Forward Jozy Altidore – 5: He made a number of good plays in the Honduras box, keeping the ball alive and in one case hitting a shot that Dempsey knocked home on the rebound.
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When asked about Gyasi Zardes’ peformance, he spoke highly of the player stating that: ”He has this special talent to take people on and also with his speed and surprising elements. He has a lot of talent, a lot of potential …
The United States are already through to the knockout round, but will look to find some stability in the lineup (and maybe some others to score goals) against a tough Panama side on Monday in a roaring Sporting Park in Kansas City.
“What we were lacking was width in the first half”, Klinsmann said. “We think if we had more time in this match, a few more minutes, then we could have won the game”.
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. – English), UniMas, Univision Deportes (U.S. – Spanish), Sportsnet World (Canada), BT Sport 2 (U.K.). “I just went outside with the trainer and prepared myself to step on the field and try to make a difference”.
The goal didn’t need so much as a word. Zardes took the ball, almost going out the goal line, and struck a quick pass into the penalty point where Dempsey was waiting. The match saw record attendances for a Gold Cup match at Gillette as ex- Revolution star Clint Dempsey netted the game’s only goal.
“I love being with this group of guys; they’re top players”, Zardes said. “The way I play, the way I position, just everything about my game is matured, especially with moving over and being challenged right away in England”.
Haiti was considered by far the weakest side in Group A, but a late goal in its first match against Panama earned them a draw, and gives the Haitians a legitimate shot at getting out of group.
“Sometimes this happens”, said Johannsson, who, like the rest of the squad’s European- and Mexican-based players, is still finding his feet after being idle since early June.
But when Jurgen Klinsmann overhauled his entire back four for Friday night’s group game, the 27-year-old finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for.
“He will get stronger still”. Klinsmann was not anxious, however, and expects the nation’s best out-and-out striker to come around as the tournament progresses. That included partnering Aron Johannsson with Jozy Altidore.
The teams entered the halftime break with a noticeable disparity, as the U.S. struggled to manage a disorganized midfield and attack, while Haiti came out of the gates flying: running faster, tackling harder, passing better, unlucky not to have found a goal in the process.
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The Americans thought they had gone ahead when Aron Johannson finished off a blazing US counter-attack by sliding the ball into the net, but despite replays appearing to show Johannson onside, the referee ruled he was off when Altidore played him the ball.
