Altidore’s goal beats Canada
Altidore’s goal beats Canada and concludes a beneficial training camp for Klinsmann.
Header in the 89th minute off a cross from Ethan Finlay gives the U. S. a 1- 0 exhibition victory.
U. S. 1, CANADA 0
Juergen Klinsmann said the goal of this winter’s U. S. Soccer training camp was to give everybody a head start heading into what figures to be a busy year, beginning next month with a pair of World Cup qualifiers for the senior team and an Olympic qualifying playoff for the U- 23 team.
“The benefit, really, of this camp comes at the end of March,” the coach said.
But there was also some good that came out of Friday’s f inal camp activity, a 1- 0 win over Canada at the StubHub Center.
Jozy Altidore won it the 89th minute, heading home a perfect cross at the far post from Ethan Finlay, who had entered the game just seconds earlier. It was the second goal in as many games for Altidore, who reported to camp both early and f it, the result of a new training program he hopes will solve his problem with repeated hamstring strains.
The win, combined with Sunday’s exhibition victory over Iceland, will give both American teams a small push of momentum into the games that count next month. Just as important, though, was the fact the three- week camp gave Klinsmann a chance to audition some of the players who are already pushing for a spot on the national team.
“Obviously, we need to know more about the youngsters coming through than we know about the players that have already played f ive, six, seven, eight years,” he said.
So Klinsmann gave national team debuts to six players in the two games, among them 20- year- old de- fender Kellyn Acosta, who started both friendlies and impressed, and San Jose Earthquakes keeper David Bingham, who blanked Canada in his debut.
Klinsmann also got a long look at 21- year- old forward Jordan Morris, gave midfielder Jermaine Jones another try at center back, appeared to have found a new defender in Steve Birnbaum and liked what he saw in two starts by forward Lee Nguyen and a cameo from debutant Brandon Vincent, a second- half substitute Friday
More difficult to find Friday was a goal, something the U. S. hadn’t managed against Canada in nearly three games and more than 295 minutes, dating to the 2011 Gold Cup.
But the U. S. didn’t lack for opportunities Friday — most of which involved Altidore. The Americans took 17 shots, eight on target.
In the f irst half Altidore was frustrated when a sliding right- footed shot beat Canadian keeper Maxime Crepeau but hit the post
Bingham, meanwhile, had a relatively quiet night, facing only four shots, none of them on goal.
Yet for all the emphasis on youth, the most impressive performer in camp was a relatively old hand with whom Klinsmann was already familiar. At 26, Altidore is a two- time World Cup veteran and he played like it this week, scoring a pair of goals to give him 33 for his national team career, one behind Eric Wynalda for third on the all- time list.
“This is why we have this camp, to get sharp,” Altidore said. “I didn’t think we were sharp enough in front of the goal, myself included. We’ve got to work on that, obviously.
“To f inish the game and win the game, I thought we deserved to win. We were the better team throughout. And ending camp on a high note is good.”