U.S. Men’s National Team v. Jamaica, Kansas City, 10.12.13

There needed no ghost come from the grave, nor announcer from the airwaves, to tell us the U.S. performance against Jamaica last Friday was a drab one. But ESPN play-by-play man Ian Darke made the observation anyway, remarking after an Edgar Castillo 76^th-minute giveaway, “In truth, a whole catalogue of errors out there tonight.”

To that point, and especially in the first half, the U.S. had given the ball away cheaply and looked listless, playing every bit like a team that had already secured its place in the 2014 World Cup. Landon Donovan’s performance was indicative. Despite some positive play—like a pass to U.S. newcomer Aron Johannsson in the 20^th minute that might have led to a goal or a penalty kick were it not for a well timed slide tackle by Jamaica defender Adrian Mariappa—he was mostly a nonfactor, at times even a detriment. His night is probably best captured by a sequence in the 41^st minute. He made a run into the box, received a fine pass from Alejandro Bedoya, but couldn’t control the ball and sent it over the end-line for a Jamaica goal kick. (Donovan’s uncharacteristically subpar performance was almost certainly due in part to an ankle injury that will keep him out of tomorrow’s final U.S. qualifier against Panama.)

So Darke was as usual talking sense when he noted the U.S.’s catalogue of errors. But within a minute of him saying those words, the U.S. elevated their play, working hard to string together some passes in the final third before Graham Zusi deposited a deflected Bedoya cross into the net for a 1-0 lead. The U.S. played with verve from then on, scoring again in the 81^st minute off a Jozy Altidore tap-in of a Castillo cross.

Zusi, playing in his club team’s stadium, came on for Donovan at halftime and brought much-needed energy into the game. He not only scored the first U.S. goal, he had a critical hand in the buildup to it, picking out Bedoya making a run to the far post. (It was Bedoya’s deflected cross that Zusi put into the net.) And almost immediately after that goal, Zusi hit a cross from the right side that found fellow substitute Sacha Kljestan wide open at the back post. Kljestan’s one-time shot was deflected by Jamaica keeper Duwayne Kerr, but at that point it was clear the game was effectively over.

Speaking of Zusi’s fellow subs, Castillo, despite that aforementioned giveaway, played a strong game, frequently attacking down the left sideline after coming on for DaMarcus Beasley in the 66^th minute. I’m still not convinced Castillo should be the U.S.’s starting left back, or even their back-up left back, as there is too much evidence suggesting his defense is suspect. But against inferior competition, when a good attack is often the best defense, he continues to prove his worth. Against Jamaica he could have had a second assist in the 89^th minute, when he again had a wide-open Altidore standing before an empty goal, but Castillo elected to take the shot. It wasn’t necessarily a bad decision; the point here is he was a near-constant attacking threat. Again, though, Jamaica attackers never seriously challenged Castillo during his brief time on the field, and it would be nearly impossible to draw any conclusions about his defensive qualities based on this game.

There is also evidence to support the case that Brad Evans is not up to the task of defending world-class strikers. But Evans played the full ninety minutes at right back against Jamaica and mostly acquitted himself well. He made up for his relative lack of speed by sound positioning, and in a couple of cases late in the second half by executing good slide tackles. He also prevented a Jamaica goal in the 7^th minute when he cleared the ball off the line during a pinball sequence in the U.S. box following a Jamaica free kick.

But while Evans’s performance was largely reassuring, the position of right back remains the least settled going into next summer. (Beasley has, I think, rightfully nailed down the left back spot, assuming he remains healthy.) I would love to see Andrew Farrell, the New England Revolution’s tenacious and talented rookie, get called into the U.S.’s January camp to prove to Klinsmann he’s worthy of consideration at that position.