Despite the protestation of players, coaches, media members, and a very loud vocal segment of American soccer supporters Klinsmann never wavered on his policies or positions.
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Mexico stunned the United States 3-2 to qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup here as a spectacular extra-time victor from Paul Aguilar settled a five-goal thriller at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
There were few true standouts for the United States national team on a night when the grades reflect a tough 3-2 CONCACAF Cup loss to Mexico on Saturday night.
Mexico set out to restore itself to the regional throne and beat the USA for the first time since Klinsmann took charge in 2011.
“A loss is always hard to swallow, especially when there’s a lot at stake”, Klinsmann said gravely.
‘So I do my best… and leave the judgement out there for… people who want to express themselves.
But not everyone will be aboard the Klinsmman bandwagon.
“We didn’t win this game tonight because they scored the last goal two minutes before the end”, he said Saturday. U.S. Soccer still seems committed to Klinsmann and given the amount of resources and relative success that he has had that is understandable. But I told the guys [to keep their] heads up, because they gave everything they had there. Good job with that Latin influence, buddy!
FanSided Daily brings you the hottest content on your favorite teams. “I didn’t have too much joy going forward but what can you do?” The marking on the opening U.S. goal was criminal.
American fans are still waiting for that higher level, and while they’ve been waiting, the USA has actually fallen down a notch. Yet, again, late substitute Wood scored a clutch and exhilarating goal to equalize. He could have had Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron be his starters at the Gold Cup, which might have helped the Americans win a tournament that was there for the taking.
Mexico appears to be back on the upswing.
The deciding play began with a Mexico free kick that was blasted further up the pitch by El Tri defender Miguel Layun.
While Peralta continued his off-the-ball run unhindered, Jimenez touched the ball ahead to Peralta undetected on the right side of the penalty area for a two on one in tight quarters.
That was followed by a painful penalty shootout loss to Panama in the playoff match for third place at a tournament where the US had reached the final for the previous five years. El Tri soundly outplayed the USMNT for most of the second half and extra time, and Wood’s equalizer was the only chance of any quality that the Americans created after 45 minutes. From near the sideline, Bradley served a free kick with unsafe trajectory, a dipping effort into the path of the 6-foot-3 Cameron, who shed his marker and powered a short-range header into the net.
The 28-year-old made a streaking run through midfield in the 32nd minute, drifting past two defenders but fluffed his shot wide of the post, before forcing Munoz into a scrambling low save on the stroke of half-time.
The second half saw the States looking wounded at worst and winded at best.
“We didn’t have really a hold of the game”, striker Jozy Altidore said quietly.
Mexico also had a series of chances.
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Visibly exhausted, the US were caught napping early in the additional period, though Guzan denied a try from Peralta in the 93rd minute. But Hernandez’s feet got tangled up in the pass and the golden opportunity amounted to nothing for El Tri. Interim Manager Ricardo Ferretti started Peralta, Raul Jiménez and Chicharito as a narrow, interchangeable forward line, with Jiménez and Chicharito regularly dropping off. This overloaded defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman’s zone, and the 33-year-old Real Salt Lake player is not mobile enough to defuse so many threats.
