They weren’t supposed to be here. Hardly anyone gave them a chance of even making it out of their own group, yet here they are. The United States proved the experts wrong and finished second in their group and advanced to the knockout rounds of this year’s World Cup.
Today the U.S. takes on Belgium in what will be another tough test for the underdog Americans. From here on out it’s either win or go home. Head coach Jurgen Klisnmann and his squad understand what’s at stake and will certainly put their best foot forward in today’s match.
Some good news for USA fans, striker Jozy Altidore has been cleared to play and could start in this afternoon’s match. To recap, Altidore strained his hamstring in the 23rd minute of the United States match with Ghana on June 16th. The return of Altidore could certainly help the U.S. in more ways than one.
First and foremost it would allow Klinsmann to return his players to their more natural positions putting Clint Dempsey back in the midfield rather than having him play up top. This would open up the field and allow Dempsey to break free from the defense and in turn create more scoring chances.
Secondly, it would benefit Michael Bradley in the midfield having Dempsey alongside to control the pace of the game. Bradley, whose one of the more notable players on the U.S. roster, has hardly been himself since the World Cup started. He’s been sloppy with his passing throughout the first three games and has yet to score a goal, despite having plenty of opportunities. Regardless if Altidore is in the lineup or not, let’s hope Bradley finds his form and breaks out, he’s more than due.
However the most important aspect of Altidore’s return lies in his knack for scoring goals. During World Cup qualifying Altidore recorded four goals for team USA, so having him on the field could give the offense a much needed boost.
Looking at the other side, the Belgians are quite a banged up team. The Belgian backfield already missing Thomas Vermaelen could be without their captain Vincent Kompany as well. Kompany was limited in training yesterday and is listed as doubtful ahead of Tuesday’s match. Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who has a bruised calf, will be in the starting lineup.
What the Belgians might lack on defense is certainly going to be made up for on the offensive end. Belgium will generate a ruthless attack, led by midfield sensation Eden Hazard, leaving Tim Howard and the United States defense with their hands full. The Chelsea striker is one of the best in the world, top five in my opinion, and is like Belgium’s version of Cristiano Ronaldo.
So ahead of today’s game look for the United States to come out attacking early to test the banged up Belgian defense. If Altidore is indeed back in the lineup look for him and Bradley to have big games. But at the same time you can expect the Belgians to control the ball most of the time, even with some of their key players out. This is a monumental game for the United States; let’s hope for the best.
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