The Journey Continues: The USMNT after the World Cup

Mexico Awaits U.S. in Gold Cup Final

HOUSTON, TX - June 22, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team advanced to an unprecedented fourth straight CONCACAF Gold Cup final this evening displaying patience and poise in a 1-0 victory against Panama at Reliant Stadium. The U.S. will face Mexico for the third straight time in the final after the USA’s archrival defeated Honduras in the second semifinal.

In a defensive match against Panama that didn’t see many chances for either side, Clint Dempsey scored his third goal of the 2011 Gold Cup in the 76th minute after a great service from Landon Donovan set him up for a sliding finish from close range at the left post.

“It was a really good team effort, a hard game for sure, but in all ways I thought that the mentality of the group was looking for ways to win,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “The first half I thought in stretches we had a pretty good rhythm with the ball. The second half was harder. Panama did a good job keeping things very tight, and now you have to look for different ways to win the game. Defensively we were solid, and I thought we put a very good play together to score a great goal.”

The game-winning goal started innocuously in the USA’s own defensive end, but quickly turned dangerous after second-half substitute Freddy Adu hit a perfectly placed long ball to Donovan who was making a run down the right flank. Donovan collected the ball near the right corner of the penalty area and with space in front of him dribbled towards goal before hitting a low laser through four Panamanian defenders to Dempsey who directed the ball into the net with his left foot from two yards out.

The 2011 Gold Cup final will take place on Saturday, June 25 at a sold-out Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Kickoff for the match is set for 9 p.m. ET, and the match can be seen live on FOX Soccer and Univision. FOX Soccer will also have a 30-minute pre-game show beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The U.S. and Mexico shard the spoils during the past two Gold Cup finals, with the U.S. taking the 2007 final 2-1 while Mexico pulled away late in 2009 to defeat an inexperienced U.S. squad for a 5-0 victory. The U.S. will be seeking its fifth Gold Cup title and a berth in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

“The games come quickly, there is travel, and we knew coming into it that that’s what it would be like,” Bradley said. “We’re lucky that we have a number of guys that have been through it before, and so we’ve earned our way to the final. For a second we can feel good about that, but now obviously everything will be aimed at being ready for Saturday.”

Bradley went with the same lineup as the quarterfinal match against Jamaica, making only one change up front with Juan Agudelo starting for Jozy Altidore. Altidore pulled his hamstring against Jamaica in the ninth minute of that match, and after an MRI earlier this week was deemed out for the next four to six weeks. The start was Agudelo’s first since the USA’s last match against Panama in group play.

In a first half that saw limited opportunities for either side, the U.S. had the best opportunity with a header by Agudelo rattling the woodwork in the 25th minute. After eluding a couple of defenders along the right sideline, Alejandro Bedoya slipped the ball forward to Steve Cherundolo and he quickly sent in a cross into the penalty area. Agudelo did well to head the ball down toward goal, but after bouncing off the ground it only found the top of the right post.

The only other chances of the half came in the 34th minute when Jermaine Jones hit a volley near the top of the box that went wide right, and then Panama earned a free kick in the final minute along the left edge of the penalty area, but the attempt to sneak one past goalkeeper Tim Howard was well over the bar.

In the second half, there were a few more opportunities for both sides but overall the match remained a defensive and midfield battle. A total of 13 shots were taken between the two teams, and only three on goal with the U.S. doubling Panama’s single attempt. The shutout was the 24th in Howard’s career, tying him for third all-time with Brad Friedel.

Howard’s defensive line was up to the challenge of shutting down a Panamanian attack that scored two goals in their last meeting, doing so with solid positioning and working together to close down any threats in the final third. Panama was also without Blas Perez, who drew the penalty kick in the first meeting against the U.S., after receiving a red card between the end of regulation and the start of extra time against El Salvador in the quarterfinal.

The first dangerous chance for Panama came in the 61st when a cross from the left flank looked like it would fall to a streaking Alberto Quintero, but the forward couldn’t get a foot to the skipping service and it rolled harmlessly through the area.

On the other end, in shades of his goal against Jamaica, Jones unleashed a volley from the top of the penalty area in the 67th minute but this time his attempt went wide.

Three minutes later, Howard earned his shutout with his lone registered save of the night when Armando Cooper got free on the left side of the penalty area and ripped a high drive on target. Howard stretched and got just enough on the shot to ensure it went over the bar.

After taking Panama’s best shot, the U.S. goal started when Adu won a loose ball 40 yards from goal and one-touched it back to Michael Bradley. The U.S. midfielder pushed it out wide right to Bedoya, who provided it back to Adu in the center circle and he delivered a penetrating ball to Donovan.

The goal was Dempsey’s 22nd of his career, placing him in sole possession of fifth place all-time behind Joe-Max Moore (24), Brian McBride (30), Eric Wynalda (34) and Donovan (45).

This was the fourth consecutive Gold Cup where the U.S. has knocked out Panama. The consecutive meetings began in 2005 when the teams played to a scoreless draw in the final, with the U.S. hoisting the trophy after a 3-1 victory in a penalty shootout. Subsequently, the U.S. defeated Panama 2-1 in the quarterfinals of each of the next two tournaments, the U.S. requiring added time for a Kenny Cooper penalty kick to send the U.S. into the semifinals in the 2009 victory.

The U.S. now 4-1-1 against Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and 7-1-2 overall with 20 goals scored and six allowed.

USMNT Advances to the Semis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 19, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team put together its best performance in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup this afternoon with an impressive 2-0 victory against Jamaica at RFK Stadium to advance to the semifinals.

The U.S. dominated the match and created numerous chances, finally breaking through in the second half when Jermaine Jones’ one-timer from the top of the penalty area found the back on the net. After a red card to Jermaine Taylor, the U.S. used their man advantage to put the game away with an attractive passing sequence the led to a well-composed finish from close range by Clint Dempsey.

The victory extended the United States' unbeaten record against Jamaica to 18 matches and was their largest margin of victory in a Gold Cup quarterfinal match since 2005.

The U.S. will face Panama in the semifinals on Wednesday, June 22, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Kickoff for the match is at 6 p.m. CT can be seen live on FOX Soccer and Univision. FOX Soccer will also have a 30-minute pre-game show beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT.

In the other quarterfinals played on Saturday, Mexico defeated Guatemala 2-1 while Honduras got past Costa Rica on penalty kicks. Mexico and Honduras will face off in the other semifinal match of the evening, kicking off at 9 p.m. CT.

"I thought we played a good game today. From the start we were able to do a good job establishing control, passing the ball and keeping the ball,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “It took a while to get the goal and the second goal, but certainly as far as establishing our game today I thought we did an excellent job.”

Dempsey and Landon Donovan both returned to the team early this morning after being excused from camp earlier in the week to attend their sisters’ weddings on Saturday. After evaluating all factors, the coaching staff decided to have Dempsey start and put Donovan on the reserve list. It was a rare occurrence for the all-time leading scorer to be used off the bench, and he entered in the 66th minute to make his first appearance as a substitute since the 2007 Gold Cup against Trinidad & Tobago.

While replacing Donovan, the coaching staff also changed up the formation, opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation with Jozy Altidore up top as the lone forward. Alejandro Bedoya and Sacha Kljestan made their first starts in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, with Bedoya playing on the wing normally patrolled by Donovan and Kljestan sliding into the center.

While the U.S. dominated the majority of the match, Jamaica provided an early scare with a fantastic opportunity after a U.S turnover near midfield in the fourth minute. Dane Richards dribbled up the right side and cut into the penalty area before sliding the ball back to Rodolph Austin who mishit his shot but the ball managed to skip through the U.S. defense to Ryan Johnson unmarked at the left post. Howard came up with an impressive save on Johnson’s point blank shot, and the U.S. was fortunate that Luton Shelton skied the rebound from nine yards out while staring at a wide-open net.

Four minutes later, the U.S. was dealt a blow when Jozy Altidore pulled up holding his left hamstring after running down a long ball. The forward tried to walk it off, but shortly gestured to the U.S. bench that he needed to be substituted and Juan Agudelo was brought in a few minutes later after a quick warm-up on the sideline.

Dempsey once again was active in the attack and tested Jamaica goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts for the full 90 minutes. In the 13th minute, Bedoya did well to head a cross back to Dempsey near the top of the penalty area and he hit a sliding volley hard on target, but Ricketts was able to push the attempt over the bar.

A minute later, Dempsey did well to keep a ball in play inside the penalty area and then put in a dangerous ball across the goalmouth, but no one was able to get a foot to direct it on goal.

Dempsey continued his barrage against the Reggae Boyz with a free kick in the 36th minute, hitting a swerving shot near the top of the goal but again Ricketts was up to the challenge with a right-handed save to parry it over the crossbar.

On their heels for the previous 30 minutes, Jamaica did well to build a counterattack after a U.S. corner kick. Richards ran onto to a pass into the left side of the penalty area and cut back against his defender to take a shot from a tough angle, but Howard was barely tested at the near post.

After the Jamaica attack, the U.S. once again took control and produced five more shots in the final six minutes of the half. In the 39th minute, Kljestan hit a strike from 24 yards out that forced Ricketts into a save, and then a minute later Dempsey tried an ambitious bicycle kick from 12 yards out off a corner kick that went just wide. Bedoya found himself in the same location as Dempsey shortly after but his snap header off a Klejstan cross went wide left as well.

Agudelo was active all game despite coming on unexpectedly for the injured Altidore and almost put the U.S. up in the 42nd minute. With three defenders shadowing him, Agudelo did well to create some space to hit a drive from top of the 18 that Ricketts had to stretch out to keep the ball from finding the net. The rebound fell to the left for Jones, but he couldn’t get a solid strike on the ball from a tough angle.

With a minute left in the half, Michael Bradley slipped a ball into the penalty area for Eric Lichaj, but the young defender’s one-timer was swallowed up by Ricketts.

The U.S. came out with the same attacking mentality in the second half, and finally got past Ricketts with a little help in the 49th minute. Lichaj hit a cross into the penalty area that was headed out by Jermaine Taylor, falling to Jones near the top of the penalty area. Jones struck the ball first time through traffic where Taylor stuck out a foot to block the shot, but instead deflected it to the left side of the goal leaving Ricketts helpless as he dove the other way. The goal was the first of Jones’ career with the U.S. in nine appearances.

Later in the half after a throw-in deep on the right sideline, Cherundolo served in a ball that skipped through to Dempsey at the far post. Dempsey’s dove to get his head to the cross from five yards out but again Ricketts was able to thwart the chance by quickly shifting to his right to make an impressive save with his chest.

Behind the stellar performance by Ricketts, Jamaica was able to hold on to the hope that they could get back in the match but that all changed in the 67th minute when Taylor was sent off for denying Jones a goalscoring opportunity. A pass by Dempsey ricocheted off two Jamaican defenders and fell to Jones in the center circle where he took a good initial touch to get past Taylor with a clear path to goal. Trailing Jones, Taylor slid and tripped up the midfielder about 40 yards from goal.

In the 79th minute, Kljestan won a loose ball, dribbled forward toward the midfield stripe and provided a perfect through ball for Donovan who got behind the final defender. Donovan took a touch but Ricketts came out of the box to cut off his angle, forcing Donovan to drop the ball back to Dempsey. Instead of taking a shot from distance, Dempsey played it back to Donovan who was called offside as Ricketts was in advance of the ball but a Jamaican defender was covering the goal line.

A minute later, Dempsey finally broke through with his second goal of the 2011 Gold Cup to solidify the win for the United States. The U.S. won the ball and quickly got it to Agudelo, who dribbled up the right side and played a beautiful give-and-go with Donovan to break down the three Jamaica defenders that were tracking back. Agudelo slipped the ball across the penalty area for Dempsey who cleverly took a composed touch to his left to avoid the onrushing Ricketts, then calmly tapped the ball into the open net.

Dempsey’s goal was the 21st of his career, putting him tied with 2011 National Soccer Hall of Fame Inductee Bruce Murray for the fifth-most goals scored in U.S. history. Dempsey has scored four career Gold Cup goals, including two in the 2011 Gold Cup.

Search for Gold Continues for U.S. Men

KANSAS CITY, KS - June 14, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup this evening with a dominating 1-0 victory against Guadeloupe at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in their third and final Group C match.

The U.S. controlled the entire match against Guadeloupe and created 21 shots but Jozy Altidore’s impressive strike from distance in the ninth minute was their only goal on the night.

The U.S. will face Jamaica in the quarterfinals at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 19 at 3 p.m. ET. The match can be seen live on FOX Soccer and Univision. FOX Soccer will also have a 30-minute pre-game show beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

“Overall, it was a good performance,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “It’s certainly a game at the end where we still feel we should have finished the game earlier. We had good chances to get the second goal. There were a lot of positives, and now we get ready to move forward.

“Our goal has always been to get to the final. We understand from experience what it means in group play. You have to deal with each game and find a way to advance. I think there are things there that bring the group together, and now we get ready for the knockout phase and approach it one game at a time.”

With Canada and Panama drawing 1-1 earlier in the evening, the U.S. could only finish as high as second, making this the first time ever they didn’t win their group in Gold Cup history.

In their first-ever match against Guadeloupe, Bradley made two changes to the starting lineup from the first two group games. Eric Lichaj earned his first Gold Cup appearance in place of Tim Ream, and Chris Wondolowski replaced Juan Agudelo up front. With the changes, Carlos Bocanegra moved inside to play in the center of the defense alongside Clarence Goodson.

Despite the dominating performance, it was Guadeloupe that had the first dangerous opportunity off a corner kick in the third minute. A near post service wasn’t cleared by a number of capable U.S. players, allowing the ball to skip towards the back post. Goalkeeper Tim Howard only got a slight touch to it and Landon Donovan’s clearance hit Clint Dempsey before Stephane Zubar pounced on the loose ball but his strike from 12 yards out struck the crossbar.

After that initial scare, the U.S. began their overwhelming dominance but were continually thwarted either due to poor finishing or remarkable saves by Guadeloupe goalkeeper Franck Grandel.

Clint Dempsey was active all evening and created numerous chances on goal, but wasn’t able to find the back of the net. He provided the USA’s first chance of the night in the sixth minute when he unleashed a free kick from 28 yards out, but Grandel was able to make the diving save.

While Grandel would come up with a number of saves during the rest of the half, he had no chance on Altidore’s goal, the 12th of his national team career. After a poor clearance by Guadeloupe, the U.S. put together a string of 13 consecutive passes inside their attacking half before Bradley found Altidore to his right. The forward dribbled to create some space before unleashing a 25-yard blast into upper right corner.

Jermaine Jones initiated the next goal-scoring opportunity in the 24th minute when he hit a driven ball from just inside the center circle to the far right corner for Steve Cherundolo. After a settling touch near the endline, Cherundolo sent in a perfectly-placed cross to wide-open Dempsey at the six-yard box, but the midfielder’s header went agonizingly wide left.

The U.S. continued the onslaught and Dempsey hit a well-struck shot from outside the penalty area in the 31st, but Grandel once again made the save.

Ten minutes later, even when Grandel made a gaffe with a poor pass off a free kick that allowed the U.S. to create a quick attack, he was able to make up for it with two fantastic saves. Off the turnover, Altidore slipped Wondolowski into the penalty area with a great through ball, but Grandel denied the San Jose striker with a foot save. The ball stayed in play and Wondolowski ended up with another chance, but his left-footed strike from 12 yards was gobbled up by Grandel with a low dive to his right.

The U.S. continued to have the better of the play in the second half and during a six-minute span had three chances just miss. The first came in the 54th minute when Jones served a long ball from midfield into the penalty area and Altidore showed his strength by holding off two defenders to get off a shot, but his attempt was deflected out for a corner. Donovan had his best chance of the game three minutes later on a nice passing sequence with Dempsey and Jones, but his final touch from six yards out missed the target. A couple minutes later, Dempsey’s 30-yard free kick was on target but hit the top of the cross bar.

Dempsey looked assured to score in the 76th minute when Bedoya’s square pass in front of the net provided him with a wide-open goal him six yards out, but he took a settling touch and before he could tap it home, Julien Ictoi raced back and cleared it off his foot.

Dempsey had one final chance to get his deserved goal on the night in the 92nd minute, but his spinning shot inside the penalty area went wide right.

The quarterfinals begin on Saturday, June 18 with two matches at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In the first match, Costa Rica will face Honduras, followed by Mexico and Guatemala. Following the U.S. match on Sunday at RFK, Panama will take on El Salvador.

U.S. Falls to Panama in Disappointing Showing

DETROIT, MI - June 7, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team opened the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a well-earned 2-0 victory against Canada at Ford Field in Detroit on Tuesday night.

Goals from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey paced the U.S. while goalkeeper Tim Howard made several superb saves in the second half to earn his 21st career shutout. Seven players – including Altidore – made their first appearance in the Gold Cup for the U.S., who ascended to the top of Group C with the win. Panama sits in second place following a 3-2 victory against 10-man Guadeloupe in the evening’s first match.

The U.S. has now won its opening match in all 11 Gold Cups, outscoring opponents by a 27-5 margin and posting seven shutouts, and improved their unbeaten record in Gold Cup group play to 24-0-2 all time.

“I think it’s a good start. From the moment the group was put together and the first game was Canada, we expected a tough match because this is a good Canadian team,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “When you get into a tournament you need to keep growing. There are some good staring points and things for us to build on.”

The U.S. continues its quest for a fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup title at 8 p.m. ET on June 11 against Panama at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Tickets for the game are available at CONCACAF.com, and the match can be seen live on Fox Soccer and TeleFutura. Fox Soccer will also have a 30-minute pre-game show beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Starters Juan Agudelo, Altidore, Tim Ream and Jermaine Jones were all making their first appearance in the regional championship. The USA’s three subs also made their first appearance in the competition, with Chris Wondolowski, Sacha Kljestan and Maurice Edu earning time on the field.

The U.S. had not faced its neighbor to the north since the semifinals of this competition four years ago and Canada made no secret of its desire to exact some revenge for a close 2-1 defeat at Soldier Field in 2007.

But the U.S. started faster, with Altidore earning a free kick on the edge of the area in the third minute. Demspey stepped up to take the shot but his curling effort was deflected by the Canada wall. On the ensuing corner, Dempsey’s shot was blocked again, with Michael Bradley’s follow up from eight yards scrambled clear by Canada’s defense.

In the eighth minute the U.S. fashioned another chance, this time with a ball over the top for Agudelo. After controlling the ball on his thigh, the young forward won the USA’s third corner, leading to a Clarence Goodson attempt and more hesitant defending from the Canadians.

U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra nearly broke the deadlock in the 11th minute but couldn’t find the net from six yards out. The chance came on another corner from Donovan, who found Bradley open at the far post. The midfielder sent a dangerous ball back across the six yard box where Bocanegra poked the ball just wide with his left foot.

The opening minutes belonged to the U.S. and in the 15th minute Bradley’s team broke through with a flowing move that spread the length of the field. Ream won the ball and released Bradley near the edge of the USA penalty area. Bradley carried the ball with purpose before finding Donovan streaking into Canada’s half with plenty of space on the right wing. Donovan’s well weighted pass found Altidore and the forward did the rest, taking one touch before firing a shot to the near post that had too much venom for Canada goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld. It was goal number 11 for Altidore and assist number 46 for Donovan in their respective national team careers.

The goal was well-deserved and the U.S. continued its first half pressure. Bradley was particularly effective carrying the ball from the midfield and working passing combinations with Dempsey, Altidore and Agudelo. On the right-hand side, the tried and tested combination of Donovan and right back Steve Cherundolo caused all kinds of problems for Canada.

Canada’s danger man Dwayne DeRosario struggled to impact the game but nearly leveled the score in the 33rd minute. Teed up by Atiba Hutchinson, the New York Red Bull midfielder made a bit of space for himself 30 yards from goal before curling a right-footed effort just wide of an outstretched Howard at the far post.

Defensively the partnership of Ream and Goodson did well to clean up any pressure from Canada, with Howard, Bocanegra and Cherundolo providing veteran guidance to the relatively inexperienced center back pairing.

After the halftime break it was Canada on the front foot, and in the 51st minute Simeon Jackson nearly capped a mazy run with a goal. The Norwich City forward did well to skip by Ream, but the U.S. defender recovered superbly to block the shot before Bocanegra cleared the ensuing cross.

At the other end the U.S. came to life with Donovan and Cherundolo replicating their success in the first half. A one-two freed Cherundolo on the wing before his cross to the far post was nearly turned in by Dempsey’s outrageous “scorpion kick” effort. Diving at the left post, Dempsey reached back for the deflected pass with his right leg, getting a foot to it to direct it on frame but a Canadian defender was there to block the attempt.

The U.S. would double its lead with a similar move in the 62nd minute, exploiting open space on the left side of Canada’s defense. Off a Howard goal kick, Donovan collected the ball from a flick on by Altidore before feeding the forward overlapping down the right.

Altidore’s well placed ball was touched ever so slightly by Agudelo at the near post before Dempsey arrived late at the far post, where his sliding finish was a combination of perfect timing and pinpoint accuracy. The goal marked Dempsey’s third career strike in the tournament, having now scored in the 2005, 2007 and 2011 Gold Cups.

After the goal the U.S. maintained possession well, but there were late heroics from Howard to ensure the win. Substitute Ali Gerba must have thought he scored when he unleashed a ferocious shot from the corner of the USA’s box, but Howard flew to his right to push the ball away when it seemed destined for the net.

Late in the game a long throw from Canada was flicked on at the near post, before Howard dove at the feet of Jackson and then scrambled to deny Simpson. The ball was only half cleared and when it was lofted back to Gerba, Howard sprang to his right to again deny the effort by the Canada substitute.

CHICAGO, IL - May 23, 2011 - U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named the 23-man roster that will seek to capture the team’s fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup title at the 2011 edition of the tournament that takes place from June 5-25 in 13 venues across the United States.

The USA will begin Group C play on June 7 against Canada at Ford Field in Detroit at 8 p.m. ET. Group play continues June 11 against Panama at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., with kickoff slated for 8 p.m. ET. The group stage will end for the U.S. on June 14 against Guadeloupe at 8 p.m. CT at the newly christened LIVESTRONG Park in Kansas City, Kan. The broadcast schedule is expected to be announced in the near future.

The U.S. will use the same roster to take on 2010 FIFA World Cup champion Spain on June 4 in Foxborough, Mass. Kickoff against the current No.1-ranked team in the world is set for 4:30 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN and Univision. Fans can follow all of the USA’s action this summer live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

The team will begin gathering for training May 26 in Cary, N.C. Players who are still involved in league competition will join camp following their weekend matches.

“We have said since the start of the new cycle that winning the Gold Cup this year is a top priority, and that was our focus as we built this roster,” said Bradley. “We have a very experienced group, and we know that in a tournament like this all 23 players will need to contribute in order for us to be successful.”

Sixteen players on the roster are plying their trade overseas. Tim Howard backstops the U.S. defense, carrying 58 caps and 20 career shutouts into this summer. He earned Man of the Match honors in the USA’s 2-0 win against Spain in the semifinal of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, ending their 35-match unbeaten run. In central defense, Clarence Goodson joins Bocanegra and Onyewu, the Brondy-based defender appearing in his second Gold Cup after scoring the game-winner in the 2009 semifinal against Honduras. Steve Cherundolo makes his debut for the U.S. in 2011, having captained Hannover to a fourth-place finish in the Bundesliga and a place in the Europa League. Tim Ream is the only MLS-based defender on the roster, the 2010 Rookie of the Year finalist bringing three national team appearances into his first confederation championship.

Along with Dempsey and Donovan in the midfield, veterans Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu are joined by Jermaine Jones, who is making his debut in an international tournament for the United States. Benny Feilhaber was the hero of the 2007 Gold Cup final, his stunning volley lifting the U.S. to a 2-1 victory against Mexico that earned the U.S. a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. Both Robbie Rogers and Sacha Kljestan were on the USA’s 30-man preliminary roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while Freddy Adu has been included in the full team for the first since the 2009 Gold Cup.

Jozy Altidore leads the attacking contingent and will be participating in his first Gold Cup. Into double digits in scoring for the United States, he tallied the game-winner in the Confederations Cup semifinal against Spain. Juan Agudelo was the first U.S. Soccer Development Academy alumnus to play for the full team and has two goals in four appearances. Chris Wondolowski, the 2010 MLS Golden Boot winner, currently ranks third on the MLS scoring charts with five goals in 10 matches.

Three players enter the tournament having collected honors with their clubs. Dempsey finished a fantastic season at Fulham where he set both the single-season record for an American scoring in the English Premier League (12 goals) and set the club mark for career goals in the EPL (33). Edu helped Rangers complete the domestic double, capturing their third-straight Scottish Premier League crown as well as the Scottish FA Cup. Onyewu, on loan to FC Twente, was part of the team that won the Dutch FA Cup.

The United States has won four Gold Cup championships since the tournament began in 1991, including three of the last five, and has reached the final of the last three editions of the event. Incredibly, the U.S. has never lost a match in group play, holding a 23-0-2 lifetime record. Overall, the U.S. has a 38-5-6 record in Gold Cup action.

The winner of the 2011 Gold Cup will represent CONCACAF at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. In 2007, the U.S. parlayed a 2-1 victory against Mexico in the Gold Cup final into an historic performance at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, reaching its first ever final of a major FIFA tournament after defeating No.-1 ranked and eventual World Cup Champion Spain in the semifinal.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Eric Lichaj (Leeds), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Freddy Adu (Rizespor), Michael Bradley (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (3): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

NASHVILLE, TN - March 29, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team fell to Paraguay 1-0 on Tuesday night in front of a record crowd of 29,059 at LP Field in Nashville.

The U.S. gave up the game-winning goal in the 18h minute, but outplayed Paraguay for a majority of the match, especially in the second half where the U.S. had seven shots while only allowing one. Twice it appeared the U.S. would earn their second straight come-from-behind draw with late chances, but Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar made two spectacular saves to keep the U.S. off the score sheet. With the loss, the U.S. record against Paraguay now stands at 2-2-2.

"Overall, I think the team had some good periods in terms of moving the ball and having ideas but we gave up a bad goal on a set piece, both in terms of responsibility and dealing with the play,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “Paraguay is a strong team defensively and they close down fast but we hurt ourselves because when we got into good positions we didn't come away with many good chances. Part of it is a credit to Paraguay's defending, but those would be the areas that let us down and we ended up with a tough 1-0 loss.”

A record crowd in the State of Tennessee witnessed the USA take the field in their new Nike red jerseys with the motto “Indivisible” worn on the sleeve, which the team wore for the second game in a row. The boisterous fans braved rain throughout the match to create another outstanding atmosphere at LP Field. The largest crowd for a soccer game in the Volunteer State comes off the back of Saturday’s record-breaking crowd in the USA’s 1-1 draw with Argentina, when 78,936 fans came to New Meadowlands Stadium.

Bradley made four changes from the lineup that tied Argentina. Timmy Chandler, who turned 21 years old today, made his first start for the national team and again showed a strong ability to get up and down on the right flank while also providing dangerous crosses into the penalty area. It was also the first start in four career appearances for young forward Juan Agudelo, who played 90 minutes on the forward line for the USA.

Paraguay created the first opportunity in the fourth minute when a quick counter put Marcelo Estigarribia free down the left flank. The midfielder was able to send a cross into the penalty area where the South Americans had numbers, but Hernan Perez’ ladder-climbing header over the back of Jonathan Bornstein went wide right.

In the 18th minute the visitors took the lead after Oscar Cardozo latched on to a loose ball in the area. Hernan Perez whipped an inswinging corner into the box and when the ball popped loose from a deflection, Cardozo reacted quickest to smash the ball past a helpless Hahnemann from close range.

The USA immediately went in search of the equalizer and put together a nice move just two minutes later. Landon Donovan, wearing the captain’s armband for the USA, pushed the ball wide to an eagerly arriving Chandler. The right back’s cross found Clint Dempsey near the penalty spot, but the Texan’s header floated over the goal.

Six minutes later, Dempsey, who was named the Budweiser Man of the Match, took another attempt on goal, this time from long range as he tried to surprise Villar. The Fulham standout hit a looping volley from 35 yards out that gave Villar pause but the ‘keeper was able to come up with the save.

The USA was forced into an early change just before the break when defender Jay DeMerit was taken out in the 41st minute with a strained right groin. The gritty defender’s last action of the game was to head a Donovan free kick just over the goal from eight yards out before being replaced by Carlos Bocanegra.

At the other end Hahnemann did well near the end of the first half to keep the U.S. only a goal down, making back-to-back saves from long-distance. After a turnover in the USA’s half, Perez unleashed a low drive from 25 yards that skipped off the wet turf, forcing Hahnemann to keep the ball out with his chest. The rebound fell to Enrique Vera who tried his own luck from an even greater distance. Hahnemann, making his first start for the USA since Oct. 17, 2007, dove well and saved to his right.

It proved to be Hahnemann’s last action in the net and after halftime Bradley made two more changes. Replacing Hahnemann in the net was David Yelldell. The German-American became the 60th player to be given his debut by Bradley. Jermaine Jones also entered the action with Maurice Edu making way.

The USA was the brighter of the two sides in the second half, and two minutes after the break had a shout for a penalty turned down by referee Jose Benigno. Jones fed Agudelo with the 18-year old forward skipping into the box. There looked to be contact on the U.S. player who went down near the top of the area, but the Honduran official was unmoved.

Moments later Villar had to be at his most alert, reacting to deflected ball after a give-and-go between Jozy Altidore and Agudelo. The ball was broken up by a defender and looked to be looping into the goal before Villar scampered back to pull the ball back off the line.

The U.S. was earning most of the possession but struggling to test Villar in the net. Chandler, who moved forward to the right wing after Eric Lichaj’s introduction, found Dempsey in the area after a nice move. The U.S. number eight was in a great position but couldn’t redirect his shot on target from 10 yards out.

Likewise Donovan was unable to put his shot on frame in the 75th minute. A long throw from Lichaj skipped through the defenders to Donovan at the far post, but his left-footed volley from close range flew clanged off the outside of the post and into the side netting.

With the U.S. dominating most of the possession, their opponents demonstrated their danger on the attack as well. In the 78th minute Marcelo Estigarribia smashed a left-footed drive past Yelldell and off the post from 30 yards out.

The USA was searching frantically for the tying goal and it almost came if not for a world-class piece of goalkeeping from Villar. Michael Bradley created the best chance of the night when he found a bit of space in the 86th minute. His thumping drive went flying towards the goal from 25 yards out, but Villar sprung across the goal to make an excellent one-handed save on the ball that looked destined for the top corner.

Pushing forward for one final chance, the U.S. earned another corner kick that fell to Jones at the edge of the area. The center midfielder fired a shot through traffic but Villar reacted superbly to push the ball away, with the final whistle coming shortly thereafter.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - March 26, 2011 - The U.S. Men’s National Team came from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw with Argentina in front of a record crowd of 78,936 fans at New Meadowlands Stadium on Saturday. Forward Juan Agudelo’s second-half strike from close range and goalkeeper Tim Howard’s Budweiser Man of the Match performance secured the result for the United States, whose record against Argentina now stands at 2-6-2.

The U.S. now heads to Nashville to face 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinalists Paraguay on March 29 at LP Field. Fox Soccer Channel and Telefutura will broadcast the match live at 7 p.m. CT, and fans can follow the match at ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

"Whenever we get the opportunity to play against these great teams there are a lot of challenges, and there are things that now we can set our sights on," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "Argentina was very good with the ball in the first half and found a great rhythm that made it difficult on us, and the goal before halftime changed the thinking. I was very pleased with response from the team in the second half. To come away with a good result against a very good team there are some things to talk about, some things that need to be improved but also some positives."

The U.S. team debuted the brand new red Nike uniform with the motto “Indivisible” displayed on the sleeve. The motto was chosen from more than 6,000 entries submitted by fans by tweeting #RedAllOver during a five-day span leading up to the match.

Seven players in the U.S. lineup were part of the team that drew with Argentina on June 4, 2008, at the former Giants Stadium in East Rutherford including New Jersey native Howard who made five saves in another world-class performance against La Albiceleste.

The U.S. earned the first opportunity of the match in the fourth minute when Clint Dempsey was able to pick of an errant pass on the left wing. He held off defender Nicolas Burdisso before firing a left-footed shot that forced Argentina goalkeeper Mariano Andujar into an early save.

FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi was Argentina’s main threat and the Barcelona forward was devastatingly effective for moments in the first half. In the 12th minute he elicited a save from Tim Howard – one of four in the first half – and later worked a silky give-and-go with Ezequiel Lavezzi before sending the ball just wide of the left post.

Dempsey was providing most of the danger for the USA and in the 37th minute he brought another save out of Andujar. Midfielder Jermaine Jones, who made his third start for the national team, started the move with Landon Donovan, who then found Dempsey streaking into the area. The Texas native cut back on his left foot but could not curl his left-footed effort past the Argentina goalkeeper.

Howard was at his best again in the 39th minute, stopping Messi after a 50-yard dribbling run that stretched from the center circle into the penalty area. The Argentina number 10 could only be held at bay for so long and eventually created his team’s goal just before the interval.

Messi evaded U.S. defenders in the 42nd minute while dribbling into the penalty area before threading the ball back to Angel Di Maria. Howard made the initial kick save from five yards out, but the U.S. goalkeeper was left helpless as Esteban Cambiasso roofed the rebound from seven yards out to send Argentina into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

Bradley made two subs to start the second half, bringing on Agudelo for Jones and Timmy Chandler for Jonathan Spector. The appearance was the first cap for Chandler, who became the 59th player to earn his first cap under Bradley.

Howard was also the Budweiser Man of the Match the last time these two teams met in 2008 and he had to be alert for the USA early in the second half. In the 47th minute Di Maria cut the ball back to an onrushing Messi, but Howard sprung off his line to smother the shot and make a vital save. In the 58th minute Howard stood strong again, stopping Lavezzi’s effort from a tight angle.

At the other end the USA was starting to come to life, and debutant Chandler helped set up the first U.S. chance of the second half. The marauding right back sent a weighted ball just inside the penalty area for Altidore, who headed the ball back to midfielder Maurice Edu at the top of the area. Edu skewed his effort wide, but the move was a sign of things to come at the offensive end for the USA.

With the foul count increasing in the second half, the USA’s proficiency from set pieces was always going to be important and indeed they found the equalizer from a dead ball situation. Donovan curled a free kick in from the right where Carlos Bocanegra rose highest to head the ball on frame. Andujar made the initial save, but Agudelo was there to clean up the rebound for his second goal in just his third cap. The young forward has two goals in 106 total minutes for the United States.

Both teams pushed forward to grab the winner, much to the delight of the crowd. After a nice attacking move Dempsey had a shot taken off his left foot as he tried to cut toward goal, and on the defensive end Jay DeMerit atoned for a bad giveaway by providing a goal-saving tackle on Di Maria.

Goalscorer Agudelo went close with a header in the 73rd minute, with Chandler teeing up another inviting cross for the teenager while Bocanegra just misconnected with a dangerous Donovan corner to the near post after 83 minutes.

Fittingly, Messi had the last good chance of the game. In the 87th minute he controlled a ball in his stride while barreling into the USA’s area. Oguchi Onyewu and Bradley did well to force the Argentina winger wide, and in the end he could only lift his left-footed shot over the goal.

The final whistle called time on a second-consecutive tie for the USA and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J. This match was equally bruising as the encounter in 2008 with 21 fouls, and just as thrilling, with 20 total shots. The enthusiastic crowd of 78,396 is the largest crowd ever to watch a soccer game at New Meadowlands Stadium.

CARY, NC - March 20, 2011 – Injuries have forced Steve Cherundolo, Stuart Holden and Zak Whitbread to withdraw from the U.S. Men’s National Team training camp that begins today in Cary, N.C. U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has added defender Eric Lichaj to the roster, bringing the number of players to 22 total that will prepare for the Argentina and Paraguay friendlies.

Both Cherundolo (groin) and Whitbread (back) have been nursing injuries and will use the international break to recuperate. Holden received a gash near his left knee that required 26 stitches after a horrific challenge by Jonny Evans in Bolton’s 1-0 loss to Manchester United yesterday. An X-ray revealed no broken bones, and Holden will be evaluated further today.

The U.S. is training in Cary, N.C., for four days before traveling to East Rutherford, N.J., on Thursday, March 24 to prepare for their match against two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Argentina on Saturday, March 26 at New Meadowlands Stadium. Kickoff against the No. 4-ranked Argentines is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision.

When the U.S. plays Argentina, the team will be wearing a new national team kit inspired by the supporters who have grown in numbers throughout the last three decades. U.S. Soccer and Nike launched a campaign providing fans with the opportunity to write a new motto for the U.S. Men’s National Team that will be featured on the team’s new uniform.

Fans can submit their motto on Twitter from now until March 23 using #redallover. The most inspirational motto will debut on the team’s jersey against Argentina.

More than 55,000 tickets have been sold for the match against Argentina, and more than 16,000 have been sold for the Paraguay match. Ticket information is available at ussoccer.com.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tim Howard (Everton), David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Timothy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps), Eric Lichaj (Leeds), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Mikkel Diskeruud (Stabaek), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

FORWARDS (3): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt)

CHICAGO, IL - March 16, 2011 - U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a roster of 24 players that will train in Cary, N.C., ahead of a pair of international friendlies against Argentina and Paraguay.

The U.S. will first face two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Argentina on March 26 at New Meadowlands Stadium. Kickoff against the No. 4-ranked Argentines is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision. Three days later, the U.S. will face 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinalists Paraguay at LP Field in Nashville, with Fox Soccer Channel and Telefutura broadcasting that game live at 7 p.m. CT. Fans can follow both matches at ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer.

The group will begin gathering March 20 in North Carolina for training, and a travel roster will be chosen to head to New Jersey on March 24, where more than 52,000 tickets have been sold for the high profile friendly against Argentina. Following that match, a roster will be announced for the game in Nashville.

"This is an important opportunity to get our core group together along with some relatively newer faces as we consider the roster decisions for the Gold Cup this summer," said Bradley. "We have not had these players together for quite some time, so this is a great chance to get in a solid week of training and then face two quality opponents in Argentina and Paraguay."

The U.S. will be playing its first match on an international fixture date since last November. These two matches are the final games before the team gathers to prepare for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. will be seeking its fifth Gold Cup title, and a berth in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

New Jersey native Tim Howard enters camp with 27 career shutouts in 57 career appearances for the national team. He is one of six players on the roster that played all 390 minutes at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, along with midfielders Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley, and defenders Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit and team captain Carlos Bocanegra. Donovan, who last appeared for the U.S. on Aug. 10 against Brazil at New Meadowlands Stadium, added all-time leading goalscorer for the U.S. in the World Cup to his long list of accomplishments.

Six players, including Howard and Bradley, will be traveling from England for the camp. Clint Dempsey became the second U.S. player to score in multiple World Cups with his strike against England this summer, and has nine Premier League goals for Fulham this season. Blackburn Rovers-based midfielder Jermaine Jones returns to the U.S. fold after making his first two appearances for the U.S. last October.

The New York Red Bulls are the only team to send two players to the training camp, the young duo of Juan Agudelo and Tim Ream joining Donovan and DeMerit in representing Major League Soccer.

Two players are still competing with their clubs in the UEFA Europa League. Maurice Edu and Glasgow Rangers took a 0-0 draw away from PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Round of 16 series, while Oguchi Onyewu’s side FC Twente hold a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg of their series against Zenit St. Petersburg.

The German-based duo of FC Nürnberg defender Timothy Chandler and MSV Duisburg goalkeeper David Yelldell are receiving their first invitation to any U.S. national team. Zak Whitbread represented the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003, starting every match and scoring against Germany. Appearing in one match in Olympic qualifying in 2004, he is making his first appearance with the full team.

The U.S. has played Argentina nine times in their history, holding a lifetime record of 2-6-1 against the South American giants. The teams most recently met in 2008 at Giants Stadium, where they fought to a thrilling 0-0 draw in front of 78,682 rain-soaked fans. The two U.S. victories include a 3-0 upset of the defending champions in the group phase of the 1995 Copa America and a 1-0 win in 1999 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., when a Joe-Max Moore goal was the difference. The U.S. is making its second appearance at New Meadowlands Stadium, having played five-time FIFA World Cup Champion Brazil on Aug. 10, 2010, before 77,223 fans in the first match following the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The U.S. holds a 2-1-2 lifetime record against Paraguay, posting three shutouts. In addition to a 3-0 victory in the 1930 World Cup (July 17 in Montevideo, Uruguay), the USA collected a 2-0 win on July 6, 2003, in Columbus, Ohio. The teams last met at the 2007 Copa America in Venezuela, where a young U.S. team fell 3-1 to the Paraguayans in Barinas after entering halftime with an even scoreline. The U.S. will be making their third appearance in Nashville. LP Field hosted a final round World Cup qualifier on April 1, 2009, when Jozy Altidore became the youngest player in U.S. history to record a hat trick, pacing the U.S. to a 3-0 victory against Trinidad &Tobago.

The United States will seek its fifth confederation championship title when they join Group C of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup along with Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe. The U.S. will first take on Canada on June 7 at 8 p.m. ET at Ford Field in Detroit. The team then travels south to face Panama on June 11 at 8 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., before rounding out group play against Guadeloupe on June 14 at the brand new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, with kickoff slated for 8 p.m. CT.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tim Howard (Everton), David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg)

DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Timothy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United), Zak Whitbread (Norwich City)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Michael Bradley (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Mikkel Diskeruud (Stabaek), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

FORWARDS (3): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt)

CARSON, CA - January 22, 2011 - In the 74th minute of Saturday’s friendly between the U.S. Men’s National Team and the Chilean National Team, forward Teal Bunbury bounced the ball off the bottom right goalpost and into the back of the net. This penalty kick, awarded for a Chilean defender’s botched tackle of midfielder Juan Agudelo, led to the game’s final score of 1-1.

The first goal of the match came in the 53rd minute. U.S. central defender Marvell Wynne overcommitted allowing Chile’s Fernando Meneses to cross the ball into Esteban Paredes. Paredes then scissor kicked the ball into the bottom left corner of Sean Johnson’s net.

Paredes post-goal celebration was decidedly more typical than the synchronized dance Agudelo and Bunbury, each in their second appearance for the national team, performed after the U.S. goal.

Young, inexperienced players like this were typical of the lineup which USMNT head coach Bob Bradley decided upon for Saturday night’s match. The average age of the squad was just over 23 and there were only 26 national team appearances amongst the players.

Bradley used the match to assess his young players, 18 of the 23 from MLS, after a three week training camp.
The Chilean team was an ideal opponent for this purpose. Both the U.S. and Chile were playing their first game of 2011 after losing their first knockout matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In the 64th minute, U.S. midfielder Alejandro Bedoya had a breakaway and managed to get the ball past Chile’s goalkeeper. However, the keeper slowed the ball enough that Bedoya’s momentum carried him past it, giving a Chilean defender an opportunity to clear the ball.

In the 80th minute, it looked as though Paredes had headed in another goal, but the lineman declared him offside, preserving the tie.

Saturday’s draw means that in nine meetings between the US and Chile, Chile has won four matches, the U.S. three and two have been ties.

CHICAGO, IL - October 9, 2010 - Two leads were not enough for the U.S. Men’s National Team as they drew Poland 2-2 Saturday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.

“I thought we had a very good first fifteen minutes,” USMNT head coach Bob Bradley said. “When we went up 2-1 I thought we had an opportunity to really to pick the rhythm of the game up. When we had the chance to finish them off, we were in low gear.”

The United States came out and pushed the offensive agenda and within the first five minutes, Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc had to control the ball from the U.S. chances.

“We wanted to go out there and do well,” Clint Dempsey said. “It was important for us to get the opening goal.”

The U.S. would get the scoring going in the 13th minute. New call-up Jermaine Jones took the ball from the opposite half circle; put a pass that went over the entire Polish defense. Altidore, who beat his defender, knocked the ball to set up his right-footed shot that beat Boruc to the right of the net for his 10th international goal. The U.S. led 1-0 and looked to have no rust.

“Jozy was active,” Bradley said. “He worked hard; he took the first goal well. He made a difference in the game and it was nice to see him get on the score sheet. That’s something that we need from him.”

“I am really happy that this is my first game,” Jones said through a translator. “I just hope I get an opportunity to come back.”

Tim Howard made the save to keep Poland off the board in the 22nd minute. Robert Lewandowski had a through pass come to him as he ran down the middle of the 18-yard box. He had Howard on the one-on-one, but Howard stepped up and made the great save to keep Poland scoreless.

However, Poland would not be shut out. In the 30th minute, the U.S. defense could not stop a Polish ball that was crossed into the box. The ball was kicked straight up into the air in the 18-yards box by the U.S. defense. American defender Oguchi Onyewu shouldered the ball down in the box, but it went to Polish midfielder Ludovic Obranski. Obranski passed the ball to Adam Matuszczyk, whose shot went under a U.S. defender and beat Howard to the left.

“Both goals were situations where we did not do a good job of clearing balls in out defending third,” Bradley said. “They are mistakes you do not want to make and it costs us two goals.”

The U.S. had chances to get the lead just before the half. Michael Bradley had a good exchange with Jozy Altidore. Altidore got the pass inside the box to the left. He ripped a shot that beat Boruc, but could it hit off the crossbar and went over. Both teams had six shots on goal in the half, but the U.S. only had one on goal (the goal) and the Poles had five.

The U.S. came out right away and put himself ahead, thanks to the man they call “Guch.” The U.S. won a corner and Stuart Holden took the kick from the right side. Defender Oguchi Onyewu headed the ball after the ball travelled through a crowd of Polish and Americans. After the ball made it past the goal, “Guch” was able to head the ball into the left side of the net, which Boruc had no chance at. The U.S. led 2-1 at the 52nd minute. It was Onyewu’s sixth goal in his 57th cap.

The U.S. made a significant change of personnel in the 62nd minute when Bob Bradley took off Benny Feilhaber for Alejandro Bedoya. It was only Bedoya’s fifth cap for the US.

The Americans would again give themselves trouble in the 73rd minute, as Jakub Blaszczykowski rocketed the equalizer. The U.S. could not clear a ball inside the box and the ball fell to the Poles. The ball bounced around the box and it found its way towards the feet of Blaszczykowski. The midfielder from Borussia Dortmund took his time setting up his shot from 15-yards out, took the shot from the right side and put the ball past Howard, off the post and into the right aside of the net.

“They picked it up,” Holden said. “The guy was just hanging out wide right.”

Very late in the second half, the U.S. had a short rally in front of the Polish net after a corner. Boruc had to stop a shot with his hands, that fell towards the net and was semi-cleared by a Polish defender still on the goal post from the corner. The ball again bounced around the box and Boruc had to dive to make sure went wide of the net.

“I think it’s just knowing how to win games,” Holden said of the defensive miscues. “Overall, I thought we were the better team.”

The U.S. controlled the ball from that point on, won two free kicks, but in the end, the two teams ended with a 2-2 draw. The United States is now undefeated (3-0-2) in their last five games against Poland.

U.S. Starting XI: Howard, Bocanegra (C), Bradley, Onyewu, Cherundolo, Dempsey, Holden, Jones, Altidore, Edu, Feilhaber

Poland Starting XI: Boruc, Mierzejewski, Murawski, Lenandowski, Obraniak, Zewlakow (C), Matuszczyk, Blaszczyowski, Mierzejeewski, Pietrasiak, Piszczek

Members of the media were welcome to talk to members of the U.S. Men’s National Team before their international friendly against Poland in Chicago. Luckily, International Soccer Network’s Robert Ivory was able to get a few quality minutes with USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard.

HOWARD: I think we have set a target for the Gold Cup being important for us this year. The competition does not interfere with any other competitions, as it has in previous years. We are going to bring our strongest team to the tournament. I was on the squad that won the competition in 2007 and it was such a memorable event for the coaching staff and myself. That is all part of the growth, without looking too far ahead.

ISN: There is word that Mexico and the United States may not play each other in the World Cup qualifiers. What are your thoughts?

HOWARD: I think it is important for us to play Mexico and I think that the rivalry is fiery and healthy. To take that rivalry away would be disappointing because there is so much good from that rivalry. There is very little that is wrong with it. I think both sides would be bitterly disappointed.

ISN: MLS has had a hard time gaining respect from other leagues around the world, especially in England, where you play. Is the MLS getting the respect they deserve overseas?

HOWARD: I think the MLS is getting so much respect because of the players we are importing and also because of the players that the league is exporting. Players in my generation have gone over to other places for substantial transfer fees and we have shown the quality of the MLS. I am a big fan of it, I like the way it is run, I like the teams that are involved, the stadiums that are in place, and I love the competition in the league. Even though I am not there now, I still enjoy watching it and I think it is fantastic.

ISN: What about the match against Poland on Saturday, do you think there is an advantage for the United States players from Europe all playing together?

HOWARD: I think we always enjoy coming together. It difficult in that we all come from different environments, long ways away, different agendas with our club teams. I think what is important about our consistency is that we can not be together for a month, but come back on day one and not have to start over from scratch. We know each other and we know what coaches expect from us and we can get on with our work.

ISN: Chicago has a big Polish population. Does that make this game a little bit more interesting playing on U.S. soil with another country’s support?

HOWARD: There will be a strong Polish crowd, I am sure. We are no strangers to playing at home with crowds not on our side all the time. Soldier Field is fantastic and Chicago as a community comes out and supports us. We are not worried about that. I think it is going to be a fantastic and electric atmosphere You cannot ask for anything more than that in an October friendly.

ISN: Last time you guys met, you won 3-0 in Krakow. Do you think Poland is looking to return the favor?

HOWARD: They are a very good team. We remember that night well because we played well. We understand that they will be coming here to get a result. However, we need to match that intensity and I think it will be a great test for us.

ISN: What does it say that Poland will face one of the toughest teams Saturday in preparation for Euro 2012 in Poland?

HOWARD: I think they need to. I think that it is important that they show that they are prepared at the Euros by getting good results and they do that against good teams.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - August 10, 2010 - The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-0 to Brazil in the first match for both teams since the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The match was played in front of a crowd of 77,223 on a balmy night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

U.S. head coach Bob Bradley started nine players who were members of the 2010 World Cup Team, including team captain Carlos Bocanegra, goalkeeper Tim Howard, midfielder Michael Bradley and forward Landon Donovan. The two players getting starts who were not in South Africa were Omar Gonzalez, who earned his first full national team cap in the center of the defense, and Alejandro Bedoya, who earned his fourth cap after getting the nod at right midfield.

"Early on, the ball was moving quickly and we had good energy,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “The fact that we were not able to sustain that is certainly more of an indication of where the players are at this point in the year in terms of pre-seasons.

“We were able to reestablish ourselves in the second half but I would still say it shows that defending against the best teams in World Cup or teams like Brazil is just something we need to work on. To be able to play in these kinds of games where you can be dangerous with the ball, move it quickly, create chances and still defend, that's what we're always shooting for."

Brazil, playing its first game under new head coach Mano Menezes, brought a young team to the friendly, but did start all four players on its roster who represented Brazil in South Africa: defenders Thiago Silva and Dani Alves and midfielders Robinho and Ramires.

The U.S. had the first good chance of the game which came in the third minute as Edson Buddle did well to evade a defender and played a short penetrating pass to Landon Donovan who was cutting into the penalty box. Donovan deftly touched the ball past David Luiz and then rode the tackle of Thiago Silva, but the U.S. forward did not go down in the box and the ball was toe-poked away for a corner kick.

Brazil utilized its outside backs well to control the pace of the game in the first half and opened the scoring in the 28th minute off a cross from left back Andre Santos. Neymar created a bit of space to free himself from U.S. defender Jonathan Bornstein and headed the ball into the lower left corner from 10 yards out.

Brazil scored its second goal in stoppage time of the first half as a nice build-up through the center of the midfield led to Ramires playing a ball behind the U.S. defense to Pato. The AC Milan striker had plenty of time and space to evade Howard with a dribble to the right before rolling the ball into the open net.

Earlier in the half, Brazil also appeared to score in the 32nd minute, but Pato ran over Howard as he bundled the ball into the goal and the tally was quickly waved off for a foul.

The USA threatened twice more in the first half as Brazilian goalkeeper Victor had to punch away a free kick service from Donovan and Bocanegra headed a corner kick service over the crossbar in the 40th minute.

Bradley made three changes at halftime, sending on Sacha Kljestan for Benny Feilhaber, Jozy Altidore for Buddle and changed ‘keepers, giving Brad Guzan 45 minutes in place of Howard.

Just seconds into the second half, Pato got through in the left side of the penalty box, but drilled his shot into the side netting. Brazil’s other second half chances included Robinho hitting the right goal post after a scramble inside the box in the 53rd minute and Neymar pounding a shot at the U.S. goal from the left side of the penalty area in the 61st minute, but Guzan did well to bat that chance away at the near post.

The USA also had a goal called back in the 56th minute when Kljestan bent a cross into the penalty area after receiving a short corner kick from Donovan. The cross was perfect, but Michael Bradley was in an offside position when he headed the ball into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box.

In the 67th minute, Kljestan struck a free kick from just outside the penalty box on the left side that Victor had to smother at the near post.

Both teams made numerous substitutions during the match, with Bradley using all six of his allowed changes and Menezes calling on five of his reserves. World Cup squad members Robbie Findley and Herculez Gomez entered the fray in the second half, in the 62nd and 67th minute, respectively. When Findley replaced Donovan, the New Meadowlands Stadium crowd rose to their feet to applaud the three-goal scorer from the 2010 World Cup.

The USA’s best chance of the match came in the 85th minute, when substitute Gomez nearly pulled a goal back. Right back Jonathan Spector whipped in a trademark bending cross, which Gomez met at the near post. His downward header was firm but Victor did well to scrape the ball around the side of the post.

Guzan was called to action in second-half stoppage time as Andre Santos received the ball from Ganso in a dangerous position in the box. Santos’ shot was firm but Guzan did superb to get down to his right and block the ball out of bounds for a corner.

On the final whistle, the crowd rose to show their appreciation for a U.S. team who captured their imagination during this memorable World Cup summer. The U.S. players acknowledged their fans and applauded the support while standing in the center circle as fireworks were set off around the stadium.