After earning his first win as U.S. coach on Saturday, Jurgen Klinsmann called tonight’s game against Ecuador a benchmark for his team. They were weighed and measured, and found wanting in a 1-0 loss at Red Bull Arena in front of a yellow-and-blue clad, pro-Ecuadorian crowd of 20,707 at Red Bull Arena.
The U.S. dominated the first half but allowed Jaime Ayovi’s goal late in the second. Ecuador’s Walter Ayovi sent in a cross from the left wing, and sub Jaime Ayovi knifed through the box, beat centerback Tim Ream to the ball and headed it past keeper Tim Howard in the 79th minute for the only score of the night.
Now 1-3-1 under Klinsmann, the U.S. has mustered just two goals for their new coach and struggled to adjust from ex-coach Bob Bradley’s counterattacking style to his possession game. Despite a 22-9 edge in shots _ and 8-4 in shots on goal _ their inability to score cost them as much as their one defensive gaffe.
“The ball got whipped in and the guy made a really good run across the face. When it’s that close and that powerful, it’s unfortunate,’’ said Howard. “We try not to let guys in, try to stop the cross if we can. We didn’t allow them too many chances; it’s just unfortunate we couldn’t get one earlier, let them stay in the game. We had them controlled most of the game but it only takes one.’’
The struggling Ream _ who saw Red Bull teammate Rafa Marquez rip his play as “infantile” and say the other New York defenders weren’t on his level _ had just come on the 71st minute to a loud ovation from his hometown crowd. But just eight minutes later, one lapse largely erased a solid week of work.
“I was watching the man and as I looked back I saw the ball coming, he was past me as soon as I took a step,’’ said Ream, consoled by captain Carlos Bocanegra on the field after the loss. “You always have things to work on, and that’s something have to work on: Not just being more physical but winning balls in the air and being able to see more than one thing at a time.’’
The game was a good test for the U.S., Ecuador coming in red-hot after beating Costa Rica (twice), Jamaica and Venezuela by a combined 13-2. Meanwhile, Klinsmann has the luxury of not opening World Cup qualifying until June 6, still teaching playing styles and toying and tinkering with lineups.
With Landon Donovan and Stuart Holden both injured, Klinsmann gave youngster Danny Williams of Hoffenheim _ where U.S. prospect Charles Renken is finally fit and playing in the academy _ a start at right midfield in a 4-1-3-2, and he looked like a seasoned vet. And there were plenty of other positives.
CB Oguchi Onyewu was back to his physically dominant best, and young fullback Timothy Chandler flipped from the right side to the left, not only completely shutting down Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia, but even linking up well going forward with Brek Shea.
“Those are the kind of split-seconds you have to be aware of,’’ said Klinsmann. “But we got to live through that. That’s a learning moment for Tim Ream, that he has to be in front of a guy, if he doesn’t get the ball (the other guy) isn’t getting the ball either. But Tim needs these moments on that level in order to learn.
“Tim Howard never really had anything to do in that game, except the one beautiful goal that they scored. It makes you feel like if you put all that effort in all that work you should be rewarded. But it went the other way around and this is a very good experience, for these players to understand one little thing can change the game.’’
*** MLS commissioner Don Garber was at the game, hosting three potential investors for a second New York expansion club in his box…and none were from the New York Cosmos group, which has undergone some ownership changes. He wouldn’t commit on how the Wilpon family’s court case impacts their interest, but said Randalls Island has come into play as a possible site.