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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Italy v USA: international friendly – live! | Italy v USA: international friendly – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 32 mins: Italy tiptoe to the right edge of the US box, only for Long to shove Berardi off the ball and give up a free kick. Long looked like he was expressing some heartfelt frustration as he delivered that shove.Berardi will swing it in, but it’s too high and hard and drifts past the back post. | |
| 30 mins: Italy playing neat little passing triangles in the USA half, with Sensi prodding play this way and that. Whatever the virtues of this exercise for the USA, this has been a neat sparring exercise so far for the Italian B team. Half an hour gone. No score yet. | |
| 28 mins: USA have had 26% of possession so far. Not in a good way. | |
| 26 mins: The Italians still toying with the US then looking for telling final passes behind or through them. No decisive breakthrough as yet, but for now they’re looking pretty comfortable going forward, though on occasion now, the US are beginning to make their press look a little more effective in the Italian half. | |
| 24 mins: Sargent bundled off the ball on the edge of the box, but only gets a throw-in for his pains.Meanwhile, in further email intrigue, Joe Harvey drops by to foment revolt:“I don’t understand why any of the promising young players for the US even show up to these friendlies if there’s no real coach. I’m honestly surprised there hasn’t been an honest to goodness player revolt.”I’m guessing they’d have to learn each others’ names to get organized first? | |
| 22 mins: Acosta’s inswinger is dealt with easily enough, but the referee had blown for a foul by Zimmerman anyway. | |
| Meanwhile Justin Kavanaugh emails to muse idly: | |
| “The current USA set up reminds me of that old joke where you call up a friend and ask him/her “How do keep an American soccer fan in suspense?” Then you hang up. Arsène Wenger is free, I hear. Could a Frenchman ever manage the USA national team, I wonder.” | |
| 20 mins: ...how did Bonucci miss that? Sensi floats the ball to the edge of the six yard box where Zimmerman had lost Bonucci to give him a free header. Somehow he directed it straight at Horvath with the goal gaping. Let off for the USA. | |
| At the other end of the field Di Sciglio gets himself a yellow card wide left in his own half, as he chops down Delgado. | |
| 18 mins: Adams gives up a free kick in a dangerous spt some 25 yards out left of center. Sensi is over it... | |
| 16 mins: Rare chance for the US as Pulisic drives a ball across goal looking for Sargent, but it never reaches him and there’s too little support from his team mates to put Italy under pressure as they clear the lines. | |
| Immediately the US are under pressure at the other end and Carter-Vickers has to make a last ditch recovery tackle at the expense of a corner. | |
| 14 mins: Chiesa barrels in looking to great a floated cross to the edge of the six yard box, but Moore does enough to impede him and earn the foul. Going to be a busy night for the Reus Deportiu man.A minute later Chiesa sends a cross of his own in and Berardi has a free header near the spot, which he directs just past the near post. | |
| 12 mins: Now Chiesa tries to sneak past Moore at the back post on a ball ver the top, but Horvath read the cross easily enough. And now Aaron Long steps across to clear another probing pass out for a throw. | |
| Long and team mate Tyler Adams are both still in the MLS playoffs by the way — interesting to see how long they play before expected starts in Atlanta on Sunday. | |
| 10 mins: Chiesa’s been popping up along the front line and now he comes central to send a low shot from distance skimming past Horvath’s right post. The US goalkeeper had it covered, but more alarming for Dave Sarachan will be the ease with which Chiesa was able to get the shot off in the first place. Still 0-0. | |
| 8 mins: US trying to play their way forward, and Adams gets his foot on the ball looking for a free team mate. He picks out Pulisic, but all the lanes are closed down quickly and any glimmer of progress is gone. | |
| 6 mins: Cannon tracks Emerson well to play the ball off him for a goal kick, but it’s already looking like an attack versus defense training exercise with the US dropping off and the Italians comfortable trying to unpick them in the final third. | |
| 4 mins: Sarachan has sent out a 3-5-2 led by Sergant and Pulisic, and with the instruction to be proactive. They’re lying pretty deep so far, though the forward two almost start a scrappy transition in Italy’s half, without much support from fellow white shirts. So that fizzles out. | |
| At the other end Horvath has to be smartly off his line to smother a ball over the top for Chiesa. And now there’s another warning as Italy pass through the lines to almost get Berardi free for a shot on the left of the box. | |
| 2 mins: Chiesa gets clattered early by Moore, before Chiesa can get any fancy ideas about dribbling. Italy knock the ball around patiently, though a fair distance from the USA goal. | |
| Referee Cuneyt Cakir of Turkey gets us underway — fun fact: he was the referee for the England-Croatia World Cup semi-final. Italy kick off... | |
| Nope...nothing yet, just anthems:Italy arm in arm and looking relaxed as they belt out their singalong (A couple of them are even swaying), after the US youngsters stood looking pretty petrified during their anthem, like a line of kindergarteners on their first visit to the principal’s office. Apart from Pulisic, tonight’s captain, who as usual looked pretty unfazed by any occasion he finds himself in. | Nope...nothing yet, just anthems:Italy arm in arm and looking relaxed as they belt out their singalong (A couple of them are even swaying), after the US youngsters stood looking pretty petrified during their anthem, like a line of kindergarteners on their first visit to the principal’s office. Apart from Pulisic, tonight’s captain, who as usual looked pretty unfazed by any occasion he finds himself in. |
| The USA does not have a head coach yet:This blog has been live for about an hour now, and there’s still no sign of a permanent head coach for the USA, which leaves the youngest ever starting XI for a US national team wandering around Italy, like a lost group of gap year backpackers. Gregg Berhalter’s Columbus Crew SC are out of the MLS playoffs now, so it may be that he’ll be confirmed in the coming days — so this should be Dave Sarachan’s last game in charge. He’s done a competent job cycling the next generation through, but the lack of coherent direction forward has been painfully apparent in the last couple of international get togethers. | The USA does not have a head coach yet:This blog has been live for about an hour now, and there’s still no sign of a permanent head coach for the USA, which leaves the youngest ever starting XI for a US national team wandering around Italy, like a lost group of gap year backpackers. Gregg Berhalter’s Columbus Crew SC are out of the MLS playoffs now, so it may be that he’ll be confirmed in the coming days — so this should be Dave Sarachan’s last game in charge. He’s done a competent job cycling the next generation through, but the lack of coherent direction forward has been painfully apparent in the last couple of international get togethers. |
| Twitter reaches fever pitch | Twitter reaches fever pitch |
| Er, condolences. | Er, condolences. |
| Snark aside (granted — a tall order for a Guardian liveblog) even the US players are beginning to let their diplomatic masks slip when showing up for these international windows, since the months have drifted by without sign of a permanent coach. The 3-0 loss to England was pretty dismal, but hardly unexpected after window after window of constantly rotating formations (we’re expecting a 3-5-2 today FWIW) and personnel. Ironically, the list of teams the USA has played in that time have represented something of a Who’s Who of elite world teams, yet it’s been hard to see how those experiences can coalesce into any sort of coherent institutional memory for the coming World Cup cycle. | Snark aside (granted — a tall order for a Guardian liveblog) even the US players are beginning to let their diplomatic masks slip when showing up for these international windows, since the months have drifted by without sign of a permanent coach. The 3-0 loss to England was pretty dismal, but hardly unexpected after window after window of constantly rotating formations (we’re expecting a 3-5-2 today FWIW) and personnel. Ironically, the list of teams the USA has played in that time have represented something of a Who’s Who of elite world teams, yet it’s been hard to see how those experiences can coalesce into any sort of coherent institutional memory for the coming World Cup cycle. |
| Italy: | Italy: |
| Sirigu, De Sciglio, Acerbi, Bonucci, Emerson Palmieri, Barella, Sensi, Verratti, Chiesa, Lasagna, Berardi. Subs: Cragno, Mancini, Biraghi, Gagliardini, Pavoletti, Grifo, Rugani, Tonali, Kean, Politano, Donnarumma. | Sirigu, De Sciglio, Acerbi, Bonucci, Emerson Palmieri, Barella, Sensi, Verratti, Chiesa, Lasagna, Berardi. Subs: Cragno, Mancini, Biraghi, Gagliardini, Pavoletti, Grifo, Rugani, Tonali, Kean, Politano, Donnarumma. |
| USA: | USA: |
| Horvath, Carter-Vickers, Zimmerman, Long, Adams, Cannon, Moore, Delgado, Acosta, Pulisic, Sargent. Subs: Guzan, Miazga, Wood, Weah, Lletget, Green, Villafana, Trapp, Gall. So, Sassuolo’s Berardi, Udinese’s Lasagna and Fiorentina’s Chiesa will get first crack at yet another reshuffled USA defense, with Ethan Horvath replacing Brad Guzan in goal, and by the looks of it, everybody replacing everybody else. Except Pulisic. Josh Sargent has recovered from his slight injury worry to get a proper run out up top for the USA, but other than that it’s a continuation of this year’s theme of giving exposure and experience to numerous young players with an EYE TO THE FUTURE or something.Get ready for some meaningful action. | Horvath, Carter-Vickers, Zimmerman, Long, Adams, Cannon, Moore, Delgado, Acosta, Pulisic, Sargent. Subs: Guzan, Miazga, Wood, Weah, Lletget, Green, Villafana, Trapp, Gall. So, Sassuolo’s Berardi, Udinese’s Lasagna and Fiorentina’s Chiesa will get first crack at yet another reshuffled USA defense, with Ethan Horvath replacing Brad Guzan in goal, and by the looks of it, everybody replacing everybody else. Except Pulisic. Josh Sargent has recovered from his slight injury worry to get a proper run out up top for the USA, but other than that it’s a continuation of this year’s theme of giving exposure and experience to numerous young players with an EYE TO THE FUTURE or something.Get ready for some meaningful action. |
| Italy:So after the weekend’s 0-0 draw with Portugal, Roberto Mancini has slightly shuffled his squad around — with the following 22 in place for tonight’s game: | Italy:So after the weekend’s 0-0 draw with Portugal, Roberto Mancini has slightly shuffled his squad around — with the following 22 in place for tonight’s game: |
| GOALKEEPERS (3): Alessio Cragno (Cagliari; 0/0), Gianluigi Donnaurumma (AC Milan; 11/0), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino; 18/0) | GOALKEEPERS (3): Alessio Cragno (Cagliari; 0/0), Gianluigi Donnaurumma (AC Milan; 11/0), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino; 18/0) |
| DEFENDERS (7): Francesco Acerbi (Lazio; 2/0), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina; 4/1), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus; 84/6), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus; 36/0), Gianluca Manchini (Atalanta; 0/0), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea/ENG; 1/0), Daniele Rugani (Juventus; 7/0) | DEFENDERS (7): Francesco Acerbi (Lazio; 2/0), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina; 4/1), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus; 84/6), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus; 36/0), Gianluca Manchini (Atalanta; 0/0), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea/ENG; 1/0), Daniele Rugani (Juventus; 7/0) |
| MIDFIELDERS (6): Nicolò Barella (Cagliari; 3/0), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter Milan; 5/0), Vincenzo Grifo (Hoffenheim/GER; 0/0), Stefano Sensi (Sassuolo; 0/0), Sandro Tonali (Brescia; 0/0), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 28/1) | MIDFIELDERS (6): Nicolò Barella (Cagliari; 3/0), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter Milan; 5/0), Vincenzo Grifo (Hoffenheim/GER; 0/0), Stefano Sensi (Sassuolo; 0/0), Sandro Tonali (Brescia; 0/0), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 28/1) |
| FORWARDS (6): Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo; 4/0), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina; 10/0), Moise Kean (Juventus; 0/0), Kevin Lasagna (Udinese; 2/0), Leonardo Pavoletti (Cagliari; 0/0), Matteo Politano (Inter Milan; 1/0) | FORWARDS (6): Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo; 4/0), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina; 10/0), Moise Kean (Juventus; 0/0), Kevin Lasagna (Udinese; 2/0), Leonardo Pavoletti (Cagliari; 0/0), Matteo Politano (Inter Milan; 1/0) |
| It’s a young looking squad, as they generally have been since the failure to qualify for the World Cup mandated change. After Leonardo Bonucci, there’s a pretty steep drop off in terms of international experience, until you get to Marco Verratti, who is by far the most experienced international midfielder Italy will have on the field. Both will be starting tonight. | It’s a young looking squad, as they generally have been since the failure to qualify for the World Cup mandated change. After Leonardo Bonucci, there’s a pretty steep drop off in terms of international experience, until you get to Marco Verratti, who is by far the most experienced international midfielder Italy will have on the field. Both will be starting tonight. |
| What’s most intriguing is wondering who out of the group of forwards is going to make a name for themselves and establish themselves in this group. The USA’s permanent state of flux ought to make for a...er...sympathetic defense to face under the circumstances. | What’s most intriguing is wondering who out of the group of forwards is going to make a name for themselves and establish themselves in this group. The USA’s permanent state of flux ought to make for a...er...sympathetic defense to face under the circumstances. |
| Afternoon all, and welcome to the latest episode of the end of history. With Dave Sarachan’s interim stint as US head coach entering its | Afternoon all, and welcome to the latest episode of the end of history. With Dave Sarachan’s interim stint as US head coach entering its |
| third decade | third decade |
| 13th month, we’re ending another international window with yet more carefully curated Glimpses O’ The Future™ sprinkled in lightly organized formations across a field, and no permanent solution in sight.We’ve been promised that the USA will have a permanent head coach by the end of the year, and doubtless there’ll be some kind of Guardian liveblog set up to document a nation holding its breath to track progress on that front, as the shortlist is whittled down from its current length of one whole name. | 13th month, we’re ending another international window with yet more carefully curated Glimpses O’ The Future™ sprinkled in lightly organized formations across a field, and no permanent solution in sight.We’ve been promised that the USA will have a permanent head coach by the end of the year, and doubtless there’ll be some kind of Guardian liveblog set up to document a nation holding its breath to track progress on that front, as the shortlist is whittled down from its current length of one whole name. |
| Meanwhile Italy are looking like a very model of stability by comparison, what with their credible draws and Nations League solidity under Roberto Mancini making them look just like classic group stage Italian sides of yore, if you squint a bit. They’ll play host this afternoon/evening. | Meanwhile Italy are looking like a very model of stability by comparison, what with their credible draws and Nations League solidity under Roberto Mancini making them look just like classic group stage Italian sides of yore, if you squint a bit. They’ll play host this afternoon/evening. |
| We’ll have some team news shortly, but for now get your tweets coming in to @grahamparkerfc or email graham.parker@theguardian.com with the subject line, “How does it take a year to say Gregg Berhalter?” and I’ll get back to you sometime in the next World Cup cycle. | We’ll have some team news shortly, but for now get your tweets coming in to @grahamparkerfc or email graham.parker@theguardian.com with the subject line, “How does it take a year to say Gregg Berhalter?” and I’ll get back to you sometime in the next World Cup cycle. |
| Graham will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s some transfer speculation regarding Christian Pulisic: | Graham will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s some transfer speculation regarding Christian Pulisic: |
| Christian Pulisic has said he is open to moving to the Premier League, with Chelsea understood to be leading the race to sign the forward from Borussia Dortmund next summer. | Christian Pulisic has said he is open to moving to the Premier League, with Chelsea understood to be leading the race to sign the forward from Borussia Dortmund next summer. |
| The USA international is expected to face his clubmate Jadon Sancho at Wembley on Thursday having been left out of the Dortmund side that beat Bayern Munich on Saturday in favour of the 18-year-old Englishman. | The USA international is expected to face his clubmate Jadon Sancho at Wembley on Thursday having been left out of the Dortmund side that beat Bayern Munich on Saturday in favour of the 18-year-old Englishman. |
| Pulisic has been linked to several Premier League sides including Liverpool and Tottenham in the past but it is understood that Chelsea have shown most interest in prising him away from the Bundesliga leaders. | Pulisic has been linked to several Premier League sides including Liverpool and Tottenham in the past but it is understood that Chelsea have shown most interest in prising him away from the Bundesliga leaders. |
| You can read the full article below: | You can read the full article below: |