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International Friendly Preview: Slovakia - United States
Noah Davis previews Saturday's match.
Nov 13, 2009 8:04:21 PM
By Noah Davis
Who: United States vs. Slovakia
What: International Friendly
When: Saturday, November 14, 2009; 10 a.m. EST
Where: Teheine Pole; Bratislava, Slovakia
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
In their first match since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, the Untied States Men's National Team travels to Bratislava, Slovakia to play the UEFA Group 3 winners in an international friendly. With Major League Soccer in the thick of the playoff race, American coach Bob Bradley left Landon Donovan, Brian Ching, and Stuart Holden Stateside while key players including Charlie Davies, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit and Tim Howard are missing the fixture due to injury. Still, with National Team stalwarts such as captain Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, and Clint Dempsey present, the squad is capable of defeating their European opponent but the home team will prevail in a tight match.
Answering the unanswered
Due to a series of unfortunate injuries, the U.S. Starting XI is more unsettled than it has been in some time. Jozy Altidore needs a strike partner up top. Or does he? Jermaine Jones and Maurice Edu are still on the shelf (and who knows how they will fit in if and when they return), so Michael Bradley needs a collaborator in central midfield. Who's going to fill in for Onyewu and DeMerit in the back?
The match against Slovakia -- and Denmark on the 18th -- provides the American coaching staff with an opportunity to examine how players fare under difficult conditions against a world-class squad. In many ways, the scoreline doesn't matter. Wins would be nice, but priority No. 1 needs to be evaluating the depths of the player pool. At some point during the two games, Clarence Goodson, Chad Marshall, Jimmy Conrad, Robbie Rogers, and Benny Feilhaber should play.
One last hurrah
Two months ago, Frankie Hedjuk, Eddie Johnson, and Jeff Cunningham were three names few expected to see on a U.S. roster. But, you know, desperate times. The FC Dallas striker, who hasn't appeared for the Stars and Stripes since 2005, found himself in the second half of the MLS season, scoring 16 goals in his last 15 games and beating out Conor Casey for the Golden Boot. If the 33-year-old wants to make his first World Cup roster, he'll need a strong showing -- both mentally and physically -- during the next week.
Johnson, whose athleticism has long been more impressive than the results he's produced on the pitch, needs to show the U.S. staff he's sharp despite limited playing time at Fulham. Hedjuk, a fixture on the backline for many years, seemed to be passed over in favor of Steve Cherundolo and Jonthan Spector, but the Americans can use his leadership with so many veterans absent. It's unlikely, however, that he'll see any time on the pitch.
A worthy debutant
Slovakia, currently ranked 33rd by FIFA, beat out Poland, Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and an overmatched San Marino to earn a spot in their first World Cup as an independent nation. The squad won their first three matches at Teheine Pole during Group 3 qualifying, but tied the Czechs before falling to Slovenia in their last two home games.
Vladimir Weiss' squad plays an attacking style that saw them score the most goals in their six-team group while giving up 10 in six matches. Napoli's 22-year-old midfielder Marek Hamsik is rapidly becoming the team's best player while Sestak Stanislav found the net six times in 10 matches and will trouble the American backline. First choice goalkeeper Jan Mucha only has 12 caps to his name and can be beaten.
Projected U.S. Line Up
---------------------Guzan--------------------
Spector--Marshall--Bocanegra--Bornstein
Dempsey---Feilhaber---Bradley---Rogers
------------Casey----------Altidore----------
Projected Slovakia Line Up
-----------------Mucha---------------
Pekarik---Skrtel---Strba---Durica
Kopunek-------Weiss-------Stoch
---------Hamsik-----Sestak---------
-----------------Vittek----------------
Goal.com prediction
United States 1-2 Slovakia
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Get all the latest U.S. National Team news with Goal.com's dedicated page.
Who: United States vs. Slovakia
What: International Friendly
When: Saturday, November 14, 2009; 10 a.m. EST
Where: Teheine Pole; Bratislava, Slovakia
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
In their first match since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, the Untied States Men's National Team travels to Bratislava, Slovakia to play the UEFA Group 3 winners in an international friendly. With Major League Soccer in the thick of the playoff race, American coach Bob Bradley left Landon Donovan, Brian Ching, and Stuart Holden Stateside while key players including Charlie Davies, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit and Tim Howard are missing the fixture due to injury. Still, with National Team stalwarts such as captain Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, and Clint Dempsey present, the squad is capable of defeating their European opponent but the home team will prevail in a tight match.
Answering the unanswered
Due to a series of unfortunate injuries, the U.S. Starting XI is more unsettled than it has been in some time. Jozy Altidore needs a strike partner up top. Or does he? Jermaine Jones and Maurice Edu are still on the shelf (and who knows how they will fit in if and when they return), so Michael Bradley needs a collaborator in central midfield. Who's going to fill in for Onyewu and DeMerit in the back?
The match against Slovakia -- and Denmark on the 18th -- provides the American coaching staff with an opportunity to examine how players fare under difficult conditions against a world-class squad. In many ways, the scoreline doesn't matter. Wins would be nice, but priority No. 1 needs to be evaluating the depths of the player pool. At some point during the two games, Clarence Goodson, Chad Marshall, Jimmy Conrad, Robbie Rogers, and Benny Feilhaber should play.
One last hurrah
Two months ago, Frankie Hedjuk, Eddie Johnson, and Jeff Cunningham were three names few expected to see on a U.S. roster. But, you know, desperate times. The FC Dallas striker, who hasn't appeared for the Stars and Stripes since 2005, found himself in the second half of the MLS season, scoring 16 goals in his last 15 games and beating out Conor Casey for the Golden Boot. If the 33-year-old wants to make his first World Cup roster, he'll need a strong showing -- both mentally and physically -- during the next week.
Johnson, whose athleticism has long been more impressive than the results he's produced on the pitch, needs to show the U.S. staff he's sharp despite limited playing time at Fulham. Hedjuk, a fixture on the backline for many years, seemed to be passed over in favor of Steve Cherundolo and Jonthan Spector, but the Americans can use his leadership with so many veterans absent. It's unlikely, however, that he'll see any time on the pitch.
A worthy debutant
Slovakia, currently ranked 33rd by FIFA, beat out Poland, Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and an overmatched San Marino to earn a spot in their first World Cup as an independent nation. The squad won their first three matches at Teheine Pole during Group 3 qualifying, but tied the Czechs before falling to Slovenia in their last two home games.
Vladimir Weiss' squad plays an attacking style that saw them score the most goals in their six-team group while giving up 10 in six matches. Napoli's 22-year-old midfielder Marek Hamsik is rapidly becoming the team's best player while Sestak Stanislav found the net six times in 10 matches and will trouble the American backline. First choice goalkeeper Jan Mucha only has 12 caps to his name and can be beaten.
Projected U.S. Line Up
---------------------Guzan--------------------
Spector--Marshall--Bocanegra--Bornstein
Dempsey---Feilhaber---Bradley---Rogers
------------Casey----------Altidore----------
Projected Slovakia Line Up
-----------------Mucha---------------
Pekarik---Skrtel---Strba---Durica
Kopunek-------Weiss-------Stoch
---------Hamsik-----Sestak---------
-----------------Vittek----------------
Goal.com prediction
United States 1-2 Slovakia
Noah Davis covers the United States Men's National Team for Goal.com.
Get all the latest U.S. National Team news with Goal.com's dedicated page.
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