Striker Jozy Altidore is still in a scoring slump, the midfield is still getting used to the new diamond formation and the defense is still showing worrisome cracks. But the United States made tangible improvement in Sunday’s 2-1 World Cup tune-up win over Turkey, and looked that much readier for Brazil.
Right back Fabian Johnson and forward Clint Dempsey each scored — the first international goal for Johnson — and the U.S. handled a dangerous Turkey squad before a sellout crowd of 26,762 at Red Bull Arena.
“It was a good game,’’ said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “Defensively we needed to make corrections at halftime, needed to close the gaps better. We have a lot of work ahead of us to be more compact, more connected … making it more difficult for opponents. But, overall, it was a nice game to watch, a beautiful goal from Fabian Johnson.’’
Johnson put the U.S. ahead in the 26th minute on a give-and-go with midfielder Michael Bradley, who chipped a ball over Turkey’s back four that Johnson slotted home with a left-footed volley. After Turkey defender Hakan Balta’s whiffed on a clearance, Dempsey — who had sat out the Azerbaijan game on Tuesday with a sore groin — was there to toe-poke the ball in for a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute.
Klinsmann played Dempsey and Altidore together for the full 90 to help them develop chemistry and for Altidore break his malaise.
“[Altidore’s] taking two guys on all the time. He had his opportunities, he had his chance. I wouldn’t mind if the goal comes against Ghana right away. [But] it’s the Jozy we want to see. He’ll sooner or later break through,’’ Klinsmann said of Altidore, scoreless in six U.S games since October and 1,861 minutes for club and country.
But the New Jersey-born ex-Red Bull — singled out for praise by Turkey coach Fatih Terim, along with Johnson and Bradley — bullied the defense, having a 15th-minute goal waved off due to a push.
“I love playing here. It’s good to be back in front of these fans,” Altidore said. “It would’ve been nice to get one, but at the end of the day we won, the team looked strong. That’s the most important thing. Everybody’s worried about my confidence; my confidence is fine.”
The U.S. squad is adjusting to a diamond midfield, with Bradley occasionally caught too far upfield when the Americans were supposed to defend like a flat 4-4-2. But they corrected that and the defense — with center backs Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron starting together again — just missed another clean sheet.
A Timothy Chandler giveaway led to Cameron being charged with a handball on the line and surrendering a penalty kick that Selcuk Inan converted in the 90th minute.
“That was a good test for us, to make sure mentally we’re there. Still we have those mental lapses where we give away cheap goals,’’ said Altidore. “We have to cut that out because against bigger, better opponents they will punish you.’’
The U.S. concludes its tune-up schedule Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. against Nigeria.