Hats off to Haiti, the island nation that knows all too well, misery and decrepitude. They came to play and play they did, hard and fast pushing the USA to their limits. The first half was about the USA looking as static as paint drying on a wall as Juergen Klinsmann as is his annoying wont decided to make wholesale changes to the starting XI playing Honduras. Seven different players with the back line completely revamped with Greg Garza, Tim Ream, Omar Gonzalez, and Brad Evans getting the nod, in the midfield Mix Diskerud and Graham Zusi, and up front Aron Johannsson.
The result, no movement down the flanks, and Diskerud and Bradley essentially clueless in their roles as to who would roam upfield and who would patrol the back line. The result both actually went deeper and deeper into their own half as Haiti repeatedly took the ball away like candy from a baby and stretched the US defense tighter than a drum with their speed and movement. For the first 30 minutes, the USA looked like tourists in search of a guide with Haiti coming closest as a well struck free kick from Jerome just knicked the crossbar.
They had by then outshot the USA, 5 to zero with Wilde- Donald Gurriere causing all sorts of problems with only his wayward shooting limiting any sort of damage. Johannsson was the only spark for the US running well into promising space but frustrated by a plodding USA operating along an entirely predictable and narrow bandwidth. Still, the last 10 minutes of the first half saw them establish a toehold as Bradley started venturing up front finding Dempsey, Altidore, and Johannsson with more regularity. The first big controversial moment came in the 35th minute when Altidore played on the left by Bradley dithered and his cut back and cross ricocheted off a Haitian defender to find Johannsson who looked marginally on side when he struck the ball into the net. But it was called back and replays showed the goal should have stood. The first half ended with Klinsmann looking like he needed a Carli Lloyd.
For those who missed the match, here it is in its entirety.
The USA improved by a quantum in the second half as Gyasi Zardes came on for Altidore and there it was, within the second minute as Garza found Zardes who ran into the box and then cleverly cut back to find Dempsey for his angled shot which beat Placide. Deuce has found his scoring touch, three winning goals in two matches. Haiti to their eternal credit did not go away and it was left to an alert Brad Guzan to deny Dukens Nazon shimmying his way into the box. Minutes later, Gurriere fronting Garza lasered his header just wide after Kim Jaggy sent in a beautifully weighted and curling cross from the left flank. The USA were now definitely parking the bus but Dempsey had other ideas after a US counterattack jigged his way to the right of the box and then floated a cross that hung invitingly for Johannsson to attempt a bicycle kick which he missed and the ball was cleared. That was the signal for Klinsmann to shut down shop. Kyle Beckerman came on for Johannsson and the USA saw off Haiti.
The positive, the USA has found ways to win. Which amounts to Deuce. He disappears for large stretches but he’s there when the occasion demands. The negative, the USA have looked slow, ponderous, and bereft of ideas in their build ups and very vulnerable to counterattacks. A more ruthless side will cause all sorts of problems.