Scotland provided us with an unnecessary reminder of what it looks like when one team shows up not quite ready to play 90 minutes of soccer. Though this is normally associated with friendlies, this isn't a concept solely limited to exhibition games. What Scotland exhibited was a team that couldn't convert tactical planning to on-field coherency. Scotland was bad on the night, something not lost on the commentators in the USA and back home.
May 28, 2012
MLS Week 12: Play On Through
In retrospect, Major League Soccer's choice to go head-to-head with the US National Team wasn't the best idea. The National Team gave a national audience an entertaining 5-1 win, including a glory goal by Michael Bradley and a Landon Donovan hat-trick. MLS… well, let's just say it was business as usual in the land of strange parity.
If there was a highlight game from Week 12, it might have been Toronto actually winning a League game. The end of their dubious run of losses came at home against Philadelphia. The ever quotable Danny Koevermans was the difference, scoring in the 88th minute for the 1-0 win. Surprising no one after his 'worst team in the world' comment, Koevermans was left out of the post-game quote sheet. Instead, let's hear from coach Aron Winter.
May 27, 2012
May 26, 2012
USA 5 - Scotland 1
Landon Donovan's return to the National Team was the story on Saturday night in Jacksonville. Donovan's time in the squad under coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been limited, with bronchitis keeping him off the roster for February's game against Italy. Donovan opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, with Michael Bradley's impressive long distance shot making it 2-0 ten minutes in. An own-goal gave Scotland an opening in the 15th minute, but the second-half belonged to the United States. Donovan scored his second goal in the 59th and finished off his hat-trick five minutes later. Jermaine Jones scored in the 69th minute to make it 5-1 USA.
May 25, 2012
Upside: Moves
Their Words
"I know there's some interest from teams in and around England which is always good. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks. Hopefully we'll know more information by the end of camp. It's one of those situations that changes day to day and you kind of just roll with it until everything is finalized." US National Team goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Other Sources
Brutal run to test Klinsmann's squad - from FoxSoccer.com's Ives Galarcep: "I want to see how they can hit the wall a couple of times and keep going.”
Rangers stopper Carlos Bocanegra: I don't regret move to Glasgow even though administration has been horrible experience - from The Glasgow Record's David McCarthy: Bocanegra knows all this but still wants to return to Ibrox.
New York Earns Some Attention
By Dario Camacho - MIAMI, FL (May 11, 2012) US Soccer Players -- Never assume anything in Major League Soccer. The many projections of the standings, the winners and losers, even before a single ball was kicked, have been thrown out by current events. The craziness of the standings over the last couple of weeks looks like a merry game of Chutes and Ladders. It's a random mess, the movement a mix of over and under achievers.
Scouting Report: Scotland
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 25, 2012) US Soccer Players -- For the USA, the next five games could indeed be the most important of 2012. With three friendlies and two World Cup Qualifiers on the schedule over the next three weeks, the National Team is embarking on its toughest stretch of games of the still-early Jurgen Klinsmann era. First up is a friendly on Saturday against Scotland at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, FL (8pm ET - NBC Sports).
Klinsmann Names 23
In advance of Saturday's friendly against Scotland in Jacksonville (8pm ET - NBC Sports Network) USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann reduced his roster to 23 players.
May 24, 2012
Next Game
- USA - Brazil
May 30th, 2012
FedEx Field - Landover, MD
8pm ET - ESPN2
Tickets
Schedule - Results - FIFA Ranking
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