The U.S. Men’s National Team grabbed a deserved late goal by Jozy Altidore to win its second match of 2016, 1-0, against Canada at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The win followed a 3-2 win against Iceland to open 2016 with a pair of victories.
The U.S. knocked on the door throughout the match but was unable to breach a compact Canada defense that was backed up by a strong effort in goal by Maxime Crepeau. But, in the final minute of regulation, Ethan Finlay, who had just entered the match as a substitute for Jordan Morris barely a minute earlier, served in a cross to Altidore who buried a headed shot for his 33rd international strike that delivered a second straight win for the U.S. to open what is set to be an important year.
The MNT will continue its 2016 slate in March when World Cup Qualifying resumes against Guatemala. The teams meet twice in quick succession, first on March 25 at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala (beIN Sport, NBC Universo), before returning for the home leg on March 29 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (7 p.m. ET; ESPN2, UniMas, UDN).
Milestone Watch:
- Forward Jozy Altidore’s 89th minute goal gave him 33 for his international career and pushed him within one strike of tying Eric Wynalda (34) for third on the MNT’s all-time goals scored list.
- Ethan Finlay, in his second cap, recorded his first point for the MNT with his assist on Altidore’s goal.
- Recent college graduate and teammate of Jordan Morris at Stanford University, Brandon Vincent made his international debut for the USA, coming on at half time for Kellyn Acosta.
- Goalkeeper David Bingham made his MNT debut. He is the fifth player in the January camp to earn his first cap and the seventh different goalkeeper to appear for the MNT since Feb. 8, 2015. (Brad Guzan, Tim Howard, Nick Rimando, Luis Robles, Sean Johnson, William Yarbrough).
- With today’s win, Jurgen Klinsmann now has 45 career MNT victories; he is behind only Bruce Arena (71) on the USA’s all-time list.
Additional Notes:
- The MNT is now 11-2-2 all-time at StubHub Center, outscoring its opponents 35-11.
- The USA is now 14-8-11 all-time vs. Canada, including a 11-1-9 mark in matches played in the U.S. The U.S. has not lost to Canada on home soil in more than half a century, with the last loss coming by a 3-2 scoreline in a 1957 World Cup Qualifying match in St. Louis.
- With his start, Gyasi Zardes has appeared in 21 of the last 22 MNT matches dating back to January 2015. Michael Bradley has the second most appearances in that stretch with 20, including tonight’s game.
- Jozy Altidore, Jermaine Jones and Zardes have the longest active consecutive games played streak. Each has started the last eight games. The last time none of the three appeared for the MNT was on July 25, 2015, against Panama.
- Jones made his first start at centerback since Feb. 8, 2015. He started both of the first two matches of 2015 in the center of the defense.
- Mix Diskerud made his first start since July 10, 2015. Since then, he made four appearances off the bench. His last match was on Oct. 13, 2015, when he entered at halftime against Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena.
- Steve Birnbaum returned to the right back role he filled in his debut for the MNT a year ago when the U.S. lost 3-2 to eventual 2015 Copa America champion Chile in Santiago.
- All five players in camp from the 2014 FIFA World Cup team were in the starting XI: Altidore, Matt Belser, Bradley, Jones and Diskerud.
- Kellyn Acosta, Birnbaum, Jordan Morris and Lee Nguyen made their second career starts for the MNT.
- Acosta and Nguyen made their first starts against Iceland (it was also Acosta’s MNT debut); Morris’ only previous start in eight appearances was on April 15, 2015 in a 2-0 win over Mexico in San Antonio. Birnbaum, who assisted and scored off the bench against Iceland, made his first start on Jan. 29, 2015 in Chile.
- Ten players representing nine different MLS clubs are on the starting XI: D.C., S.J., SKC, DAL, LA, TOR, NYCFC, NE, SEA.
- MNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann fielded a starting back line of Steve Birnbaum at right back, Jermaine Jones and Matt Besler in the center of defense and 20-year-old Kellyn Acosta at left back.
- The USA’s starting midfield was comprised of Mix Diskerud and Michael Bradley in the middle of the park with Gyasi Zardes on the right and Lee Nguyen on the left. Jozy Altidore led the forward line up top with Jordan Morris partnering him in attack.
-U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report-
Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Canada
Date: Feb. 5, 2016
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: StubHub Center; Carson, Calif.
Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. PT
Attendance: 9,274
Weather: 63 degrees, clear
Date: Feb. 5, 2016
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: StubHub Center; Carson, Calif.
Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. PT
Attendance: 9,274
Weather: 63 degrees, clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 1 1
CAN 0 0 0
USA 0 1 1
CAN 0 0 0
USA – Jozy Altidore (Ethan Finlay) 89th minute
Lineups:
USA: 22-David Bingham; 15-Steve Birnbaum, 13-Jermaine Jones, 5-Matt Besler, 14-Kellyn Acosta (21-Brandon Vincent, 46); 9-Gyasi Zardes (18-Jerome Kiesewetter, 61), 4-Michael Bradley (capt.), 10-Mix Diskerud (20-Wil Trapp, 77), 16-Lee Nguyen (6-Darlington Nagbe, 61); 8-Jordan Morris (7-Ethan Finlay, 88), 17-Jozy Altidore (23-Perry Kitchen, 90+2)
Subs Not Used:1-Sean Johnson, 2-Eric Miller, 11-Khiry Shelton, 24-Matt Polster, 25-Tony Tchani, 26-Tim Parker
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
USA: 22-David Bingham; 15-Steve Birnbaum, 13-Jermaine Jones, 5-Matt Besler, 14-Kellyn Acosta (21-Brandon Vincent, 46); 9-Gyasi Zardes (18-Jerome Kiesewetter, 61), 4-Michael Bradley (capt.), 10-Mix Diskerud (20-Wil Trapp, 77), 16-Lee Nguyen (6-Darlington Nagbe, 61); 8-Jordan Morris (7-Ethan Finlay, 88), 17-Jozy Altidore (23-Perry Kitchen, 90+2)
Subs Not Used:1-Sean Johnson, 2-Eric Miller, 11-Khiry Shelton, 24-Matt Polster, 25-Tony Tchani, 26-Tim Parker
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
CAN: 1-Maxime Crepeau; 2-Nik Ledgerwood, (5-Doneil Henry, 46), 4-Adam Straith, 6-Julian de Guzman (capt.), 8-Will Johnson, 9-Cyle Larin (3-Samuel Adekugbe, 78), 12-Wandrille Lefevre (10-Kyle Bekker, 46), 15-Steven Vitoria, 16-Kianz Froese (11-Issey Nakajima-Farran, 46), 17-Marcel De Jong (13-Jamar Dixon, 85), 23-Tesho Akindele (7-Iain Hume, 72)
Subs Not Used: 14-Marco Bustos, 18-Tyson Farago, 19-Caleb Clarke, 20-Karl Ouimette, 21-Mallan Roberts, 22-Callum Irving
Head coach: Benito Floro
Subs Not Used: 14-Marco Bustos, 18-Tyson Farago, 19-Caleb Clarke, 20-Karl Ouimette, 21-Mallan Roberts, 22-Callum Irving
Head coach: Benito Floro
Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 17 / 4
Shots on Goal: 8 / 0
Saves: 0 / 7
Corner Kicks: 4 / 4
Fouls: 15 / 14
Offside: 1 / 0
Shots: 17 / 4
Shots on Goal: 8 / 0
Saves: 0 / 7
Corner Kicks: 4 / 4
Fouls: 15 / 14
Offside: 1 / 0