Shea, Altidore goals not enough as USMNT falls to No. 14 Chile
RANCAGUA, Chilel (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Men’s National Team opened the new year with a 3-2 loss against No. 14 FIFA-ranked Chile at Estadio El Teniente.
Brek Shea and Jozy Altidore scored first-half goals for the USA, but Chile’s Mark Gonzalez countered with two of his own, including the game-winner in the 66th minute. Roberto Gutierrez scored Chile’s other goal.
The match included the MNT debut for three players: Steve Birnbaum who started in defense, midfielder Wil Trapp and forward Gyasi Zardes.
The USA will now prepare for its first home match of the year when it hosts Panama at StubHub Center in Carson, California. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas and Univision Deportes Network.
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Chile out-shot the USA 12-10 and both teams were even with five shots on goal.
Chile had an opportunity late in the first half to find the equalizer in the opening 45 minutes, but Roberto Gutierrez was just offside when Marco Medel crossed the ball in from the left side. Gutierrez headed the ball into the net, but the chance was nullified.
Five minutes before Chile scored its game-winning goal, U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley unleashed a blistering shot from nearly 30 yards out that hit the crossbar and would have given the USA a two-goal lead at the time.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Brek Shea (Matt Besler), 6th minute: Left back Besler looped his left-footed pass in between a pair of Chile defenders to Shea on the left side of the box. Shea one-timed his left-footed shot from a difficult angle past Chile goalkeeper Johnny Herrera and just inside the right post for the USA’s first goal of the year. Shea now has three goals in his MNT career. USA 1, CHI 0 (SEE GOAL)
CHI – Roberto Gutierrez (Mark Gonzalez), 10th minute: Chile was quick to respond, working the ball to the left side where Gonzalez had some space near the sideline for the long cross. Gutierrez snuck between USA defenders Jermaine Jones and Matt Besler and headed the ball into the right side of the frame to tie the score. USA 1, CHI 1 (SEE GOAL)
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USA – Jozy Altidore (Mix Diskerud), 31st minute: The USA attack began with DeAndre Yedlin’s throw-in to Diskerud, who passed back and forth with Yedlin on the right side. Diskerud then dribbled to just outside the six-yard box and cut a pass back to the left toward Altidore. Altidore, with ample space, carved his right-footed shot inside the left post and the U.S. regained the lead. USA 2, CHI 1 (SEE GOAL)Jozy
CHI – Mark Gonzalez (Marco Medel), 66th minute: Medel pushed the attack down the left side with a well-timed leading ball to Gonzalez who got behind the USA defense and unleashed his high-paced shot past U.S. goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Rimando had leaned a little to his left in anticipation of the shot, but Gonzalez shot over Rimando’s right shoulder. USA 2, CHI 2 (SEE GOAL)
CHI – Mark Gonzalez, 75th minute: Chile’s attack originated with a well-struck, left-footed shot from Marco Medel from approximately 25 yards out. Nick Rimando stretched to his right for the save, but Gonzalez followed up the rebound from the left side. Gonzalez drove his left-footed attempt inside the right of the frame as Rimando could not do anything to prevent Chile’s go-ahead score. USA 2, CHI 3 (SEE GOAL) FINAL
Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
USA – Nick Rimando, 37th minute: Chile had a golden opportunity after intercepting the ball from the USA’s back line. Diego Valdes dribbled uncontested inside the left side of the box, one-on-one against Rimando. Rimando ultimately came up trumps with a left-armed save as Valdes was attempting to find the far right side of the frame.
CHI – Johnny Herrera, 80th minute: The USA worked the ball quickly from right to left, with Wil Trapp and Michael Bradley setting up Chris Wondolowski. Wondolowski attempted to find the right side of the frame, but Herrera reacted quickly with the save to his left to maintain the Chile lead.
CHI – Johnny Herrera, 90+2 minute: Lee Nguyen set up USA second-half sub Gyasi Zardes down the right side. Zardes tried to sneak his shot inside the near right post past Herrera, but the Chile goalkeeper had the space covered to deny the LA Galaxy product.
Milestone Watch:
Clint Dempsey played in his 111th game, moving into sole possession of seventh place on the U.S. MNT’s all-time list, and moving ahead of Carlos Bocanegra and Paul Caligiuri (110). Dempsey is now one cap behind sixth-place Claudio Reyna (112 games from 1994-2006).
Wednesday’s game marked Dempsey’s 100th-career start.
Jozy Altidore scored his 26th-career goal in his 77th cap. Altidore ranks fifth on the MNT all-time goal scoring list.
Next on the Schedule:
The U.S. MNT prepares for its first home match of the year when it hosts Panama at StubHub Center in Carson, California. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT.
Broadcast information: ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network
Additional Notes:
The USA is now 3-5-2 all-time against Chile.
Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann rolled out a 3-5-2 formation against Chile. Anchored by goalkeeper Nick Rimando, the three-man defensive line included Matt Besler at left back, Steve Birnbaum’s senior team debut at right back and Jermaine Jones at center back.
In the midfield, Brek Shea and DeAndre Yedlin were featured on the left and right side, respectively. Mix Diskerud, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey played centrally, with Dempsey in the attacking role and serving as the team captain.
Bobby Wood and Jozy Altidore were paired up front. The game marked Wood’s first MNT started and his sixth cap.
The USA opened the first half with Lee Nguyen entering for Wood. Dempsey pushed up to play alongside Altidore in the attack.
Wil Trapp made his senior team debut when he entered for Diskerud in the 61st minute. Trapp was the 2013 U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year and a former member of the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team that competed at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
In the 68th minute, Gyasi Zardes made his MNT debut, replacing Dempsey, who passed along the captain’s armband to Jones.
In the second half, the USA changed its formation to a 4-4-2 with Shea on the left side, Yedlin on the right and Birnbaum and Besler in central defense
Rimando previously had been unbeaten throughout his MNT tenure. Wednesday marked his first loss as he is now 10-1-2 all-time.
– U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Chile
Date: Jan. 28, 2015
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Attendance: TBA
Weather: 88 degrees; clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 0 2
CHI 1 2 3
USA – Brek Shea (Matt Besler) 6th minute
CHI – Roberto Gutierrez (Mark Gonzalez) 10
USA – Jozy Altidore (Mix Diskerud) 31
CHI – Mark Gonzalez (Marco Medel) 66
CHI – Mark Gonzalez 75
Lineups:
USA: 1-Nick Rimando; 23-Steve Birnbaum, 13-Jermaine Jones, 5-Matt Besler; 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 4-Michael Bradley, 8-Clint Dempsey (capt.) (20-Gyasi Zardes, 68), 10-Mix Diskerud (6-Wil Trapp, 60), 11-Brek Shea, 9-Bobby Wood (7-Lee Nguyen, 46), 17-Jozy Altidore (18-Chris Wondolowski, 75)
Subs Not Used: 3-Matt Hedges, 12-Sean Johnson, 15-Perry Kitchen, 16-Shane O’Neill, 19-Miguel Ibarra
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
CHI: 23-Johnny Herrera; 4-Osvaldo Gonzalez, 13-Jose Rojas (capt.), 17-Juan Cornejo; 6-Gonzalo Espinoza (16-Gonzalo Fierro, 72), 15-Erick Pulgar, 10-Marco Medel (5-Paulo Diaz, 79), 19-Diego Valdes (9-Juan Delgado, 60); 7-Bryan Carrasco, 22-Roberto Gutierrez (18-Andres Vilches, 90+4), 11-Mark Gonzalez (8-Angelo Sagal, 90)
Subs Not Used: 1-Paulo Garces, 2-Sebastian Vegas, 14-Cesar Valenzuela
Head coach: Jorge Sampaoli
Stats Summary: USA / CHI
Shots: 10 / 12
Shots on Goal: 5 / 5
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 1 /9
Fouls: 20 / 19
Offside: 0 / 6
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Michael Bradley (caution) 36th minute
CHI – Jose Rojas (caution) 43
USA – Bobby Wood (caution) 45+2
USA – Lee Nguyen (caution) 50
USA – Jermaine Jones (caution) 52
USA – Matt Besler (caution) 71
USA – Brek Shea (caution) 88
