Live game ratings for USMNT’s 0-0 draw with Columbia originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. men’s national team had zero wins in January.
After Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Serbia, a fully-rotated starting XI went head-to-head against Colombia on Saturday, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
The first half was played very openly, with both sides attacking and defending each other. Colombia took nine shots, mainly from sloppy giveaways by the United States, but only one hit the target, the rest caused little damage.
Paxten Aaronson took the lead on two of the USMNT’s three quality chances, but Alvaro Montero responded brilliantly with his first save, A defender blocked it a second time before it grazed the left post and went out of bounds.
In the 32nd minute, Jesús Ferreira also sent an elegant through ball for Matthew Hope, who ran behind the left wing, but his left-footed shot hit Monte. Luo body.
Much of the second half was played in the Stars and Stripes’ defensive third, but Colombia couldn’t find the inspiration to break through in that moment. The last best chance for the US team came from a free kick on the left, but the cross failed to complete.
Let’s analyze the game with USMNT’s Instant Match Score:
GK Sean Johnson – 6: Doesn’t have much to do with Columbia’s innocuous attempts, and his distribution is just average.
RB DeJuan Jones – 6.5: Jones shined on the right, both offensive and defensive, and changed to left back in the last 10 minutes to maintain quality. The 25-year-old should return with more opportunities and a more flexible offensive threat.
CB Walker Zimmerman – 6: Slow to start with ball handling, never really a strong suit, but played well in the second half, cleaning up the game before Jalenier went down.
CB Aaron Long – 5.5: Multiple giveaways and a near miss in the first half proved costly, and there’s still no sign of any improvement. Replaced Sam Rodgers.
LB John Tolkien – 7: Made his USMNT debut and looked like one of the best players on both teams. His best traits are going forward and providing width, but those opportunities are few and far between. Considering there’s no real second choice behind Anthony Robinson, Tolkien deserves more reps.
CDM Kelly’s Acosta – 6: Primarily in a one-pivot role, could have controlled the game better, but his passing wasn’t always crisp and didn’t offer much improved play.
CM Eric Williamson – 6: He came off at half-time but was at his best in a deeper midfield position rather than a striker.
CM Paxton Aaronson – 6.5: Brenden’s younger brother Paxten was more involved in the first half and should be on the scoresheet. The second half was quieter for him, but the theme carried through the squad. He’s shown he can play the left-center position, which requires defensive skills.
RW Paul Ariola – 5.5: He could have provided an assist for Ferreira, but he provided little forward and didn’t show anything new as one of the veterans on the roster.
LW Matthew Hope – 6: He made an empty cameo against Serbia, but finished the game as the most direct attacker. Playing him on the left is an interesting move considering he primarily plays through the middle, but his work rate and ball control in tight spaces are excellent. His passing needs more polish, though.
CF Jesus Ferreira – 5.5: His pressing set the tone and he could have provided an assist for Hope, but he also failed to shoot in one-on-one situations to get the defender back. No convincing performance.
substitute:
45” cm Allen Sonora – 6: He played for Williamson, known for his directness with his left foot, but having to do more defensive work hampered his chances.
62” ST Brandon Vazquez – 5.5: It’s not necessarily a bad 5.5, but similar to Hoppe vs Serbia, Vazquez only had 6 touches and didn’t impose himself when he didn’t get the serve.
65” RW Emmanuel Sabbi – 5: His first hat was not very good. The 25-year-old is known for his straight-line speed, but that hasn’t changed Ariola’s time on the court. The sharpness was non-existent and he was booked for a rough tackle from behind.
69” CB Jalen Neal – 6: He was one of the players who did well against Serbia and maintained the same quality when challenged late in the game. He’s calm and stands his ground, so look forward to seeing more of him in the future.
72” CB Sam Rodgers – 6: It was Rodgers’ late first USMNT cap, and he also looked impressive to win the ground duel and not miss a single pass. The 23-year-old did not take part in the game against Serbia, but hopes to have a longer game next time.
80” RB Julian Gressel – N/A: Played for 10 minutes to end the game, but not enough to warrant a proper rating.
manager:
Anthony Hudson – 5.5: You can see the idea of him rotating all 11 of his games in just two games in a month, but in-game management could have been better. The main reason this rating is low is because there is no point in losing, so aim for victory. Instead, with 10 minutes left, when the game needed to be more direct, he brought in the likes of Cade Cowell at right-back and gambled for victory.
