International Soccer: Why U.S. Shouldn't Panic After Brazil Defeat

In case you missed it, the United States men's soccer team was defeated 4-1 last night on national television against Brazil.

The Brazilians made things look easy at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, slicing the American defense into pieces with crisp passes and fluid movement by Neymar, Marcelo and Alexandre Pato, just to name a few.  

However, this humbling defeat, following a whooping of Scotland just a few days ago, actually had hidden bright spots for American fans to latch onto.

Let's take a look at a few reasons why the resurgent American team shouldn't panic after the three-goal defeat.

Fabian Johnson Proved He’s for Real

Throughout the contest, the relatively old defensive back line looked slow to react to the Brazilian forwards and generally confused at some times... with the exception of Fabian Johnson. 

When asked about his emerging defender, United States superstar manager Jurgen Klinsmann noted that he thought Johnson was the best left back in the Bundesliga this past season.

While that may be a bit of a stretch, Johnson did his best to prove his coach's point, playing high-energy and inspired defense all night.  

One of the biggest concerns heading into the game was who and what would be able to stop Brazilian ball-handler and scary scorer Hulk.

Even with all the hype surrounding the 25-year-old winger and his probable move to Champions League-winner Chelsea, Johnson was able to contain Hulk on the outside and limit his effectiveness in the contest.

When he wasn't back defending, Johnson was pushing possession up field with composure, making shifty passes and providing the American offense with a spark. 

If Johnson can keep this up, he'll become a reliable and hair-raising defenseman for Klinsmann for years to come. 

U.S. Had Opportunities to Score

In terms of attacking Brazil, the United States found severe trouble in gaining any regularity on offense as Brazil's ability to control possession made it tough for the American squad to build consistency.

Despite this, the Yanks actually mounted a series of lethal opportunities at goal, with all but one being turned away in the end. 

In the first half, the world's sixth-best team held a solid 2-0 lead heading into halftime before Michael Bradley made a beautiful through-ball to Johnson. Nearing the end line, the defender put the ball in the direction of the goal, where it deflected off a Brazilian back and found the head of American striker Hercules Gomez.

That would be the United States' first and only goal of the game, but they did create opportunities in the second half that would normally land in the back of the net had it not been for amazing goalkeeping by the Brazilian Rafael.

At one point in the second half the Americans had two close-in shots on goal—one by Gomez and a rebound shot by reserve forward Terrence Boyd—that were deflected by Rafael, who played superb for the Brazilian side.

With the game winding down, a free kick by Landon Donovan produced a header that was pushed over the top bar and out of play by the Brazilian keeper. The U.S. squad subsequently took a corner that was also disposed of by Rafael.

Even though the Americans didn’t put away some of the chances that they probably could and should have, it was encouraging to see that Jurgen Klinsmann’s offensive tactics led to a handful of favorable circumstances.

Clint Dempsey Impressive After Returning from Injury

In the days leading up to the contest against Brazil one major question was whether or not Clint Dempsey would be able to compete.

After suffering a groin injury and missing the last Premier League game of the season, Dempsey has healed from the affliction, but his fitness levels after weeks of not playing were a concern.

Sure enough, Dempsey played, even though he didn’t play the entire match. After he came in as a substitute at the 56’ mark, the American offense was revamped, creating many scoring opportunities.

Playing the wing with radiating energy, Dempsey also made an impact in the passing game, completing through-balls to teammates and guiding the Americans into a more consistent rhythm on the ball.

The 29-year-old also had a chance himself to put the ball in the back of the net, but it was kicked away at the last moment. Dempsey also chipped a gorgeous lob to Gomez that set up two missed scoring chances. 

Not only was it encouraging to see Dempsey out there competing at a high level, but also it was interesting to see how he and Donovan gelled in Klinsmann's new offensive strategy.