USA vs. Italy: Historic Victory Highlights a Bright Future

U.S. soccer sent a message to the world on Wednesday that they must be taken seriously. This all became clear as they took down Italy, 1-0, in an international friendly played in Genoa on Wednesday. 

This was the first time the U.S. has ever beaten traditional powerhouse Italy. This streak of futility extended 10 games and dated back to 1934. 

Clint Dempsey scored the game's lone goal from the top of the box, after a nice touch pass from Jozy Altidore.

While this win is worth celebrating, it should be seen as a sign of things to come and not a lone highlight that they are incapable of repeating. 

This match was just a friendly, and Italy was not at full strength, but that cannot hide the fact that the U.S. side is making big strides towards improvement. 

The Klinsmann Effect 

Jurgen Klinsmann got off to a slow start with the U.S. team, but he is starting to get a feel for his team, and they are adapting to his style. 

Klinsmann wants this team to play a more deliberate style, and they are adjusting, and now thriving. 

He is also proving to be a wise tactician as he gets a feel for his players. 

That much became clear when he put in two holding midfielders, Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu, and paired them with just one forward, Altidore. 

While the move was puzzling, it worked. The two helped thwart countless attacks by the Azzurri, and this lineup showed how well Klinsmann knows his squad. 

Klinsmann is going to make sure this team keeps going in the right direction. 

Fabian Johnson

The 24-year-old German has just two caps, and he has been impressive in both of them. He was at the left-back position this game. 

While he had some struggles on defense, he handled himself admirably. It is when he let his attacking mentality take over that he really shined. 

He was aggressive down the left flank all match, and it was his forward pass that allowed Altidore to set up Dempsey for the lone goal. 

Johnson is going to be a mainstay in this lineup for years to come.

Increased Confidence 

The American's confidence is now growing by the second. Klinsmann has challenged this team with hard friendlies, like this one in Italy, and the team is rising to the challenge. 

They are not wilting in hard condition where they are overwhelming underdogs. This leads to great team chemistry and confidence. 

When they get in tough situations in the future, they are going to have a wealth of experience to draw from, and will take solace in the fact that they can succeed in these situations. 

This will lead to smarter and more aggressive play.