If you happened to miss the first 70 or so minutes of Wednesday’s friendly between the United States and the Netherlands, you would have thought the Americans were a dangerous team capable of pushing a world power to the brink.
That first 70 minutes did happen though, and for a good portion of it the Dutch dominated possession, working the wings and making the American attack look lifeless by comparison.
The Netherlands didn’t create a bunch of dangerous chances, but they played well enough to expose weaknesses in the U.S. starting lineup. Their speedy wingers threatened and their central midfield controlled the action for much of a match they never looked troubled in.
Well, until the final portion of the match, when American substitutes provided a boost and outplayed the Dutch subs brought on in the second half. Carlos Bocanegra’s 88th minute goal made it 2-1 and when Jozy Altidore blasted a shot at goal that forced a stellar save from Maarten Stekelenburg, the Dutch fans that had been enjoying their teams domination for much of the evening were suddenly found holding their collective breath as more late chances threatened to give the United States the unlikeliest of equalizers.
The strong finish gave the Americans something to build on despite some disappointing individual performances. On a night when Landon Donovan contributed little, DaMarcus Beasley stepped up and made a strong case for being brought back into the World Cup mix. His speed, shiftiness and ability to provide quality service (including the assist on Carlos Bocanegra’s goal) on the left flank gave us glimpses of the Beasley of the 2002 World Cup.
Overall, the performance was better against the Dutch than the one the United States put forth in 2004, when an Arjen Robben-inspired Oranje squad thoroughly outplayed the United States in a 1-0 victory.
On Wednesday, the Dutch dominated for long stretches, and had more of the ball, but they still relied on a penalty kick and a deflected shot for their two goals. That almost wasn’t enough against an American team that found a rhythm late and nearly squeezed a tie out of a match it looked destined to be blown out in.
If Bob Bradley was looking for some answers about his player pool, he got a few. Jonathan Bornstein’s hold on the left back spot looks untenable after a nightmarish evening that saw him whistled for a penalty and deflect a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar shot past Tim Howard for the Netherlands’ second goal. He also escaped having a second penalty called against him when a ball bounced up and hit his hand in the penalty area.
If Bornstein stood out as the player who endured the worst night, Landon Donovan put in one his most anonymous outings in recent memory. He never got going and contributed nothing to an offense that showed only a faint pulse until late in the second half, when Beasley, Jozy Altidore and Alejandro Bedoya sparked the American offense into a new gear.
While there weren’t any players who played themselves off the World Cup roster, there were certainly players who missed their chance to impress and potentially play themselves on the World Cup roster as we stand 98 days from the United States’ World Cup opener against England on June 12.
Here were the players who gained the most, and lost the most, for the United States on Wednesday:
WINNERS
DAMARCUS BEASLEY
He entered the match for the injured Stuart Holden in the first half and while he started out on the right wing, he looked far more comfortable on the left wing after moving over mid-way through the second half. With no strikers emerging as viable candidates to start, Beasley could wind up taking over the left wing role if Bradley decides to move Landon Donovan to forward alongside Jozy Altidore.
The key for Beasley will be staying healthy and finding minutes with Rangers over the course of the next three months. If he can stay healthy and keep getting playing time, he will not only make the World Cup squad, he’ll make a strong case to start.
MICHAEL BRADLEY
Put in an incredible amount of work in the middle, serving as the one player capable of forcing the Dutch midfield into working harder to create. He picked off passes, gave his teammates an outlet to relieve pressure and provided some bite that the Americans sorely needed. His position on the team has never been in doubt, but he solidified his place as the team’s best central midfielder.
JAY DEMERIT
After not being with the team since its August loss to Mexico due to eye surgery, DeMerit returned to action looking like the same strong and steady center back we saw at the Confederations Cup.
His continued strong form and will once again give Bob Bradley the option of moving Carlos Bocanegra to the left back position when Oguchi Onyewu returns. As it stands, DeMerit has done nothing to relinquish the starting role he earned last summer.
JOZY ALTIDORE
While he's essentially a starting striker by default, Altidore's play on Wednesday suggests that he's growing into his role as the United States' best striker. He played with confidence and never backed down from the Dutch centerbacks, drawing free kicks and making confident moves.
He surely must wish he could have another chance at the late shot he hit that forced a strong save, but that doesn't take away from a good performance. Altidore needs another forward to emerge, or for Charlie Davies to continue healing quickly, because he cannot do it alone up top.
ALEJANDRO BEDOYA
When Bedoya came in for Robbie Findley, he provided instant energy on the right wing and he delivered what could have been a key contribution when he drew a foul on the edge of the penalty area.
He’s a young prospect playing in just his second match, but Robbie Rogers’ shaky form of late coupled with the lack of wing midfield options could open the door for Bedoya to make a late run into the team. If he has a strong three months in Sweden with Orebro, he could very well make the squad.
LOSERS
JONATHAN BORNSTEIN
It was always going to be a tough night for Bornstein, but he didn’t help himself with a tug on Wesley Sneijder in the penalty area, the handful of times he was turned by the Dutch team's wingers, or the poor passes he delivered.
The deflected goal off him wasn’t his fault, and the penalty could be called soft, but at some point Bornstein needs to be more aware of game situations and sharper with the ball. As it stands, he once again looks like a liability as a starter.
LANDON DONOVAN
This was the kind of match Donovan needed to step up and impose his will in, and he did not. If you remember last summer's win against Spain, Donovan was all over the field and made an impact both offensively and defensively.
On Wednesday, Donovan was barely noticeable and his inactivity made it tougher for the American midfield to deal with the Dutch. It was a disappointing night, particularly given how well he has played during his loan spell with Everton.
JOSE TORRES
The young midfielder had a rough beginning to the match, and while he eventually settled down, he still struggled to find the game and make an impact. He did try one promising long-range shot that finished a yard over the crossbar, but contributed little else.
He is still a good bet to make the World Cup squad, but he squandered a chance to create some distance between he, Benny Feilhaber and Maurice Edu in the race to start alongside Michael Bradley.
ROBBIE FINDLEY
After beating out Jeff Cunningham for the chance to play in this match, Findley responded with a forgettable showing. He never really threatened and just couldn’t make his mark.
His lack of impact was magnified by the play of Altidore, who drew fouls and tested the Dutch defense even as the attack struggled to provide him with quality service. Findley’s sub-par showing only serves as a reminder of how few forward options there are.
EDDIE JOHNSON
If this was to be Johnson’s case for making another World Cup squad, then it was certainly a bad one. His poor touch was on display from his opening minute on the field and he failed to make an impact even as his teammates found a way to push the action.
He may still be young and he could still find a good role with Aris FC, but based on his performance Wednesday, Johnson still looks like a player incapable of contributing much at the World Cup.
Ives Galarcep is FoxSoccer.com's newest senior writer who will be covering U.S. Soccer and MLS.
