USA vs. Belgium Preview: 5 Things USA Must Do to Stop Belgium
The United States couldn't take advantage of their early opportunities on Friday night against Costa Rica, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat.
The Klinsmann era has yet to take off completely, but a more concentrated effort against Belgium would do wonders to inspire confidence within the new regime.
Ahead are five things the USA must do to stop Belgium.
Take Advantage Early
1 of 6The United States got off to a great start on Friday night against Costa Rica.
They moved the ball splendidly in the first 30 minutes or so, and created plenty of goal scoring opportunities, including a missed chip shot by Landon Donovan.
The US men were crisp in every facet of the match early on; passing, attacking the ball and keeping possession. But instead of finishing the first half 2-0 up, the USA were tied at zero.
If they are going to move forward at international level, they will have to take advantage of their opportunities.
Torres Must Continue to Control the Middle
2 of 6Jose Torres was one of the only bright spots during the loss to Costa Rica.
The quick midfielder controlled the middle effectively, offering on-point passing and solid defense.
Landon Donovan pairing with Jose Torres proved to be quite the combination. Their speed and ball control allowed Jozy Altidore to patrol the middle, which created plenty of chances early on.
It will be interesting to see what Clint Dempsey brings to the table when paired with Torres.
Clint Dempsey Will Bring Another Dimension
3 of 6Speaking of Clint Dempsey...
Dempsey missed the friendly against Costa Rica due to back spasms.
He is arguably the US's best player, and has become one of the premier goal scorers for the national team.
Subtracting Landon Donovan and adding in Dempsey should give the team more of a defensive force, as well as a player who is crafty with the ball.
This will be Dempsey's first match under Jurgen Klinsmann.
Avoid All the Mistakes
4 of 6The American's made multiple mistakes that led to their loss against Costa Rica, mistakes they will be looking to avoid against Belgium.
Landon Donovan had a golden opportunity give the team a 1-0 lead early in the first half, but fired wide.
After starting the match with a spark, the US fell apart in the second half. The defense fell asleep and allowed a streaking Saborio to take the ball into the box, where he fed to Barrantes. Goalkeeper Tim Howard saved the shot from Barrantes, but the ball fell to Rodney Wallace who nailed a diving header into the open goal.
Later, Brek Shea made contact with Costa Rican defenders, causing a small scrum.
The US men have to keep a cool head in these international friendlies if they want to contend.
How Much Can They Run?
5 of 6The real downfall in the Costa Rica friendly was the American's conditioning.
In the first 20-25 minutes the US men looked fantastic, they attacked the opposition and controlled possession. But as the match drew on they got lazy, allowing easier attacks into the box and squandering possession cheaply.
Instead of working the ball up the pitch through short passes, they relied on the long ball over the top, thus not allowing time to settle and often losing possession.
Tired legs resulted from poor conditioning, and the US will face another tough examination of their fitness on September 6 against Belgium.
USA vs Belgium
6 of 6The US team is still a work in progress.
American fans need to relax and believe in Klinsmann. His approach is doing wonders for the US, on the pitch and is making them more entertaining to watch.
Tune into ESPN September 6 at 2:30 for the next US friendly against Belgium.
Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter @RajPrashad.
