USMNT Settles for Draw vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1st Friendly of 2018

The United States men's national soccer team used its first match of the new year to give opportunities to players with the potential of becoming key cogs in the next World Cup cycle and beyond.

However, the youth and inexperience on the field showed, as the United States played to a 0-0 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

ESPN's Paul Carr noted the final scoreline was typical for the U.S. in January:

ESPN's Jeff Carlisle felt there were a few encouraging individual performances:

The emphasis on youth meant both teams were without their usual stars for this contest. No Michael Bradley or Jozy Altidore for the United States, no Edin Dzeko for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Instead, players like Matt Polster and Ike Opara made their international debuts for the U.S. as starters, while Bosnia had only one player on the entire roster—the Philadelphia Union's Haris Medunjanin—with double-digit caps to his credit and several players making their own debuts. The USMNT was also playing with an interim head coach in Dave Sarachan.

The January training camp and friendly served as something of a reboot for the U.S., with the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup still stinging.

Men in Blazers even poked fun at the debacle prior to the start of the match:

The match will likely leave many U.S. fans wanting something more to look forward to, as the young squad did little to make anyone forget the program's painful recent past.

U.S. Soccer MNT provided the starting 11 for the Stars and Stripes:

The first half was a drab showing, with neither team showing much ability to create a spark in the final third. The Americans put together a couple of shots on goal in the first 15 minutes, courtesy of a Tyler Adams header and a prayer shot from C.J. Sapong after he pounced on a misplayed pass. However, there was little in the way of cohesive, sustained build-up play.

Bosnia and Herzegovina didn't fare any better, struggling to get the ball into dangerous areas. The U.S. back line did well to snuff the life out of The Dragons' few forays into its territory. Opara and Walker Zimmerman showed strong command in the center, while midfielder Wil Trapp did well to track back and help out on defense.

Bosnia and Herzegovina did have a great chance to get on the board first just a couple of minutes from halftime, but Luka Menalo's shot from a few yards out was stonewalled by goalkeeper Bill Hamid.

Here's the big save, per Fox Soccer:

U.S. Soccer MNT tracked the initial halftime substitutions:

The first few minutes of the second half saw some more energetic play from the United States thanks to Jordan Morris and substitute Paul Arriola, though the team failed to convert a couple of good opportunities into a goal.

Bosnia and Herzegovina had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock when Zimmerman fouled Menalo in the box, drawing a penalty. Medunjanin stepped up to take the shot, sending substitute goalkeeper Zack Steffen the wrong bay, but his shot bounced harmlessly off the post.

Copa90 US and Fox Soccer jokingly credited Steffen's reputation as a penalty-saving specialist with the Columbus Crew for keeping the match level:

The few bright spots in the second half for the United States mostly came from Morris, who looked far more comfortable playing a striker after moving over from the flank. A ripped shirt captured by Fox Soccer was a sign of his energetic play:

Every few minutes, someone on either side would find a way to get open and lash a shot, but they were hardly ever on target. Opara continued to put in a strong shift on the defensive side, preventing Bosnia and Herzegovina from making any truly threatening plays late on.

There is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the United States moving forward. The team needs a permanent head coach to help shape a new sense of identity as well as work in the promising young players to improve the side and prevent future embarrassments like the one suffered in 2018 World Cup qualifying.