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| USA 1-0 Paraguay: international soccer friendly – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| No need to make too much of this. Paraguay brought little but a bad attitude. But a bunch of U.S. young players -- Tyler Adams, Marky Delgado and Timothy Weah (in a brief appearance) -- brought some flair to the attack. Matt Miazga and Cameron Carter-Vickers were formidable at the back. | No need to make too much of this. Paraguay brought little but a bad attitude. But a bunch of U.S. young players -- Tyler Adams, Marky Delgado and Timothy Weah (in a brief appearance) -- brought some flair to the attack. Matt Miazga and Cameron Carter-Vickers were formidable at the back. |
| Yes, play could be better in the final third. The USA have a lot of good building blocks right now. Not the whole building. | Yes, play could be better in the final third. The USA have a lot of good building blocks right now. Not the whole building. |
| So that’s all from here. Thanks for following along. | So that’s all from here. Thanks for following along. |
| Tim Weah was born my Rookie Season, which means it’s way past my bedtime. Goodnight. | |
| 90 min (+4): Paraguay win a free kick just to the side of the box. All we needed here in this testy friendly was a big battle in the box. Steffen punches it away, and the ref has seen enough of this game. It’s over. | 90 min (+4): Paraguay win a free kick just to the side of the box. All we needed here in this testy friendly was a big battle in the box. Steffen punches it away, and the ref has seen enough of this game. It’s over. |
| 90 min (+3): CHANCE. Oh, that was fun. Weah wins the ball and works the ball back and forth with Novakovich. The young forward accelerates away from the defense but shoots straight at the keeper from an acute angle. | 90 min (+3): CHANCE. Oh, that was fun. Weah wins the ball and works the ball back and forth with Novakovich. The young forward accelerates away from the defense but shoots straight at the keeper from an acute angle. |
| 90 min (+2): Cristian Roldan replaces Nagbe for the final 90-120 seconds of this one. The free kick is played down to the corner. | 90 min (+2): Cristian Roldan replaces Nagbe for the final 90-120 seconds of this one. The free kick is played down to the corner. |
| 90 min (+1): Nagbe’s free kick gets over the wall but can’t drop in time to get under the bar. | 90 min (+1): Nagbe’s free kick gets over the wall but can’t drop in time to get under the bar. |
| We’ll have three minutes of stoppage time, during which Paraguay will probably collect three more yellow cards. There’s one. | We’ll have three minutes of stoppage time, during which Paraguay will probably collect three more yellow cards. There’s one. |
| 90 min: Weah has already shown a couple of flashes, and Santander comes back to bring him down to set up a free kick from 25 yards. | 90 min: Weah has already shown a couple of flashes, and Santander comes back to bring him down to set up a free kick from 25 yards. |
| 87 min: Villafana again wins the ball and charges down the flank, getting fouled for his trouble. | 87 min: Villafana again wins the ball and charges down the flank, getting fouled for his trouble. |
| Weah plays for PSG, and we’re told he’s the first player born in the year 2000 to play for the USA. | Weah plays for PSG, and we’re told he’s the first player born in the year 2000 to play for the USA. |
| BREAKING: We’re all old now https://t.co/7lUSPQ7NxE | BREAKING: We’re all old now https://t.co/7lUSPQ7NxE |
| 86 min: SUBSTITUTION and it’s a big name. Delgado makes way for Timothy Weah. Yes, Weah -- son of the legend-turned-Liberian president, George Weah. | 86 min: SUBSTITUTION and it’s a big name. Delgado makes way for Timothy Weah. Yes, Weah -- son of the legend-turned-Liberian president, George Weah. |
| The other Paraguayan sub: Cecilio Dominguez replaced Oscar Romero. | The other Paraguayan sub: Cecilio Dominguez replaced Oscar Romero. |
| The USA have made two subs in the 84th minute of a friendly. They have four remaining just in case there’s a late rash of injuries or something. | The USA have made two subs in the 84th minute of a friendly. They have four remaining just in case there’s a late rash of injuries or something. |
| 83 min: The free kick hits the wall and bounces up roughly to the altitude of the moon. Then it bounces in the box and looks dangerous until Villafana finally works it free. | 83 min: The free kick hits the wall and bounces up roughly to the altitude of the moon. Then it bounces in the box and looks dangerous until Villafana finally works it free. |
| Paraguay has made two substitutions, taking out Rojas for Derlis Gonzalez of Dynamo Kiev. | Paraguay has made two substitutions, taking out Rojas for Derlis Gonzalez of Dynamo Kiev. |
| 80 min: An ugly collision between Paraguayan teammates, and the ref waves on the trainers to attend to Santander and Rojas. | 80 min: An ugly collision between Paraguayan teammates, and the ref waves on the trainers to attend to Santander and Rojas. |
| They stay in, and Carter-Vickers gets a yellow for hauling down Santander in the eyes of the ref. Looked like shoulder-to-shoulder contact from here. Free kick from just outside the box, not too far from the arc. | They stay in, and Carter-Vickers gets a yellow for hauling down Santander in the eyes of the ref. Looked like shoulder-to-shoulder contact from here. Free kick from just outside the box, not too far from the arc. |
| 77 min: And my worst fears are realized. I have to learn to spell Andrija Novakovich, a player I know absolutely nothing about other than he’s from Wisconsin, played for Chicago Magic and is apparently tearing up the second division in the Netherlands. He replaces Bobby Wood. | 77 min: And my worst fears are realized. I have to learn to spell Andrija Novakovich, a player I know absolutely nothing about other than he’s from Wisconsin, played for Chicago Magic and is apparently tearing up the second division in the Netherlands. He replaces Bobby Wood. |
| Speaking of tearing up, the Fox cameras are lingering on Novakovich’s mother, who is thrilled to see her son’s debut. | Speaking of tearing up, the Fox cameras are lingering on Novakovich’s mother, who is thrilled to see her son’s debut. |
| 75 min: CHANCE and it’s Paraguay’s best of the night. A cross to the far post, and Perez soars over Villafana. His header goes across the face of goal. | 75 min: CHANCE and it’s Paraguay’s best of the night. A cross to the far post, and Perez soars over Villafana. His header goes across the face of goal. |
| 74 min: The game is in a definite lull. Twitter is outraged. | 74 min: The game is in a definite lull. Twitter is outraged. |
| Hey Dave. You have five subs and 18 minutes. COME ON MAN. | Hey Dave. You have five subs and 18 minutes. COME ON MAN. |
| 71 min: Paraguay is padding its passing stats. | 71 min: Paraguay is padding its passing stats. |
| 67 min: CHANCE. Paraguay suddenly presses like there’s no tomorrow, and Miazga coughs it up. Carter-Vickers scrambles, and the shot is deflected wide. | 67 min: CHANCE. Paraguay suddenly presses like there’s no tomorrow, and Miazga coughs it up. Carter-Vickers scrambles, and the shot is deflected wide. |
| 66 min: Saief has taken a lot of the set pieces, and the left-footer bends his free kick around the wall and toward the upper right corner, but the keeper Fernandez is able to get to it. | 66 min: Saief has taken a lot of the set pieces, and the left-footer bends his free kick around the wall and toward the upper right corner, but the keeper Fernandez is able to get to it. |
| That’ll be Saief’s last contribution. In now: Rubio Rubin, from Oregon via the Netherlands and a few other places. | That’ll be Saief’s last contribution. In now: Rubio Rubin, from Oregon via the Netherlands and a few other places. |
| 65 min: Sustained U.S. possession. Wil Trapp is clattered to the ground, but advantage is played. DeAndre Yedlin meets the same fate, and the whistle blows. | 65 min: Sustained U.S. possession. Wil Trapp is clattered to the ground, but advantage is played. DeAndre Yedlin meets the same fate, and the whistle blows. |
| Paraguay brings in Richard Ortiz for captain Cristian Riveros. | Paraguay brings in Richard Ortiz for captain Cristian Riveros. |
| A U.S. sub will wait until after the free kick. | A U.S. sub will wait until after the free kick. |
| 62 min: Yedlin sees yellow for retaliating after taking a bump on the sideline. | 62 min: Yedlin sees yellow for retaliating after taking a bump on the sideline. |
| Through 55 minutes we've attempted 13 crosses and completed 0 forward passes in Zone 14 #USMNT pic.twitter.com/HxYHWtb7b0 | Through 55 minutes we've attempted 13 crosses and completed 0 forward passes in Zone 14 #USMNT pic.twitter.com/HxYHWtb7b0 |
| And yet, no subs. | And yet, no subs. |
| Justin Kavanagh writes: “Thanks for that nice recap of the Jonathan Gonzalez saga, Beau. So there must be no truth to the rumor that President Trump is trying to build a MAGA team for the co-hosted North American World Cup in 2026 and getting the Mexicans (and probably the Canadians) to pay for it? Stormy times ahead for the USSF too, methinks!” | Justin Kavanagh writes: “Thanks for that nice recap of the Jonathan Gonzalez saga, Beau. So there must be no truth to the rumor that President Trump is trying to build a MAGA team for the co-hosted North American World Cup in 2026 and getting the Mexicans (and probably the Canadians) to pay for it? Stormy times ahead for the USSF too, methinks!” |
| I didn’t actually write that piece -- it was Matthew Hall. Let’s see it again: | I didn’t actually write that piece -- it was Matthew Hall. Let’s see it again: |
| 59 min: Paraguay earns a prolonged possession in the U.S. half, but they have to keep taking it back toward the center stripe, unable to find a way through. | 59 min: Paraguay earns a prolonged possession in the U.S. half, but they have to keep taking it back toward the center stripe, unable to find a way through. |
| That Paraguay substitution: Hernan Perez (Alaves) replaces Nestor Camacho. | That Paraguay substitution: Hernan Perez (Alaves) replaces Nestor Camacho. |
| 54 min: What do you tell your youth kids about short corners? Do NOT play it right back to the guy who took the kick unless you’re sure he’s not offside. | 54 min: What do you tell your youth kids about short corners? Do NOT play it right back to the guy who took the kick unless you’re sure he’s not offside. |
| In this case, he was offside. | In this case, he was offside. |
| Paraguay substitution -- we’ll sum it up after the ref calms things down. We just had a flying studs-up challenge into Delgado, and Paraguay collects another yellow card. (Rojas in this case.) | Paraguay substitution -- we’ll sum it up after the ref calms things down. We just had a flying studs-up challenge into Delgado, and Paraguay collects another yellow card. (Rojas in this case.) |
| 53 min: The USA maintain possession after the corner, and Kenny Saief decides to do some fancy stuff in the corner. Junior Alonso takes exception and sweeps the leg. Saief gets up slowly as our referee produces a yellow card. The free kick results in ... another corner! | 53 min: The USA maintain possession after the corner, and Kenny Saief decides to do some fancy stuff in the corner. Junior Alonso takes exception and sweeps the leg. Saief gets up slowly as our referee produces a yellow card. The free kick results in ... another corner! |
| 52 min: Paraguay figures out a way to stop Tyler Adams. In the NFL, it’s called a horse-collar tackle. Here, it’s a free kick from the right flank, and it’s headed away for a corner. | 52 min: Paraguay figures out a way to stop Tyler Adams. In the NFL, it’s called a horse-collar tackle. Here, it’s a free kick from the right flank, and it’s headed away for a corner. |
| 49 min: A U.S. corner kick gives them the opportunity to bring up some taller players in Miazga and Carter-Vickers, but it all comes to nothing. | 49 min: A U.S. corner kick gives them the opportunity to bring up some taller players in Miazga and Carter-Vickers, but it all comes to nothing. |
| 48 min: A big cross from Villafana on the left and BRIAN MCBRIDE IS THERE TO HEAD IT HOME! | 48 min: A big cross from Villafana on the left and BRIAN MCBRIDE IS THERE TO HEAD IT HOME! |
| No, I’m kidding. It’s headed away from Nagbe. No target players for the USA in this game. Is that a bad thing? | No, I’m kidding. It’s headed away from Nagbe. No target players for the USA in this game. Is that a bad thing? |
| 46 min: We’re underway, and Paraguay tries a long throw-in. They’re playing a bit like a U.S. college team, which may confuse the USA’s new generation of academy kids who skipped NCAA ball. | 46 min: We’re underway, and Paraguay tries a long throw-in. They’re playing a bit like a U.S. college team, which may confuse the USA’s new generation of academy kids who skipped NCAA ball. |
| Here’s the most confusing of the various data-plotting tweets spotted at halftime ... | Here’s the most confusing of the various data-plotting tweets spotted at halftime ... |
| Unsurprisingly with this lineup, everything for #USMNT is starting deep centrally and then going from the wings. Continuing a frustratingly long trend, there is a large hole in Zone 14 due to lack of creative playmaker. #USAvPAR pic.twitter.com/DTYdW6SmMd | Unsurprisingly with this lineup, everything for #USMNT is starting deep centrally and then going from the wings. Continuing a frustratingly long trend, there is a large hole in Zone 14 due to lack of creative playmaker. #USAvPAR pic.twitter.com/DTYdW6SmMd |
| Yeah, about that final-third play ... | Yeah, about that final-third play ... |
| First half numbers:- Comp passes: USA 270, PAR 202- Attacking third touches: USA 87, PAR 33- Non-PK xG: USA 0.18 on 1 shot, PAR 0.24 on 5 shots | First half numbers:- Comp passes: USA 270, PAR 202- Attacking third touches: USA 87, PAR 33- Non-PK xG: USA 0.18 on 1 shot, PAR 0.24 on 5 shots |
| No hyperbole here -- this was the play of the half ... | No hyperbole here -- this was the play of the half ... |
| What a ball from @MarkyDelgado 👀Adams draws the PK and Wood converts for the USA 🇺🇸#TFCLive | #USMNT pic.twitter.com/JsXHX4HXps | What a ball from @MarkyDelgado 👀Adams draws the PK and Wood converts for the USA 🇺🇸#TFCLive | #USMNT pic.twitter.com/JsXHX4HXps |
| The good (from the USA point of view): Tyler Adams and Marky Delgado are dynamos in central midfield. Matt Miazga and Cameron Carter-Vickers have dealt with everything thrown their way in central defense. Bobby Wood finally scored. Jorge Villafana and Kenny Saief are making things happen on the left flank. | The good (from the USA point of view): Tyler Adams and Marky Delgado are dynamos in central midfield. Matt Miazga and Cameron Carter-Vickers have dealt with everything thrown their way in central defense. Bobby Wood finally scored. Jorge Villafana and Kenny Saief are making things happen on the left flank. |
| The bad: Most of the touches in the final third. Even on the play to set up the PK, Adams took a heavy touch. | The bad: Most of the touches in the final third. Even on the play to set up the PK, Adams took a heavy touch. |
| 45 min +1: Carter-Vickers concedes a free kick. Santander has a few words with Carter-Vickers, the Tottenham defender on loan to Ipswich Town. | 45 min +1: Carter-Vickers concedes a free kick. Santander has a few words with Carter-Vickers, the Tottenham defender on loan to Ipswich Town. |
| The free kick goes to the far post and then caroms tantalizingly across the 6-yard box, but no one’s there. | The free kick goes to the far post and then caroms tantalizingly across the 6-yard box, but no one’s there. |
| Bobby Wood’s scoring stats for the past year are not good. But he confidently sends the keeper the wrong way and calmly slots it into the net. | Bobby Wood’s scoring stats for the past year are not good. But he confidently sends the keeper the wrong way and calmly slots it into the net. |
| Marky Delgado springs Tyler Adams for a breakaway. He goes one-on-one with the keeper. Adams pushes the ball a bit too far but draws contact, and whistle is blown. Yellow card to the keeper. | Marky Delgado springs Tyler Adams for a breakaway. He goes one-on-one with the keeper. Adams pushes the ball a bit too far but draws contact, and whistle is blown. Yellow card to the keeper. |
| 42 min: A bit of chippiness here. Saief falls rather easily under pressure, so Miazga takes out Almiron. | 42 min: A bit of chippiness here. Saief falls rather easily under pressure, so Miazga takes out Almiron. |
| 40 min: Wil Trapp with an amazing defensive move, standing in place while a Paraguayan attacker dribbles straight at him instead of passing to Almiron. Did we mention the Paraguayan team also is shy of experience? | 40 min: Wil Trapp with an amazing defensive move, standing in place while a Paraguayan attacker dribbles straight at him instead of passing to Almiron. Did we mention the Paraguayan team also is shy of experience? |
| 39 min: Yedlin races forward to win the ball in the Paraguayan half but somehow neglects to take the ball with him as he continues moving forward. After that bit of excitement, we’re back in a lull. | 39 min: Yedlin races forward to win the ball in the Paraguayan half but somehow neglects to take the ball with him as he continues moving forward. After that bit of excitement, we’re back in a lull. |
| Here’s that Miazga move that youth coaches will be yelling at their kids only to try in certain circumstances: | Here’s that Miazga move that youth coaches will be yelling at their kids only to try in certain circumstances: |
| You gotta be quicker than that. @MattMiazga3 with some clever 👣work. pic.twitter.com/8UcXenjlDt | You gotta be quicker than that. @MattMiazga3 with some clever 👣work. pic.twitter.com/8UcXenjlDt |
| 36 min: Saief wins it cleanly, works it to Delgado, over to Wood ... and that’s as far as it gets. Wood will not want to check Twitter right now, and not just because he’s on the field and it would look suspicious if he suddenly took out a phone and started scrolling. | 36 min: Saief wins it cleanly, works it to Delgado, over to Wood ... and that’s as far as it gets. Wood will not want to check Twitter right now, and not just because he’s on the field and it would look suspicious if he suddenly took out a phone and started scrolling. |
| 35 min: A giveaway by Villafana, and Paraguay are off to the races. But the U.S. center backs remain formidable. | 35 min: A giveaway by Villafana, and Paraguay are off to the races. But the U.S. center backs remain formidable. |
| Scott Bassett writes: “Funny to hear 19 year old Tyler Adams yelling at Kenny Saief, his senior by five years, when Saief miscontrolled Tyler’s pass.” | Scott Bassett writes: “Funny to hear 19 year old Tyler Adams yelling at Kenny Saief, his senior by five years, when Saief miscontrolled Tyler’s pass.” |
| Adams probably has a bit more security in getting more call-ups, being young and being a known quantity in MLS and the youth system. Saief, clearly out to impress, seems alternately sharp and jittery. | Adams probably has a bit more security in getting more call-ups, being young and being a known quantity in MLS and the youth system. Saief, clearly out to impress, seems alternately sharp and jittery. |
| 32 min: Miazga beats an onrushing forward with a nifty bit of skill that makes the crowd gush. The reaction surely would’ve been different if that hadn’t worked, especially when he had an easy pass available to Carter-Vickers. | 32 min: Miazga beats an onrushing forward with a nifty bit of skill that makes the crowd gush. The reaction surely would’ve been different if that hadn’t worked, especially when he had an easy pass available to Carter-Vickers. |