Howard (5.5/10): Not a whole lot to do, maybe could have been a little quicker on Cahill's goal but realistically had no chance.
Cherundolo (5.5/10): Did well to get up the flank however caught out of position on a few occasions. Looks like a lock for the England opener.
Goodson (5/10): Shaky at times however good in the air. Didn't necessarily cause fear in the back but didn't exactly exemplify confidence either.
Demerit (5/10): Passes were sloppy all game and if he plays like that against England, I'm pretty sure Mr. Rooney will have a field day. Did look much better in the second half paired with Gooch.
Bocanegra (6/10): Solid showing, didn't venture up the left flank much. It sure is nice not having to cringe everytime an opposing player runs at our leftback.
Donovan (6/10): Anonymous in the first half, but came to life in the second. Had a couple of menacing runs and did well to pick out Buddle's run for Dempsey's disallowed goal. Also did a great job of seeing Gomez's run late on and having the know-how to put the ball in a dangerous spot.
Bradley (5.5/10): Not terrible, but needs to improve. Still struggles to kick the ball with his left foot, also gets caught out of position frequently.
Clark (4.5/10): Not so good. Looked ok early on but soon started making errant passes and failed to track back when he needed to. Look for Edu or Torres to get the nod in the England match.
Dempsey (6.5/10): One of the USMNT's best players on the day. Pushed forward, was always a threat and drew numerous fouls. Unlucky to have the goal disallowed. If he can translate this performance to the England game, we should be in good shape.
Findley (6/10): Ultra-active throughout and his speed played a big role. Needs to work on finishing, seriously. Unlucky on a couple of occasions, but should get the nod against the Three Lions.
Buddle (8.5/10, Man of the Match): Easily the USMNT's best player on the day. Made great runs and was clinical on the finish. I feel alot better about the Altidore ankle sprain however I still look for Jozy to get the start.
Substitutes
Hahneman (7/10): Particularly shaky on crosses however he made up for it with a couple of brilliant reactions saves. It looks like Hahneman has dethroned Guzan as the USMNT number 2.
Bornstein (5/10): Had a couple of decent tackles but essentially had no positional sense or direction out there. I'd be surprised (and livid) if Bornstein sees the pitch in South Africa. He's just too much of a liability.
Onyewu (5.5/10): Made some good challenges but still looks a little slow. Let's hope Rooney and Co. don't notice.
Beasley (5/10): Didn't do much at all. I look for Beasley to see limited time in SA, especially with Holden edging towards being fully match fit.
Gomez (7.5/10): Only saw about 8 minutes but made the most of it. Look for Gomez to come off the bench in SA and bang in a few goals.
So thats about all I have for you now, but be sure to look back on Friday for a break down of the South Africa vs Mexico match as well as the Uruguay vs France match. Until then.....
Yours,
Clutch
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