The U.S. survived the Group of Death and got into the knockout stages of the World Cup. A day later, the Americans may have gotten their starting striker back.
Jozy Altidore, who is recovering from a left hamstring injury, jogged for a third straight day Friday, with coach Jurgen Klinsmann saying he was “very optimistic” the only target forward on the roster could be back for Tuesday’s Round of 16 game against Belgium.
“We are very optimistic to have him to be a part of the Belgium game,” Klinsmann said. “Every day is a big step forward.”
For both Altidore and the U.S. team. The 6-foot-1 New Jersey native is by far the most physical forward on the roster, and the only one capable of holding the ball up front. After he went down in a heap with a strained hamstring in the opening win against Ghana, the U.S. struggled to keep the ball.
Klinsmann opted to use Clint Dempsey alone up front in the next two group games and add an extra midfielder rather than use backup forwards Aron Johannsson or Chris Wondolowski.
But Klinsmann has held out hope the 24-year-old Altidore could return at some point during the World Cup. If that point is Tuesday, it would be a huge boost against a favored Belgium team brimming with young talent.
Altidore would help the U.S. maintain possession, which brings us to the best and worst of the team’s group stage play, and what it needs to do in the knockout round.
Even Klinsmann admitted, “We have to keep the ball longer, we have to be a bit calmer under pressure, just move the ball around. … It’s definitely something we have to improve.’’
The U.S. will never hold the ball as well as team such as Mexico, but it can’t get away with coughing the ball up as easily and often as it has.
Why not? If given the chance, Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard can punish a central defense that has been — and still is — shaky.
Matt Besler has been solid, but cramped during the first two games. Geoff Cameron was largely culpable for both of Portugal’s goals in the second game and was benched for the third. After struggling earlier this year, Omar Gonzalez played well against Germany, but did he do enough to start Tuesday?
How does the U.S. hold possession better? Much of it will rest on the already weighted-down shoulders of Michael Bradley. Being asked to play further upfield than he is accustomed, Bradley was off his game through the group stage. Unofficial totals have Bradley covering the most ground of any player in the group stage. It’s his first touch and passing that have been below his lofty standards.
“I’m very, very satisfied with Michael in this tournament so far. We came through this group because of his influence on the field,’’ Klinsmann said. “The defensive work that Michael puts in is absolutely outstanding. It’s one of the reasons why we barely gave away any chances [to] Germany. Portugal, the same thing.’’
It’s not all doom and gloom for the U.S., which has reached consecutive knockout stages for the first time, thanks to a collective greater than its parts. There are a host of positives, arguably the most encouraging being right back Fabian Johnson and central midfielder Jermaine Jones.
Johnson has provided width, workrate and speed up the flank, and it was his great run that helped set up John Brooks’ last-ditch winner in the opener against Ghana — the difference in the playing on or going home. SkySport selected Johnson for its “Best XI” of the group stage, while Jones hasn’t been far behind.
Jones has helped pick up the slack for the struggling Bradley. He has cut down on his yellow cards without losing aggressiveness, gotten stuck in, played through a broken nose and hit a world class-bending equalizer in the 2-2 tie with Portugal. Oh, and earned “Best XI” honors from ESPN.
Despite all that, the best attribute of the U.S. team may be determination. Like the now-ubiquitous chant says, they believe that they will win.
“By no means are we satisfied with just getting out of the group,” midfielder Graham Zusi said. “We want to keep going and make some history.”