USMNT Win over Saint Vincent Exactly What It Needed After Rough Copa Exit

Too many times during Jurgen Klinsmann's era as head coach, the United States men's national soccer team has either played up or down to the quality of its opponent. 

In Friday's 6-0 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Yanks finally did what they were supposed to do as they moved one step closer to the hexagonal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. 

Klinsmann's men took the right mindset to the pitch at Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown, immediately pressing forward, with holding midfielder Kyle Beckerman getting in on the action in the final third early on. 

They continued their aggressive approach for most of the first half with a focus on driving down the left wing through Fabian Johnson and forwards Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood. 

Altidore, who is in the form of his life for club and country, was the focal point of the USMNT attack as he impressed with his physical hold-up play to create numerous scoring opportunities. With Altidore out during the Copa America Centenario because of a hamstring injury, the Yanks struggled to find attacking lanes through the middle of the pitch. 

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Altidore went to work right away Friday, earning his first free kick in the fifth minute. Three minutes later, his hard work near the center circle sent Wood down the left wing. Unfortunately for the Yanks, the surge up the field didn't result in a goal, but Altidore set the tone for the contest. 

The 26-year-old forward created the buildup to the Americans' first goal, eluding a defender at the top of the penalty area to play the ball to Johnson, who used a quick touch to get it to Wood. The 23-year-old striker proceeded to curl an attempt into the right side of the net in the 28th minute, via beIN Sports USA: 

"

GOOOOOAAALL!
Bobby Wood with a fantastic curler puts @ussoccer ahead 0-1. #Russia2018 https://t.co/flJKvGaNjm

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 2, 2016"

The U.S. didn't wait long to add to its lead, getting a chance to score in the 32nd minute off one of Altidore's four set pieces in the first half. Graham Zusi took the free kick after the powerful forward was fouled 25 yards from the net, and the Saint Vincent defender's clearance attempt sent the ball to Matt Besler, who finished from close range at the left post. 

Altidore was again the center of attention in the 43rd minute, as he gave the Americans their third goal of the night off a penalty kick after a foul on Wood in the box. The Toronto FC man put a cherry on top of his strong start against Saint Vincent with his 35th career goal, which made him the third-leading goal scorer in U.S. men's national team history, per Fox Sports' Ryan Rosenblatt.

The United States' impressive play at the forward position wasn't the only thing that went as planned. The back line was organized for the majority of the match, and the attacking players showed plenty of understanding as they exchanged positions in the final third. 

Additionally, Klinsmann's substitutes came off the bench and produced immediately. Sacha Kljestan, who was not on the Copa America squad despite strong play with the New York Red Bulls, and Christian Pulisic had the three remaining goals, which came in the 71st, 78th and 92nd minutes.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Sure, the win came over lowly Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which FIFA ranks at 156th in the world, but the performance was key for the No. 26 Yanks after a tumultuous ending to the Copa America Centenario, where the Americans placed fourth after disappointing losses to Argentina and Colombia. 

No one knew what to expect from the USMNT on Friday, given the absence of Michael Bradley due to suspension, as well as Gyasi Zardes and Clint Dempsey due to a broken foot and an irregular heartbeat, respectively. Altidore's return and Johnson's shift to midfield helped soften the blow of those losses in the starting 11.

Now that an easy result is in the books, it's time for the Yanks to use the confidence they gained in a must-win game against Trinidad and Tobago in Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday.

A win over the Soca Warriors at EverBank Field would guarantee the U.S. Group C's top position and easy advancement into the Hex, which will be more difficult than ever given the rising quality across the board in CONCACAF. 

Some may argue winning the group might be bad for the Americans since they would face Mexico and Costa Rica in the first two games of the Hex. But all that matters now is qualification without a ton of stress, and that comes with a second consecutive win in September over a continental rival. 

Klinsmann will need to make a few more tweaks for the Yanks to secure first in their group, with the most important ones at the full-back position. DeAndre Yedlin is suspended for Tuesday's match, per ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle, and the left-back discussion will rage on until someone secures that spot and allows Johnson to move up the wing on a full-time basis: 

Klinsmann handed FC Dallas homegrown player Kellyn Acosta the start at left back on Friday. Although he didn't face much of a threat on the defensive side of the ball, Acosta surged forward on the flanks several times to show what he brings to the table. Acosta's big test will be against Trinidad and Tobago if he starts.

Center backs Matt Besler and Steve Birnbaum could shift into the middle, moving Geoff Cameron to the right, or Johnson could drop into the back four. Regardless of who starts in defense, the Yanks must shore up the area in front of goalkeeper Tim Howard to secure the desired result.

As long as the U.S. continues its defensive trend against Trinidad and Tobago and gets the same contributions up top, it should finish at the top of Group C. Expected wins over Cuba and New Zealand in a pair of October friendlies should boost the squad's confidence even more before the Hex starts in November. 

If the Americans continue the same mentality and build upon the form they showed against Saint Vincent, they will give any opponent a run for its money. Confidence is important in any sport, and the Yanks' performance Friday was the first step in restoring that. 

Joe Tansey covers U.S. Soccer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.