U.S. Men’s National Team v. Cuba, Sandy, Utah, 7.13.13

 

The U.S. men’s national team’s 4-1 Gold Cup win over Cuba yesterday generated many storylines. The U.S. has now posted three consecutive victories with margins of three goals or more, the first time that’s happened since I don’t know when. (I checked the USMNT site, which has results posted back to 2006, and the team hadn’t strung together three lopsided victories since that time.) Chris Wondolowski scored his fifth goal in two group games, and if he and the U.S. keep this up he’ll be the player of the tournament. Landon Donovan also scored again and continues to play at a high level. (Brian Sciaretta of The New York Times had him as man of the match.) After impressive games against Guatemala and Belize, Stuart Holden was ineffectual and Brek Shea dreadful against Cuba. (Shea was subbed out at halftime, Holden in the 58^th minute.)

For me, though, this game crystalized only one important fact: that Edgar Castillo should not play defense for the U.S. men’s national team. Castillo’s first half against Cuba was every bit as dreadful as Shea’s, and more costly since Castillo plays closer to the U.S. goal. If there was a guy for Cuba that looked like he could’ve infiltrated a decent roster, it was their number 11, Ariel Martinez. In the 28^th minute, Martinez nearly beat Castillo off the dribble in midfield, but Castillo saved himself and the team by a decent slide tackle. Still, the play made Castillo look vulnerable, as he so often looks in the back.

Just eight minutes later, Martinez punished Castillo and put Cuba up 1-0. After fellow U.S. fullback Tony Beltran made a shaky offensive run and was dispossessed, Cuba quickly countered, Martinez skinned Castillo in the U.S. penalty box, driving to the end line and playing a pass back to the top of the six, where a poorly positioned Oguchi Onyewu could do nothing more than lunge in the direction of Cuban striker Jose Alfonso, who scored off a clinical volley. Within a couple of minutes, Marinez again burned Castillo in the U.S. box, creating a good chance for Cuba that they didn’t take.

Apart from the Cuba game, Castillo has played fullback for the U.S. in at least four other matches: against Germany this year; against Canada last year; and against Costa Rica and Mexico in 2011. Against Germany, he came on for DaMarcus Beasley in the 56^th minute and the U.S. gave up two goals in the next 25 minutes. Castillo gave the German attackers way too much time and space, especially on their final goal. Against Canada, Castillo misplayed a back-pass in Canada’s final third that led directly to a Canada goal. He did not impress against Costa Rica or Mexico either.

I think there’s a place for Castillo on the national team, but not on defense. He’s a skilled, effective attacker. Against Cuba he worked extremely well in the second half with substitute Jose Torres down the U.S. left flank. His pass back to Stuart Holden in the 57^th minute led to a stunning goal from Joe Corona. In the 85^th minute, Castillo was part of an excellent sequence that included a deft outside-of-the-foot chip over the defense by Torres. Castillo then unselfishly chested the ball down to Wondolowski, who scored his second goal. In stoppage time, Castillo almost scored himself.

Castillo, then, is an attacker, not a defender, and he can help the U.S. in the midfield.