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World Cup 2010: USA Fowards Are Men Of The Moment
The attack of the USA is fresh.
Jun 7, 2010 2:45:00 AM
By Andrea Canales
Between them, American forwards Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez have been capped only seven times for the United States Men's National Team.
Yet the strikers share something else other than a single-digit cap total. They both rode recent hot streaks in league scoring - Buddle in Major League Soccer, Gomez in Mexico's Primera Division - all the way to a USA roster spot in the World Cup.
Both have also scored twice for the USA, with Buddle notching his total all in the last preparation match versus Australia, a 3-1 win.
One intriguing advantage for the duo of strikers in the international competition that is the World Cup is that they will be virtual unknowns. If people in the USA didn't expect either to make the squad, it's a virtual certainty that no foreign country scouted Gomez or Buddle ahead of time.
Of course, as Jozy Altidore's anke reportedly improves, there is no guarantee that either Buddle or Gomez will feature against England.
USA coach Bob Bradley certainly wasn't tipping his hand about the matter.
"No decisions will be made on Edson starting, but Edson continues to get more comfortable within the group," Bradley told the press after the Australia game. "Today you saw really the things that have highlighted his MLS season so far – taking chances well, good finishing, scoring a goal off a direct, hard shot and scoring with his head, so good things.”
Buddle was modest about his contribution to the USA victory.
"Overall, it was a good game," the striker said. "We got a win and a win's a good thing."
The first goal was created by opportunistic hussle - strike partner Robbie Findly harried a defender into a poor pass, which Buddle cut off.
"I was able to get a foot onto it and go straight to goal," said Buddle. With the speedy Findly distracting the defenders as a pass option, space opened up for Buddle's shot, and he hammered the ball to the back of the net.
On his second goal, Buddle showed off his aerial ability, knocking a header down and into the goal.
"The perfect ball made my job a lot easier," said Buddle, giving credit to Steve Cherundolo's cross.
Though he has never scored for the USA, Findley is another wild card up top for the USA, as his speed creates chances, though he has yet to display the steely nerve to finish those opportunities. Yet he was singled out for praise by his USA teammates in spite of that.
“Edson and Robbie have both played fantastic," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Everything Edson touches is a goal and Robbie creating so many chances, so those guys are exciting for us. In a three-game tournament like this in the first round you’re never going to play the same lineup twice, so it’s really important that everyone is clicking and those guys are.”
Landon Donovan concurred.
“As I’ve been saying all year, the goals are great, but what [Buddle] and Robbie did otherwise are what helps you win games. You need to score goals to win, we understand that, but had they not scored today they still both did a great job of helping our team.”
Though he has played recently in Mexico's league, Gomez was once a club teammate of Landon Donovan with the Galaxy. Even though his stint in the Australia game was short, it was perhaps this understanding between the players that helped create the goal Gomez scored - a redirected finish of a Donovan pass.
“I saw Landon get the ball, and when he has it you have to be on your toes because he can put the ball in some nice places," Gomez explained. "I was going to make a run, but I saw him lace it up so I held, lost my mark and tried to make good contact on it.”
Whoever Bradley chooses to ignite the USA attack will need to be in top form against England's steller squad of well-known stars.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Yet the strikers share something else other than a single-digit cap total. They both rode recent hot streaks in league scoring - Buddle in Major League Soccer, Gomez in Mexico's Primera Division - all the way to a USA roster spot in the World Cup.
Both have also scored twice for the USA, with Buddle notching his total all in the last preparation match versus Australia, a 3-1 win.
One intriguing advantage for the duo of strikers in the international competition that is the World Cup is that they will be virtual unknowns. If people in the USA didn't expect either to make the squad, it's a virtual certainty that no foreign country scouted Gomez or Buddle ahead of time.
Of course, as Jozy Altidore's anke reportedly improves, there is no guarantee that either Buddle or Gomez will feature against England.
USA coach Bob Bradley certainly wasn't tipping his hand about the matter.
"No decisions will be made on Edson starting, but Edson continues to get more comfortable within the group," Bradley told the press after the Australia game. "Today you saw really the things that have highlighted his MLS season so far – taking chances well, good finishing, scoring a goal off a direct, hard shot and scoring with his head, so good things.”
Buddle was modest about his contribution to the USA victory.
"Overall, it was a good game," the striker said. "We got a win and a win's a good thing."
The first goal was created by opportunistic hussle - strike partner Robbie Findly harried a defender into a poor pass, which Buddle cut off.
"I was able to get a foot onto it and go straight to goal," said Buddle. With the speedy Findly distracting the defenders as a pass option, space opened up for Buddle's shot, and he hammered the ball to the back of the net.
On his second goal, Buddle showed off his aerial ability, knocking a header down and into the goal.
"The perfect ball made my job a lot easier," said Buddle, giving credit to Steve Cherundolo's cross.
Though he has never scored for the USA, Findley is another wild card up top for the USA, as his speed creates chances, though he has yet to display the steely nerve to finish those opportunities. Yet he was singled out for praise by his USA teammates in spite of that.
“Edson and Robbie have both played fantastic," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Everything Edson touches is a goal and Robbie creating so many chances, so those guys are exciting for us. In a three-game tournament like this in the first round you’re never going to play the same lineup twice, so it’s really important that everyone is clicking and those guys are.”
Landon Donovan concurred.
“As I’ve been saying all year, the goals are great, but what [Buddle] and Robbie did otherwise are what helps you win games. You need to score goals to win, we understand that, but had they not scored today they still both did a great job of helping our team.”
Though he has played recently in Mexico's league, Gomez was once a club teammate of Landon Donovan with the Galaxy. Even though his stint in the Australia game was short, it was perhaps this understanding between the players that helped create the goal Gomez scored - a redirected finish of a Donovan pass.
“I saw Landon get the ball, and when he has it you have to be on your toes because he can put the ball in some nice places," Gomez explained. "I was going to make a run, but I saw him lace it up so I held, lost my mark and tried to make good contact on it.”
Whoever Bradley chooses to ignite the USA attack will need to be in top form against England's steller squad of well-known stars.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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