USMNT’s 2014 Finale: Three Keys vs Ireland

Mix Diskerud Needs to Better Under Pressure vs Ireland (AFP Photo)

by Roderick MacNeil

Friday’s match vs. Colombia may have felt like an away match for the USMNT. The overwhelming support for Los Cafeteros from a sea of yellow jerseys was impossible to miss at Craven Cottage. Today at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, there will be even less doubt which team is the crowd favorite. But that’s part of Jurgen Klinsmann’s mission for his squad: put his players into challenging situations and difficult environments, and see how they respond.

Three Keys for the USMNT:

1. Control the Tempo

“I’ve never played a game with that high tempo. That was incredible, and now I know where the bar is.”

Those were the words from USMNT midfielder Mix Diskerud following Friday’s 2:1 loss to Colombia. After a promising start, the Americans were overrun by the pace and high pressure of the Colombians, particularly in the midfield. Diskerud also noted how little time on the ball he and his U.S teammates had.

Today should be a different story. Ireland won’t play that way, nor do they have the personnel to do so. The U.S. needs to boss the midfield. Control possession, dictate pace. It’s always easier said than done, of course, but watching the difference in the midfield will be a strong indicator of what ‘s been learned. Diskerud and the less experienced Alfredo Morales, in particular, will still need to make quick decisions, but if they do so, the results should be more evident.

2. Experience in  Central Defense

Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler provide a much different look than the Jones-Brooks pairing we saw four days ago. While the duo that started vs Colombia offers it own strengths, today’s pairing returns to what worked so well this spring and summer. When the United States was rolling heading into the 2014 World Cup, it was Besler and Cameron paired together in the back. It’s easy to forget that the only reason that pairing split up in Brazil was due to Besler’s injury vs. Ghana. In question: How fit is Besler? It’s been a long 2014 for him, and his play for Sporting KC showed it down the stretch.

3. Finishing (Paging Wondo)

The Americans will have more time on the ball vs. Ireland than they did against Colombia. This will result in more chances, but as is so often the case, Klinsmann is desperate for finishers. Jozy Altidore seems to be finding his groove again in a U.S. kit. But it’s Chris Wondolowski that will be seeking to shed the weight of his infamous missed chance vs. Belgium. The criticism levied upon Wondo for that has always been extraordinarily too harsh. In truth, Wondo has made a career out of being deadly poacher. His ability to ghost between defenders has frustrated MLS opponents for years. He’ll be eager to remind the international scene, particularly USMNT supporters, what his game is really about.

Six Uncapped Players Highlight Youthful USMNT Roster in Prague

Stanford’s Jordan Morris will decline payment and retain NCAA eligibility. (Stanford Daily Photo)

by Roderick MacNeil

It’s been just over nine short weeks since the USMNT stepped exhaustedly off the Arena Fonte Nova pitch in Salvador, concluding its long four-year journey to Brazil.

But ready or not, fifty-four hundred miles away in Prague, the 2018 World Cup cycle begins in earnest on Wednesday.

The Czech Republic is a long way from Brazil. However, if one measures by the FIFA calendar, its even further away from Russia, no matter how close it may appear on a map. It’s here at Prague’s Generali Arena that USMNT’s Road to Russia 2018 begins.

Roster choices for Jurgen Klinsmann always come with a selection dilemma. Major League Soccer, with rare exception and unlike every other league on the planet, still does not observe FIFA International Dates. This means when MLS players get called in for international duty, they miss games. It’s an endless source of frustration for both USMNT and MLS head coaches alike. A rapidly increasing number of national team players (both U.S. and otherwise) are now calling MLS home, so it’s a problem that needs solving. But that’s a topic to delve into further on another day.

So normally, MLS clubs push onward without their various National Team stars. This time, Klinsmann has shown mercy on the league by not selecting MLS players (except one, Real Salt Lake GK Nick Rimando, but he won’t miss a league game.) With clubs heading down their playoff stretch runs, it’s a welcome relief around the league.

With just one friendly in Europe on the USMNT schedule this week, maybe it was more luck and timing than mercy. U.S. Soccer had a tentative deal to face Colombia in San Antonio on September 9. That arrangement fell through when the Colombian association failed to sign the contract in time to seal the deal. Otherwise, Klinsmann may have felt more inclined to delve into his domestic player pool with a stateside match.

As it is, Klinsmann limited his call-ups to players based in Europe and Mexico. While he’d no doubt prefer a complete first choice roster, instead he took the opportunity to broaden the player pool with younger talent. Six uncapped players are in camp, and a total of eight players age 21 and under. Nine holdovers from the 2014 Brazil roster provide an intriguing mix of youth and experience.

 

The Rookies:

Emerson Hyndman (Fulham, Midfielder, age 18) – The grandson of former FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman doesn’t have a long history with the U.S. program, having only three U-17 appearances to his name. He’s been part of Fulham’s academy system since 2011. Fulham’s unfortunate relegation from the Premier League may have actually been good fortune for Hyndman. A lower wage budget in The Championship has equaled more playing time and greater responsibility for the young central midfielder. He earned a starting role straight out of training camp and has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal start (0-4-1) to Fulham’s 2014-15 campaign. Hyndman also holds a Portuguese passport, so Klinsmann may be keen to get him cap-tied.

Greg Garza (Club Tijuana, Defender, age 23) – Entering his fourth season with the Xolos, Garza has pushed his way into a regular starting role at left back. He spent the last two years primarily as a backup to fellow USMNT mate Edgar Castillo. Castillo has moved on to Liga MX’s Atlas, but it’s the emergence of Garza that ultimately made Castillo expendable in Tijuana. Incumbent USMNT starter DaMarcus Beasley will be 36 in 2018, so Garza enters the fray of a wide open competition. He’s another dual national with Mexican eligibility, despite being born and raised in Texas.

Jordan Morris (Stanford University, Forward, age 19) – Unquestionably the most surprising name on this roster, Morris is the first active U.S. college player to earn a senior national team call-up in nearly 20 years. Like DeAndre Yedlin, Morris is a native of Washington state and a product of the Seattle Sounders FC academy system. He was named to the All-Pac12 Team as a freshman last season with 6 goals and 7 assists, and he excelled with the U.S. U20 Team at the 2013 Toulon Tournament in France. He’s no stranger to Klinsmann and staff, as Morris was named 2013 U.S. Developmental Academy National Player of the Year. He’s a dynamic forward whose time appears to be coming sooner than most projections.

Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund II, Forward, age 21) – While Gyau is still seeking his first senior team cap, he’s been capped by the U.S. at nearly every level back to U15. Born in Texas, raised in Maryland, and the son of form U.S. international Phillip Gyau, he’s well entrenched in the American system. However, he’s also a dual national via his grandfather, a former Ghanaian international. Perhaps it’s best to get this kid capped before the Black Stars come calling. Gyau begins his fourth professional year in Germany with a move to a big club in Borussia Dortmund. Granted, he’s been signed to the reserve side, but a foot in the door presents opportunities… even more so if he shows well on the International level.

Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht, Forward, age 18) – Surprise, another uncapped dual national! Rubin is also eligible to represent Mexico, though he’s on record with his preference for the U.S. team. With 14 goals in 37 appearances for the U.S. U17s, American fans will be pleased to hear that. Portland Timbers supporters lament Rubin signing with Dutch club FC Utrecht, rather than with the hometown club where he spent two years in the academy system. On the other hand, Rubin found himself in the starting lineup for an Eredivisie side on opening day last month, then one-upped himself by tallying an assist. He earned his second start last weekend, which isn’t bad for a player who was expected to join Utrecht’s reserves.

Cody Cropper (Southampton, Goalkeeper, age 21) – Cropper won’t get his first cap against the Czechs; Klinsmann has already announced that Brad Guzan and Nick Rimando will each play one half in goal. Nevertheless, Cropper is already becoming a familiar name around the USMNT camp. He trained with the World Cup roster during the Send-Off Series to serve as a fourth keeper in practice and has been called up for European-based friendlies before. At this point, he seems firmly behind both Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson in the pecking order, but with his name on a Premier League roster, he’s bound to stick around the conversation for many years to come. Given his age, Cropper is a prime candidate to start at the 2016 Olympics, which is ostensibly a U23 tournament.

 

Two other players on the roster only have one (1) senior cap, so let’s reacquaint ourselves with:

Bobby Wood (1860 Munich, Forward, age 21) – Wood made his USMNT debut a year ago around this time in Sarajevo during a 4-3 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina (The Altidore hat trick game). He subbed on in the 87th minute for Brad Evans, a mere cameo that got him capped; hardly enough time to make an impression. A substitute for much of the 2013-14 season at 1860 Munich, Wood has started each of the club’s first 5 matches this season after scoring twice in preseason friendlies.

Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt 04, Midfielder, age 24) – Morales’ lone prior USMNT appearance was also a brief one, entering in the 75th minute against Canada in January 2013. Rumors have been floated of continued interest from the Peru National Team (he’d be eligible via his Peruvian-born father), which would require a one-time switch, but these rumors seem to have little substance. He’s been called in by Klinsmann numerous times, and has been in the U.S. system since the U16 level. Morales has been a regular starter at left midfield for 2.Bundesliga side Ingolstadt since early last season, and scored in his team’s opening game of 2014.

 

Everyone Else:

Julian Green (3 caps) and John Brooks (5 caps) seem like relative veterans compared to the group above. When you’ve scored a goal in the World Cup, you’re no longer a newcomer.

The other Brazil 2014 returnees include: Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando, Fabian Johnson, Timothy Chandler, Mix Diskerud, Alejandro Bedoya and Jozy Altidore. Geoff Cameron was initially named to the squad, but withdrew due to injury.

Filling out the rest of the roster are defenders Michael Orozco and Tim Ream, and midfielders Brek Shea and Joe Corona. All four were part of the USMNT mix to various extents during 2014 Qualifying. Corona made the preliminary 30-man roster for Brazil, but was among the final cuts.

 

Projected Lineup:

An educated guess at a projected Starting XI vs. the Czech Republic — I’m not expecting any newcomers in the starting lineup, but we’ll see many of the them in the second half:

4-4-1-1 Formation:

GK: Guzan

DF: Johnson, Brooks, Ream, Chandler

MF: Bedoya, Corona, Diskerud, Shea

FW: Green; Altidore

Corona/Diskerud in a double-pivot central midfield; Green playing more wide than central, tucking in behind Altidore’s hold-up play.

 

Prediction:

United States 2:1 Czech Republic

Altidore 11′ (Diskerud)

Morris 74′ (Hyndman)

 

The United States faces the Czech Republic on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at Generali Arena, Prague – 2:15 PM EST, (NBCSN, UniMas).

Ukraine Tops USMNT 2:0 – What We Learned in Cyprus

by Roderick MacNeil

Edgar Castillo and the USMNT searched in vain for answers vs Ukraine. (Kyle Rivas photo)

Against one of the more surreal sporting backdrops in recent memory, the United States Men’s National Team was shredded by a dynamic Ukrainian side in Larnaca, Cyprus Wednesday by a 2:0 margin. The Americans looked truly fortunate not to lose by 4 or 5 goals. The sparse gathering of about 1,500 spectators that wandered into Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium saw an incohesive USMNT backline repeatedly ripped apart, and a punchless attack unable to sustain any sort of pressure. For head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who had the best view of all, the result was far less important than the individual performances. We won’t find out until June what he’s concluded, but we have our own eyes.

Who’s not going to Brazil?

Oguchi Onyewu – Gooch is just too far past it. His late push for the World Cup roster made him a sentimental favorite for longtime USMNT fans, but the reality is that he’s no longer the player he once was. A player of his experience needed to step forward and take a leadership role in organizing the back line. Instead, he looked as lost as anyone. We recognize that he hadn’t played together with his fellow defenders before, but as the senior figure in central defense, he needed to come up with some answers, and he couldn’t do that.

John Brooks – At 21 years old, there’s still a bright future ahead for Brooks. Yesterday he showed us that his talent is still too raw to rely upon in the World Cup. Brooks was out position far too often. On several occasions his great athletic ability was good enough to recover and break up a scoring chance; he’s learning. Right now Klinsmann needs center backs on the field who won’t need to recover so often. We’ll see a lot more of Brooks after the World Cup, but not during.

Sacha Kljestan – Kljestan is an enigma. He continues to perform well at the club level and deserve National Team call-ups. Yet he never seems to be able to translate his game to success with the USMNT. Kljestan did little with his 63 minutes, other than supply critical turnovers to the Ukrainians. When your “creative” central midfielder only completes 30 passes, he’s not being active enough nor especially creative. There are too many other players available who have been more effective in that role.

Terrence Boyd – This is a tough one, but when a player on the roster bubble doesn’t get off the bench in his final opportunity, it probably means something. Boyd’s having a standout season in Austria, yet Klinsmann was more interested in seeing Juan Agudelo on this occasion. It may not be Boyd’s fault. With Jozy Altidore, Aron Johannsson and Eddie Johnson all locks for Brazil ahead of him, Boyd’s skill set just might overlap too much with options Klinsmann already has in his arsenal. The door is wide open for someone else to step in.

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood, Alfredo Morales – Well, yeah, duh. In Spector’s case, he was just invited to fill a positional need for this game in case of injury. The other two were just young tourists, taking in the experience and hoping to be invited back more during the next cycle.

Who stayed in the mix?

Danny Williams – Partly due to his own improved play, and partly due to Kljestan’s shortcomings, Williams remains firmly in the picture. He offers a different, more explosive look out of the middle and brought a more dynamic box-to-box presence. He still has to show more, but Williams may have done enough to at least earn an invite to camp in May.

Edgar Castillo – Hold on, hear me out on this one. Yes, Castillo was very poor vs. Ukraine. He looked completely overmatched defending Andriy Yarmolenko on the flank (then again, most defenders look that way against Yarmolenko). Yet there are two good reasons not to rule him out: 1) He’s exactly the type of player Klinsmann wants at fullback – one who can get up and down the flank and interchange comfortably in the midfield, and 2) he plays in Liga MX, so he’ll be available for a call-up on April 2 in Phoenix, and a shot at redemption. Very, very down, but not out.

Michael Parkhurst – He was already in the mix with his ability to play on either side, but his stock went up with Castillo’s poor performance. It’s important for Parkhurst to get off to a strong start with the Columbus Crew and give Klinsmann no reason to leave him out against Mexico, but he’s looking like a more probable selection for Brazil.

Mix Diskerud – Why yes, it so happens that Mix is indeed in the mix. He can breathe a little easier if he was worried about being leapfrogged in absentia. Diskerud isn’t a lock, but he’s looking firmer after Sacha Kljestan’s showing. He makes it to the pre-World Cup camp for sure, and likely gets on the plane.

Who is locked in for Brazil?

Alejandro Bedoya – He was one of the better players on the field for the United States. Granted, that’s not saying much, but it was good enough. Bedoya is a regular part of the rotation at this point, an occasional starter, and he didn’t do himself any disservice on Wednesday.

Fabian Johnson – His ticket to Brazil is surprisingly still questioned by some, but Johnson will be on the plane. He may be a man without a position in terms of the starting lineup, but he’s far too versatile to leave home. Klinsmann highly values players who can play multiple positions (see Brad Evans, DaMarcus Beasley, Geoff Cameron) and Fabian is a perfect example.

Geoff Cameron – Not a game he would highlight on his resume, but Cameron was at least adequate. He remains a player who could conceivably start or get minutes at either right back, center back or central midfield. Popular sentiment seems to be for him to supplant Brad Evans as the starting right back. Yet Cameron didn’t wrest that starting spot away. It’s also notable that his two recent USMNT starts at right back have both come when Evans was either absent or unavailable, so there’s still no evidence to suggest Klinsmann’s pecking order has changed. But make no mistake, Cameron’s on the World Cup roster and will prove useful.

Who has the door opened for?

Michael Orozco – There’s a big opportunity for a center back to step up a snatch a roster spot. Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler and Clarence Goodson are all locks. Could Orozco join them? He’ll likely get a call-up next month vs. Mexico. He’s been a steady presence in the middle for Puebla FC and he’s shown a knack for being effective on set pieces. The three USMNT goals to his name in the last 18 months can’t hurt either.

Joe Corona – Where Brek Shea has fallen short, Joe Corona will see an opportunity. Corona’s minutes at Tijuana have been reduced of late, but he’s shown well with the USMNT and should get one more chance to show himself.

Herculez Gomez – The forgotten man at forward, Gomez has struggled with nagging injuries and hasn’t scored in ages with Tijuana. But there’s a roster spot at forward there for the taking, and Gomez is the type of smart, seasoned player that Klinsmann would love to call upon in an important game. It’s up to Herc to show he can be that player this summer.

Carlos Bocanegra – I’m shocked that I just typed his name, yet there it is. The former “Captain America” has seemingly been put out to pasture at the international level, and hasn’t been heard from much at the club level in quite a while. He’ll need to shine brightly with Chivas USA over the next month to even get a sniff of a call-up vs. Mexico. It’s the longest of long shots, but if Bocanegra shows he can be even 80% of the player he used to be, his leadership and mere presence could be a welcome sight in Klinsmann’s locker room. Do I expect this to happen? Not at all. But after Onyewu and Brooks showed themselves the door, there’s still a job opening to interview for.

Juan Agudelo – He’s been impressive in his short stint at Utrecht thus far. Getting on the field against Ukraine was a statement itself. Agudelo brings a spark that his competitors at forward don’t seem to offer. He’s looking like a much stronger World Cup contender than he did just a few weeks ago.

Chris Wondolowski – He keeps scoring goals whenever given the chance, and that’s an extremely convincing asset to bring to the table. Wondo has made a career out of sneaking up on defenders. Maybe he’ll sneak up and snag a ticket to Brazil from Terrence Boyd. It’s not just his nose for the goal, it’s that he offers a different dimension than the other forwards on the roster. He’s not a target forward, a slasher or speedster. Wondo loses defenders and finds the ball. He’s a pure poacher who makes a living off being in the right spot at the right time. If Klinsmann values that skill highly enough, Wondo could be his guy.

Julian Green – How can the door be open for a player who isn’t even eligible to play for the United States yet? Well, Green’s a very special case, that’s why. This much I believe to be true: If Green were offered a World Cup roster spot, he would accept it. The wisdom of offering him a spot remains a debatable point. But the upside is too great to say it’s out of the realm of possibility.

Many questions were answered on Wednesday, but many new ones arose. The next pop quiz is less than a month away in Arizona. Who’s raising their hands, ready to be called upon?

Breaking Down Klinsmann’s Roster for Ukraine Match

By Roderick MacNeil

(EDITOR’S NOTE: As of the publishing time of this article, the USA-Ukraine match once again appears in some doubt. A car bombing in Cyprus targeted at a soccer referee on Friday has resulted in the cancellation of all weekend matches in the Cypriot professional league. We’ll monitor how this story develops and any impact on the USMNT.)

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Could John Brooks earn a ticket to Brazil this summer?

USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has named his much anticipated roster for the upcoming International Friendly vs. Ukraine. First, some finalized details on the relocation of the match. Still scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, the match will now take place in Larnaca, Cyprus with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern and will air on ESPN2. The game was relocated from Kharkiv, Ukraine due to escalating political tensions and violence within Ukraine. The team will first train for several days in Frankfurt, Germany before traveling to Cyprus.

Now, let’s dive into the roster. There’s lots to talk about, conclusions to be drawn, and new storylines to watch. As expected, it is a heavily European-based group, in contrast to the January camp roster, which was almost entirely MLS players. Here’s the list by position, followed by my thoughts on what it all means:

GOALKEEPERS (3):

Cody Cropper (Southampton)

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

Tim Howard (Everton)

 

DEFENDERS (7):

John Brooks (Hertha Berlin)

Geoff Cameron (Stoke City)

Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana)

Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt)

Oguchi Onyewu (Sheffield Wednesday)

Will Packwood (Birmingham City)

Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers)

 

MIDFIELDERS (8):

Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes)

Michael Bradley (Toronto FC)

Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg)

Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim)

Jermaine Jones (Besiktas)

Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

Brek Shea (Barnsley)

Danny Williams (Reading)

 

FORWARDS (6):

Juan Agudelo (Utrecht)

Jozy Altidore (Sunderland)

Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna)

Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC)

Julian Green (Bayern Munich)

Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar)

• Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley are the only MLS players in camp, but neither was part of the January group. Dempsey has been with Fulham on a two-month loan. Bradley signed with Toronto FC just a week before the January camp, and it was thought best to let him settle in with his new club. Klinsmann believes it important to have both players included here, as he has repeatedly referred to them as part of the essential central “spine” of the team, along with Jozy Altidore, Jermaine Jones and Tim Howard.

• Edgar Castillo is the only other player called in who is not based in Europe, and the only one from Liga MX. What to make of this? It would seem to bode well for Castillo’s chances of making the World Cup roster. It also reveals a lack of depth at left back within Europe. Fabian Johnson has played there extensively with Hoffenheim, but Klinsmann has shown to prefer him in the midfield. Based on this roster, there’s a good chance Castillo starts vs. Ukraine. The absence of other Liga MX players (particularly DaMarcus Beasley, Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Michael Orozco and Jose Torres) probably doesn’t mean much here. There will be one more opportunity for those players in April vs. Mexico.

• Mix Diskerud is the sole holdover from January. It’s another sign that he’s very much in contention for a spot in Brazil, but it’s also partly a scheduling quirk. Diskerud’s club, Rosenborg BK of Norway’s Tippeligaen, plays a similar calendar to MLS with a season that runs from March to November. He was the only European-based player in contention that did not have a club conflict in January, so Klinsmann brought him in for an extended look.

• Julian Green will join the group for training in Frankfurt and accompany the team to Cyprus. He is ineligible to play vs. Ukraine, as he must first file for a FIFA one-time association switch. Green, who is American-born and German-raised, has previously represented Germany at the youth level. Once the 18-year-old Bayern Munich phenom completes the paperwork, he would be permanently tied to the United States.

• John Brooks returns after making his first USMNT appearance in November vs. Bosnia-Hercegovina. The 20-year-old German-born center back recently missed a few weeks due to injury with Hertha Berlin, but returned last week in a substitute appearance. He remains on the fringe of contention for Brazil.

• Will Packwood of Birmingham City earns his first senior team call-up. The 20-year-old has 18 previous appearances at the youth level and has impressed at center back in the English Championship this season. He is likely not in the hunt for a World Cup spot; his inclusion has more of an eye towards 2018.

• Alfredo Morales is a surprise inclusion. The 23-year-old German-born defender made his first USMNT appearance a year ago in a friendly vs. Canada, but is still not cap tied. He has reportedly drawn interest from the Peruvian national team, as his father was born in Peru. The call-up keeps Morales integrated with Klinsmann’s program and he’s also a player who could emerge in the next cycle.

• Danny Williams and Brek Shea, two English Championship midfielders who have both previously seen larger roles with the national team, both return in a last ditch push for Brazil, but under very different circumstances. Williams has flourished since his arrival at Reading FC, while Shea has struggled for playing time since being loaned to Barnsley from Stoke City.

• Oguchi Onyewu and Tim Ream, both English Championship defenders seeking to return to favor with the USMNT, seem extremely long shot candidates for Brazil, at best. But an opportunity is there to seize, and each will seek the make the most of it. Onyewu has impressed since his transfer to Sheffield Wednesday from Queens Park Rangers. Ream has been a steady fixture at left back for Bolton Wanderers, but has faded from Klinsmann’s favor.

• Juan Agudelo, fresh off his hot start at FC Utrecht of the Dutch Eredivisie, gets another shot to claim one of the last spots on the World Cup roster. It’s a critical opportunity for Agudelo, who would likely have to beat out Terrence Boyd to be included as the final forward on the depth chart.

• As for the European-based players not called in, it’s the end of the line as far as 2014 World Cup hopes. There remains strong factions of fan support for right backs Steven Cherundolo, Timothy Chandler and Eric Lichaj, but the reality is that each, for very different reasons, has been largely out of the national team picture for quite some time. Cherundolo is long on experience but hasn’t even been able to get on the field for his own club. Chandler is currently injured, but hasn’t been called in by Klinsmann for a year now, and Lichaj failed to get the call after returning to the USMNT last fall from a two year absence. Jonathan Spector, another past fixture on the back line, also did not make the cut. An erroneous early report that he had made the roster was later discredited by U.S. Soccer.

Projected Starting Lineup:

GK: Howard

D: Cameron, Ream, Brooks, Castillo

MF: Bedoya, Bradley, Jones, Johnson

F: Dempsey, Altidore

Given the unusual circumstances surrounding next Wednesday’s match, the actual result of the game may be of minimal consequence. It is, after all, only a friendly, but it’s also now one played on neutral soil against a team possibly preoccupied with greater concerns back home. Who knows what we’ll see from Ukraine? Herhaps a team distracted, perhaps a team motivated; in any case, Ukraine is a quality team that nearly reached the World Cup. It’ll be a stern test for the USMNT, but in the bigger picture, the individual performances in this game will tell us a lot more than the final score.