USA-NEW ZEALAND EXPRESS:
Sept. 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio
USA 1 New Zealand 1. Goals: Pulisic 69; Waine 89.
Att.: 15,711.
The USA, led by interim coach Mikey Varas on the day U.S. Soccer announced Mauricio Pochettino as Gregg Berhalter‘s successor, extended its winless streak to four games with a 1-1 tie with New Zealand.
Varas made five changes to the starting lineup from Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Canada, which followed July’s Copa America losses to Panama and Uruguay. Christian Pulisic was among those kept on the bench at the opening whistle. Upon his 57th-minute entry, the U.S. attack started showing some teeth.
Eight days ahead of his 26th birthday, Pulisic’s 31st U.S. national team goal gave the USA a 69th-minute lead.
But New Zealand, a 3-0 loser to Mexico last Saturday and 94th in the FIFA World Rankings, equalized in the 89th minute.
Folarin Balogun (No. 20) assisted on Christian Pulisic’s goal against New Zealand. (Joe Robbins/ISI Photos)
USA Player Ratings
(1=low; 5=middle; 10=high.)
GOALKEEPER
Matt Turner, who hasn’t played a club game since February, got the start despite Patrick Schulte’s solid performance against Canada. Turner was called on once in the first half when Liberato Cacace shot weakly down the middle from 12 yards. Early in the second half, after his bad first touch on a back pass at the edge of the penalty area, he sent a dangerous pass to a tightly marked Aiden Morris. Turner cut the angle down and blocked Elijah Just’s shot on a 57th-minute breakaway. Turner was caught in no man’s land when New Zealand scored its flukish equalizer (1-1). He had moved 10 yards off his despite having no chance to interfere with the crowd of three U.S. defenders and two New Zealand attackers.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
4
Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG) 45/0 (30)
DEFENDERS
Mark McKenzie got on the field after spending the last eight U.S. games on the bench. The central defender played flawlessly — intervening swiftly to end New Zealand attacks, passing and bringing the ball forward adeptly — until the 89th minute. That’s when his attempted clearance, after a poor touch from sub Caleb Wiley, rebounded off Ben Waine and arced over Turner. Chris Richards, with whom McKenzie had been smoothly marshaling the central defense, was running in a slow gear during the equalizer fiasco that prevented him from intervening.
Right back Marlon Fossey, making his U.S. debut, and left back Kristoffer Lund, rarely called on to defend as New Zealand’s wingers hardly threatened, could attack at leisure. Lund lacked ideas when he entered the crowded defense.
Fossey set up Ricardo Pepi for a shot that hit the net but was called back for a Fossey foul in the buildup. Fossey’s dynamism on the flank was undermined by inconsistent delivery, but he had a fine controlling touch and sharp pass in the buildup to Pulisic’s goal. Committing a foul on a New Zealander facing his own goal deep in the New Zealand half didn’t help the USA’s quest for a stoppage-time winner, but Fossey’s overall performance should keep him in the pool.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
6
Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL) 1/0 (26)
5
Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG) 23/1 (24)
4
Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA) 14/0 (25)
5
Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA) 5/0 (22)
MIDFIELDERS
Aidan Morris, part of the small crew of U.S. players in camp who weren’t part of the Copa America squad, got the start after an appearance off the bench against Canada that included the assist on the USA’s lone goal. Against New Zealand, though not the most challenging foe for a defensive midfielder, Morris performed the role as designed. Keeping central attacks at bay and seizing chances to aid his team’s offense when they opened up. His cross-field pass with a back-spin to Fossey ahead of Pulisic’s goal arrived with the precision too rare in recent USMNT play.
The high-gear play of Brenden Aaronson, the most attack-minded of the midfield trio, proved ineffective against a packed New Zealand defense. Cracking that required clever play in tight spaces, which doesn’t seem to be his forte, as when he shot into a defender in the penalty area instead of showing some patience. Aaronson was chopped down badly with a yellow-card foul from Alex Rufer when he embarked on a spectacular dribble from the USA’s half. He followed it up with one of his two poorly hit free kicks. Shortly before being subbed, Aaronson had the USA’s best chance at goal. But with plenty of net to aim at, he shot well within keeper Max Crocombe’s reach.
Yunus Musah, who only played one half, proved somewhat more inspired than usual in moving the play forward. Once on the dribble and once with a fine cross-field pass to Fossey, the ball ended up in the Canadian penalty area thanks to Musah’s ingenuity. He also tested Crocombe with a 33-yard shot for a rare first-half highlight. But the USA paid the price for an innovation-deficient midfield.
High on Pochettino’s to-do list will be making the midfield a significant part of the attacking strategy.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
6
Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG) 7/0 (22)
5
Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA) 41/0 (21)
3
Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG) 44/8 (23)
FORWARDS
There are ways for forwards to come out of games looking OK despite having squandered scoring chances. Folarin Balogun did that on Tuesday, as did Ricardo Pepi to a lesser extent.
But not Haji Wright, who makes one wonder how well frontline prowess in the English second tier translates to the international game. Wright committed two fouls and was caught offside twice in the first 15 minutes. He lost the ball during promising buildups, in one case when a simple first touch was required. In another when an accurate 10-yard pass was needed. He shot far wide when he created a clear shot for himself with a maneuver from the wing. A minute later, he shot over the crossbar.
Pepi struck the ball perfectly on the goal that was called back, then when he had a near identical chance, scuffed it wide. But his quick passes arrive well when he moved back for the ball and he relayed it to Balogun for the assist on the U.S. goal sequence.
That Balogun assist was similar to his setup of Aaronson’s chance, a smart layoff while fending off a defender on his back.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
5
Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED) 30/10 (21)
6
Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA) 17/5 (23)
3
Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG) 13/4 (26)
SUBSTITUTES
Christian Pulisic hit a long shot over the crossbar with which he should have at least tested the keeper. Some of his touches were off, but most every time Pulisic got on the ball one sensed a New Zealand retreat that got more Americans into the attack. That included another sub, Luca de la Torre. Pulisic’s sharp finish that spared the USA of an even worse outcome started with him on the ball in midfield. After he dished it off to Morris and ventured toward the goal, Fossey, de la Torre, Pepi and Balogun were well-placed for a wonderful combination play we’d like to see much more of (1-0).
The USA was punished for its lack of such attacking savvy that produces bigger leads. Because when the win seemed in the bag, Caleb Wiley nodded New Zealand’s long ball out of the back into the path McKenzie and Waine to spark the blooper-reel equalizer.
Player (Club) caps/goals (age)
5
Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP) 24/1 (26)
6
Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA) 73/31 (25)
4
Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED) 14/0 (22)
3
Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg/FRA) 3/0 (19)
4
Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP) 16/0 (22)
4
Cade Cowell (Guadalajara/MEX) 10/1 (20)
TRIVIA: Christian Pulisic‘s 31st career goal moves him past Brian McBride into fifth place on the all-time scoring list, behind Landon Donovan (57), Clint Dempsey (57), Jozy Altidore (42) and Eric Wynalda (34).UP NEXT: New U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino will make his debut on the sidelines when the USA hosts Panama in an Oct. 12 friendly in Austin, Texas. On Oct. 15, the USA faces Mexico in a friendly in Guadalajara.
Sept. 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio
USA 1 New Zealand 1. Goals: Pulisic 69; Waine 89.
USA — Turner; Fossey, Richards, McKenzie, Lund (Wiley, 66); Morris (Cardoso, 86), Musah (de la Torre, 46), Aaronson (Tillman, 66); Pepi (Cowell, 86), Balogun, Wright (Pulisic, 57).
New Zealand — Crocombe; Payne (Tuiloma, 66), Surman (Boxall, 74), Pijnaker, Cacace; Stamenic, Rufer (Rogerson, 84), Bell; Just (Old, 66), Wood (Waine, 74), Garbett (Barbarouses, 84).
Yellow cards: USA — de la Torre 59; New Zealand — Rufer 37, Stamenic 51, Garbett 54. Red cards: none.
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras). ARs: Gerson Orellana (Honduras), Roney Salinas (Honduras). 4th Official: Kevin Fikar (USA).
Att.: 15,711.
Stats:
USA/New Zealand
Shots: 17/8
Shots on target: 5/3
Saves: 2/4
Corner Kicks: 7/0
Fouls: 15/16
Offside: 2/0
Possession: 66%/34%
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Publish date : 2024-09-10 17:59:00
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