U.S. Men’s National Team forward Jozy Altidore scored an early goal, but No. 3 FIFA-ranked Colombia scred two unanswered goals in the second half en route to a 2-1 victory in front of 24,235 spectators in London, a record attendance for an international match at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham. Carlos Bacca scored the game-tying goal in the 60th minute and Teofilo Gutierrez the game-winner in the 87th minute.
Altidore’s 10th-minute tally from the penalty spot was the 25th of his international career and team-leading fourth of 2014.
The USA is now 16-35-9 all-time against top-10 FIFA-ranked opponents and 3-10-4 all-time against Colombia.
The U.S. MNT wraps up its 2014 schedule against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Kickoff is at 2:45 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and Univision.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Jozy Altidore (penalty), 10th minute: The USA drew a penalty kick when Jermaine Jones headed the ball into the right side of the box toward Rubio Rubin. Rubin was fighting off Pablo Armero for the 50-50, when Armero’s left arm made contact with the ball. That led to Altidore’s penalty kick and the USA striker hesitated on his approach against Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, who dove to his left as Altidore’s shot was driven just behind him toward the middle of the frame. The tally was the U.S. MNT’s first in a London-based game; the team had been outscored 13-0 in three previous London matches. USA 1, COL 0 (SEE GOAL)
USA – Jozy Altidore (penalty), 10th minute: The USA drew a penalty kick when Jermaine Jones headed the ball into the right side of the box toward Rubio Rubin. Rubin was fighting off Pablo Armero for the 50-50, when Armero’s left arm made contact with the ball. That led to Altidore’s penalty kick and the USA striker hesitated on his approach against Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, who dove to his left as Altidore’s shot was driven just behind him toward the middle of the frame. The tally was the U.S. MNT’s first in a London-based game; the team had been outscored 13-0 in three previous London matches. USA 1, COL 0 (SEE GOAL)
COL – Carlos Bacca (James Rodriguez), 60th minute: Rodriguez played a through ball in the direction of Teofilo Gutierrez, who was in an offside position. Gutierrez refrained from touching the ball, and referee Szymon Marciniak decided that he did not impact the play and let play continue while the USA back line screamed for a whistle. Meanwhile, Bacca made a dash to the ball, took a touch to his right, and from the corner of the six-yard box slotted the ball into the net for the equalizer. USA 1, COL 1 (SEE GOAL)
COL – Teofilo Gutierrez (Edwin Cardona), 87th minute: From the right side of the box, Cardona lofted the ball to the left side over second-half sub Julian Green and connected with Gutierrez, who headed the ball top shelf in the center of the goal past diving USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan. USA 1, COL 2 (SEE GOAL) (FINAL)
Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
USA – Brad Guzan, 27th minute: Following a corner kick from the left side, Colombia’s Jeison Murillo lofted his header toward the upper left corner of the frame. Guzan instinctively reached up to bat the ball over the crossbar.
USA – Brad Guzan, 27th minute: Following a corner kick from the left side, Colombia’s Jeison Murillo lofted his header toward the upper left corner of the frame. Guzan instinctively reached up to bat the ball over the crossbar.
USA – Jermaine Jones, 41st minute: James Rodriguez built up the attack with a creative back heel toward Carlos Bacca and the Colombia forward shot from the right side. Jones tracked back in time to deflect the ball out of bounds to keep Colombia off the score sheet.
COL – Camilo Vargas, 59th minute: Colombia’s goalkeeper was challenged nearly 15 minutes into the second half when Jermaine Jones headed the ball off of a corner kick. Jones tried for the inside right of the frame, but Vargas cut down the angle to make the save.
USA – Brad Guzan, 64th, 65th and 68th minutes: Colombia dictated the play for much of the second half and created three great scoring chances in a four-minute span. Carlos Sanchez’s right-footed shot deflected off of DeAndre Yedlin, and Guzan dove to his left for the save. Guzan then stopped a rolling shot from Teofilo Gutierrez and also turned away a Pablo Armero attempt from outside the box.
Milestone Watch:
- Jozy Altidore moved into sole possession of fifth place on the USA’s all-time goal scoring list with his 25th-career goal. Altidore moved past Joe-Max Moore (24 goals in 100 games from 1992-2002).
- DaMarcus Beasley entered Friday’s match in the second half to earn his 121st cap, which ranks fifth on the U.S. MNT’s all-time list.
Next on the Schedule:
The U.S. MNT travels to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Aviva Stadium. The USA’s final match of 2014 kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Broadcast information: ESPN2, Univision
The U.S. MNT travels to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Aviva Stadium. The USA’s final match of 2014 kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Broadcast information: ESPN2, Univision
Additional Notes:
- The USA is now 6-4-4 in 2014.
- The U.S. is 0-4-0 all-time in games played in the London area.
- U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s starting lineup featured Brad Guzan in goal, making his fourth start of the year and 28th cap overall.
- The starting back line included Greg Garza on the left, DeAndre Yedlin on the right and a center back pairing of John Brooks and Jermaine Jones. For Jones, it was his second straight match on defense after featuring primarily in the midfield throughout the year. Yedlin earned his 10th cap and second start of the year.
- The USA’s starting midfield in a 4-1-3-2 formation included Kyle Beckerman in a holding role, Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya on the outside and Mix Diskerud in the middle. Bedoya now leads the U.S. MNT with 11 caps in 2014.
- The starting front line featured team captain Jozy Altidore and the MNT debut for Rubio Rubin, the 2012 U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year.
- To open the second half, Johnson dropped into the defense and Yedlin pushed up to midfield.
- In the 67th minute, Klinsmann made a pair of subs with Bobby Wood replacing Rubin and Alfredo Morales entering for Bedoya.
- DaMarcus Beasley replaced Garza in the 70th minute.
- USA midfielder Lee Nguyen made his first appearance since 2007 and his fourth cap overall when he replaced Diskerud in the 78th minute.
- Julian Green was brought into the match for Yedlin in the 86th minute.
- Rubin had a couple of dangerous scoring chances in each half during his MNT debut. Rubin’s closest came in the 47th minute when Bedoya set him up beautifully with a right-footed cross from the left side. Rubin got behind the Colombia defense, but his header went just wide right of the frame.
- The USA dodged a couple scares from Colombia’s attack in the first half. In the 33rd minute, Colombia nearly capitalized on a USA giveaway in the midfield that lead to Carlos Bacca’s right-footed shot, which deflected off of the right post and went out of bounds for a U.S. goal kick. Then, just before halftime, Bacca’s shot from outside the box deflected off of Jones. Colombian players screamed for a hand ball, which replays showed deflected off of Jones’ left arm.
- The USA is now 2-1-0 when Altidore wears the captain’s armband.
- The U.S. is 33-14-11 all-time under Klinsmann.
– U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Colombia
Date: Nov. 14, 2014
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Craven Cottage; London, England
Kickoff: 2:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. local)
Attendance: 24,235
Weather: 52 degrees, clear
Date: Nov. 14, 2014
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Craven Cottage; London, England
Kickoff: 2:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. local)
Attendance: 24,235
Weather: 52 degrees, clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 0 1
COL 0 2 2
USA 1 0 1
COL 0 2 2
USA – Jozy Altidore (penalty) 10th minute
COL – Carlos Bacca (James Rodriguez) 60
COL – Teofilo Gutierrez (Edwin Cardona) 87
COL – Carlos Bacca (James Rodriguez) 60
COL – Teofilo Gutierrez (Edwin Cardona) 87
Lineups:
USA: 1-Brad Guzan; 2-DeAndre Yedlin (16-Julian Green, 86), 13-Jermaine Jones, 6-John Brooks, 3-Greg Garza (7-DaMarcus Beasley, 70); 15-Kyle Beckerman; 11-Alejandro Bedoya (4-Alfredo Morales, 67), 10-Mix Diskerud (8-Lee Nguyen, 78), 23-Fabian Johnson; 17-Jozy Altidore (capt.), 9-Rubio Rubin (19-Bobby Wood, 67)
Subs Not Used: 5-Matt Besler, 12-Nick Rimando, 18-Chris Wondolowski, 20-Geoff Cameron, 21-Timmy Chandler
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
USA: 1-Brad Guzan; 2-DeAndre Yedlin (16-Julian Green, 86), 13-Jermaine Jones, 6-John Brooks, 3-Greg Garza (7-DaMarcus Beasley, 70); 15-Kyle Beckerman; 11-Alejandro Bedoya (4-Alfredo Morales, 67), 10-Mix Diskerud (8-Lee Nguyen, 78), 23-Fabian Johnson; 17-Jozy Altidore (capt.), 9-Rubio Rubin (19-Bobby Wood, 67)
Subs Not Used: 5-Matt Besler, 12-Nick Rimando, 18-Chris Wondolowski, 20-Geoff Cameron, 21-Timmy Chandler
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
COL: 12-Camilo Vargas; 3 -Pedro Franco, 4-Santiago Arias, 7-Pablo Armero, 23-Jeison Murillo; 6-Carlos Sanchez, 8-Abel Aguilar (27-Edwin Cardona, 74), 11-Juan Cuadrado (15-Juan Quintero, 89), 10-James Rodriguez (capt.); 17- Carlos Bacca (20-Adrian Ramos, 79), 19-Teofilo Gutierrez (21-Jackson Martinez, 89)
Subs Not Used:1- Leandro Castellanos, 2-Cristian Zapata, 14-Yimmi Chara, 16-Eder Balanta, 22-Jose Cuadrado, 24-Daniel Bocanegra, 25-Alexander Mejia, 26-Carlos Carbonero, 28-Brayan Angulo
Head Coach: José Pékerman
Subs Not Used:1- Leandro Castellanos, 2-Cristian Zapata, 14-Yimmi Chara, 16-Eder Balanta, 22-Jose Cuadrado, 24-Daniel Bocanegra, 25-Alexander Mejia, 26-Carlos Carbonero, 28-Brayan Angulo
Head Coach: José Pékerman
Stats Summary: USA / COL
Shots: 7 / 16
Shots on Goal: 4 / 9
Saves: 7 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 8
Fouls: 12 / 13
Offside: 0 / 3
Shots: 7 / 16
Shots on Goal: 4 / 9
Saves: 7 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 8
Fouls: 12 / 13
Offside: 0 / 3
Misconduct Summary:
COL – Abel Aguilar (caution) 29th minute
USA – Jozy Altidore (caution ) 35
COL – Abel Aguilar (caution) 29th minute
USA – Jozy Altidore (caution ) 35