I'm in Cumberland, RI at my girlfriend's house so I haven't seen the U.S. soccer men's national team's 5-1 win over Scotland earlier tonight in a friendly in Jacksonville, FL.
Well check that, I saw the highlights on TV and caught bits and pieces of the match between commercials during Celtics-Sixers and Red Sox-Rays but I won't be able to give my full thoughts until I get back to my DVR tomorrow night and can fully digest the game.
I felt like I had to write something though since it was such a positive result. Landon Donovan returned from an eight-month absence with the U.S. and he scored his first hat trick since 2007 (vs. El Salvador). It was his third career hat trick in international play, he also did it in 2003 vs. Cuba. It was a special night for Donovan who is up to 49 career goals for the U.S. and most impressively, he passed former defender Jeff Agos for most starts (125) in U.S. history.
Michael Bradley also scored one of the best U.S. goals in years and Jermaine Jones got on the scoresheet. Other than an own goal by Geoff Cameron, this was a complete romp by the U.S. over the hapless Scots who missed out on qualifying for Euro 2012.
It was the perfect way to kick off five games in 18 days (3 friendlies, 2 World Cup qualifiers) as the Americans won their fifth straight match following a 1-4-1 start under Jurgen Klinsmann. Nothing shows progress quite like changing to a more attacking 4-3-3 style while also giving Terrance Boyd his first career start and Joe Corona his first CAP. Perhaps the most positive aspect of this blowout was the fact that Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore didn't even suit up but they still hung five on Scotland.
Donovan scored in the third minute when he slammed home a rebound, in the 60th minute he scored off a pass from Jones and Bradley assisted Donovan's hat trick strike in the 65th minute.
Bradley's goal was a spectacular volley from outside the box in the 11th minute. Donovan passed it to him and Bradley one touched it into the upper right corner, truly a wonderful tally from a player who is really back with a vengeance after being left off the roster last summer.
Scotland didn't pressure Tim Howard much at all but he can't be faulted for Cameron's gaffe in the 15th minute when he chested down the ball right into the net.
Jones wrapped it up with his second goal for the U.S., a header in the 70th minute from who else but Donovan.
The U.S. won by four goals for the first time since beating Grenada 4-0 in the 2009 Gold Cup and the Americans scored five for the first time since routing Cuba 6-1 in a World Cup qualifier in 2008. The U.S. had not scored five goals against a European opponent since beating Norway 5-0 in 2006.
Things figure to get much more difficult on Wednesday as they host Brazil in Landover, MD. However, Dempsey and Altidore will likely be back on the field and most importantly, this win should give many of the younger more inexperienced players plenty of confidence moving forward. Jurgen's influence is really starting to show up in this team by how they play, both style wise and in results.
UPDATE 5/28: I watched the game tonight and all I can say is wow, what a romp. First of all, Scotland is complete trash. They honestly were lucky not to lose 7-0. Jose Torres hit the crossbar in the first half when he quickly took a free kick from outside the box then Donovan hit the post early in the second half (before he scored his second and third goals). Plus, they only had one decent chance: a cross that Howard punched away. They were lucky that Cameron gifted them an own goal because otherwise they wouldn't have scored in about 10 games playing like that.
What I loved most (besides Donovan's lethal finishing) was the midfield play of Bradley, Jones and Maurice Edu. They were superb and I have to say that I'm not big on needless flash but Torres is an unreal passer even if he needs to make the simple play a bit more from time to time. When you have a good midfield, that can possess the ball, you cover up other weaknesses on your squad. Fabian Johnson looks like a find, ditto for Terrence Boyd. If there are any other young German-Americans that Klinnsman can naturalize, by all means.
More than anything, it was beautiful to see the U.S. attack and counterattack the entire match. For a team that has played very defensively and conservatively for most of my life, it was a welcome change to see them have confidence in their abilities and not be afraid to take some risks when they could.
Finally, those new U.S. jerseys are terrible. Candy canes, Where's Waldo, whatever they remind you of is not a good connection. If they're going to become the power that they seemed destined to be, they can't be looking like a second-rate youth team with that ugly design. Try again Nike.
