USMNT v Australia
A good thing is that there are a number, half a dozen starters with ties locally, OZ is not a push over, they beat Canada last time out, they have not played in 15 years and the series is all tied up 1-1-1. In the pregame, it was described as a good game by the US, but many regular starters were out for Ecuador. Richard was praised, his man scored the lone goal for the opponent, Ream did not back him up and have him challenge, but it was a ball shot as he was covering him. Sands has a 2 year absence from the NT come to an end. James Sands seems to have added some size to his upper body during his time with St. Pauli. Poch puts forth 7 new players since the other day.
Freese a pro career covering double digits now has his 10th straight start for the USMNT. O’Neil gives a nice hello to his NYCFC teammate, leaving him in pain on the ground. Over the top for Freeman who is beaten on the line, the US holds the clearance. OZ is pressing, it did well for Ecuador, they just were not able to capitalize on it. Weah drops, now forward to Pulisic and it is lost for a throw. Many passes on the backline for the US, it gets forward, then back again as they get forward, the US are offside. Weah with a steal, loses it and a clear into a crowd sends it back on OZ, they recover and hold. A lot of short passes doing nothing on the near touchline for OZ, back to the GK, now the US hold in their backfield. Freese sends one to the other GK, Ryan has just hit 100 caps in June. Sands gets it forward, a bit too forward of himself as it is lost. Mckenzie called on the foul. A cross to Weah in space with Puli who he passes to now he drops to Sands, now for Richards and McKenzie. Richards finds Wright, he goes inside, it is lost, taken back in the OZ half but OZ now holds. The Soccerroos lose it in tight quarters. US over the top for Freeman, he turns back. Pulisic just inside for Wright and goes down in the area, no call. Wright taken down and draws the whistle? Richards wins a slide tackle but Australia has it, they are now offside. McKenzie for Pulisic, it drifts off the field in the neutral zone. Freese lets a defender get too close, goes to the right, the clearance blocked, now played forward by the US. Wright to Pulisic and he stays down, it was play on at first, no advantage as the US play the ball back, blow the whistle. Pooch has a talk with a ref, they shake hands. Robinson wins a foot race then clears it forward and out of touch. Now Richard plays it out in his defensive end. Off the throw a defensive breakdown and the game’s initial shot has OZ up 1-0 at 19’ . Deflected, the player stays with it and he gets his goal, Bos, bossed a number of defenders on his way to the goal. Pulisic with a run, pulls it back, he was well ahead of all others and his back pass was to be between a pair of defenders and it was lost. After the whistle on a restart, Roldan is taken down hard. A dangerous ball into the center, gets to Pulisic in the area across the 6, defended out McKenzie runs it down. Weah under no pressure plays it out of touch, there were a number of these facing Ecuador, hoping they get limited tonight. OZ wants a play as their player is writhing on the floor. Into the center circle and wide again for OZ, they lost it. Wright covered by a pair, loses it to O’Neil. Ryan gets a ball twice that began at half field now 2 more times. OZ in the area and Sands puts an end to that. Pulisic is taken down must be a yellow and yes, it is Geria at 26’, Pulisic is still down, having been kicked to the inside of his heel, still down in game 86, good for 24th on the team in caps. Up now, under his own power walking well. He has been subbed, they are saying it may not be the impact but that he had his right leg a bit under him, Luna is now up. A player down for a bit now are the US as Luna is awaiting entry. Wright gets the ball to Weah who tries to pick a corner from maybe 30 yards, parried away now a throw for the US as Diego is now on. Diego on the soon as he came on, 3 touches. Fully different players are Pulisic and Luna, so there will be adjustments made on both sides, Pulisic now off to the training room to cheers. Wright has righted the score at 33’. Richards with a steal, a lead ball from Roldan, then he sends it home on a first time effort, the toe poke is true. Roldan who just assisted the goal is just wide from 25 yards. McKenzie with a last ditch effort stops the attack. McKennie has a run, seeks Luna, Italiano, plays it over the byline for a corner. Luna to take it. His effort goes to the area about 10 yards out below the penalty spot. Luna drops to Richards and gets it back to McKennie it is lost, recovered in the offensive third of the USA. A number of passes, now a cross, up to Weah who starts and stops, back again, now to the other wing. While other natures chant Ole, the US fans are chanting USA, not for the passes though as they keep moving the ball and chants stopped. Wright to Weah a bit of pinball and an offside call. Roldan outside to Weah he goes endline then in and again Italiano gives up the corner with 4’ to go. Outside the area then to Roldan he tries to curl the ball from Weah and it sails wide. Pressure from OZ leads to a US throw at about 20 yards. That is lost and a kick from behind has a US player down, no call then he blows it down. OZ players are making contact now with the US players arguing. D’Agostino caught Sands with both feet from behind. Richards, now the captain, is having quite the conversation with the center. That should have been called ASAP, maybe a card, but to let it go is not good. A pair of minutes of extra time. O’Neill with a hard foul and the US team are not happy as the ref calls him over. This is at least his 3rd hard foul, this his 2n don Sands. Richards puts a player to the ground, not O’Neill. Boos from the crowd, I am sure to the ref.
The US need to get better shots, put an end to the fouls by OZ and tighten up on defense. OZ need to get forward better, the one shot went in, and lint the US forays into their area.
OZ get endline and a shot in close is blocked, out to O’Neil who is just wide in the opening minute. Richardson bodied by D’Agostino, then fouls him at the top of the arc, not the way to open the half. Boyle over the ball, the wall getting set. The shot goes into the wall by Metcalf, then sent back in far off the net. Wow more poor play in the back, returned to Freese under pressure, he goes into the center of the field then it is wide. D’Agostino with another harsh foul, when does the card come? Luna with a great pass, now to Weah and it is lost, US throw, into their backfield it goes. Wright braces the US to a 2-1 lead at 51’, alone very forward on a restart, into the area, breaks ankles and curls it around the ‘keeper, so well taken, this is highlight film for sure, into the side netting. He is making a statement, while with the Cosmos he was special and now a decade or so later it has come time for all to see. Wright leads the championship in goals at this time. All this comes in but his 5th start. Does he get the hat trick, a quick shot, a skillful one, next a first time blast? He again teamed up with Roldan for the goal off the throw in, many goals come in off those, it is a valuable ability to have in a team. Luna with a steal he knows who to feed, Haji, it goes back to Luna is lost and now come OZ, still out of the area and now back. On the wing, Richards gets megged by Bos, ties the player up and gets a deserved yellow. D’Agostino has the header defended out for another corner to OZ. They go beyond the 6, Freese punches it way out. Many subs loom for the Soccerroos. McKennie called for a foul at 57’ Boyle tripped, gives to O’Neill. Sands from McKennie and it is lost. A quartet are due in for Australia. Boyle and D’Agostino are out as are Ballard and Metcalf. Weston with a poor ball lost just over the half. Subs in are Yazbek, Hrustic, Toure & Irankunda. Luna for Weah on the wing now in to McKennie to Roldan and off the ref breaks up the advancing play. Over the top of Wright, grabbed by the GK. Weah with a poor foul in his offensive third. Off Robinson for a corner. Balogun and Aaronson for the US to come in. Into the 6, Mckennie clears, O’Neill with a long go, off Weston. To the back post and out for a GK. Tessman also in. Weah out as are Sands and Wright, he I would have left in to get the hat trick. Aaronson makes his presence felt with a foul in under a minute on O’Neill. McKenzie tracks a player and crosses his feet tripping him, no call. OZ across the area lose it then recover in their defensive third, now going to their backfield. Tessman gets run into and the foul call on him. The restart is too long, goal kick. That restart goes out just shy of midfield. Big time pressure has Freese clear first time and now it springs Balogun who goes back to Luna finds Roldan more center and it is out of play, these need to stop. Freese again under pressure with a wild clear in his defensive third. OZ are on a great run 12-1. US offside at the top of the area. Roldan with a pass denied, US hold then it is passed out of play, yet again not under pressure. Over the top and OZ loses it as they hesitate, Roldan rana back and stole it. Irankunda to the endline all the way out of the area and OZ hold it being kept out and they win a throw. Morris and Arfsten await entry. Roldan will be out as will McKennie. Another ball to nowhere by the US stays in play this time. NY pressing lead by Balogun and Aaronson catches up to the play to steal it. On come the subs. Miller on for the visitors off goes Italiano. DFK from well beyond the area, say 40 yards out by OZ, and it goes to Freese at 78’. Robinson to Freeman and gets it back now Aaronson to Luna, a bang bang play in the area and turned back, the US holds off the save by Ryan. Great pass but there was no angle as it was very close to the GK, I will take that pass all day. Luna from Aaronson again but well wide off a great run by the Medford Messi. Freeman and Bos hit and both are down, staff called on as soon as it happened, Freeman may be holding his midsection, Bos his head. Balogun now down holding his left ankle, and Richards another talk with the ref, as a player of OZ shows the inside of his lip Balogun did swing his arm out. Arfsten under pressure with a strong crossing ball. Morris fouls Miller and a deep DKF in their end for Australia. Luna, Arfsten and Aaronson pass it around, Duke in for Geria, the last sub by the visitors. Holding off the defender, Irankumba gets off a shot and challenges Freese a bit. Freeman springs Aaronson and his effort to the near post is out for a corner at 91’. Luna takes it, he goes to top of the area off McKenzie, run down and the US keep it. In the area Morris cuts back and goes wide. Richards too long for Freeman. Game.