for far more competitive clubs such as Dempsey’s Fulham and Jozy Altidore’s AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. There is absolutely no way that coach Jurgen Klinsmann can let the United States lose this match. In fact, I would go as far as to state that such a loss should result in his immediate dismissal.

The fun games are over. America showed that we can dominate a European team, play averagely against a marginal border rival, and get plastered by the world’s best. It seems as if the friendly matches asked a lot more questions than it did to answer them. The USA team can seemingly beat anyone on their day but can also be abused if things aren’t going their way. Now it is time to prove that we belong in the 2014 World Cup.

I fully expect America to win this match, and by a wide margin too. Surely heads will have been hanging after the disappointing Canada draw, but Antigua and Barbuda aren’t even on that talent level. I feel people will start talking about that Dempsey and Donovan relationship a whole lot more once they set off some fireworks in this one. America will win, 6-0.

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