Amazing grace: Lionel Messi throws Jay DeMerit off balance, Michael Bradley is left sprawling and Clint Dempsey can only watch as he slalomed through the U.S. team for much of the game (AP Photos).
U.S. 1 Argentina 1: Game story.
A respectable scoreline for a U.S. team playing a world power led by the incomparable Lionel Messi.
Argentina’s passing, movement, speed and first touch were jaw-dropping at times, but the Americans proved a different proposition once teenage sensation Juan Agudelo replaced Jermaine Jones and impressive debutant Timmy Chandler came in at right back for Jonathan Spector at the half.
Still, goalkeeper Tim Howard yet again kept the U.S. in the game with a string of game-saving saves.
And at the risk of getting overly excited, let’s just say Aguedelo already looks like he’s at a different level than his peers (the disappointing Jozy Altidore, for instance). Foreign scouts must be drooling.
Highlights:
U.S. lineup: 1-Tim Howard; 2-Jonathan Spector (21-Timmy Chandler, 46), 15-Jay DeMerit, 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (Capt.), 13-Jermaine Jones (9-Juan Agudelo, 46), 4-Michael Bradley, 7-Maurice Edu, 8-Clint Dempsey, 10-Landon Donovan; 17-Jozy Altidore
Subs not used: 6-Tim Ream, 12-Jonathan Bornstein, 14- Edson Buddle, 16-Sacha Kljestan, 23-Marcus Hahnemann
In other games of local interest it was:
Chicharito United: Manchester United’s CD Guadalajara import had a brace for Mexico Saturday in the Bay Area.
Check out his well-taken goals:
