USA vs. Ecuador: Three Quick Thoughts
Three quick thoughts from the United States’s 1-0 loss to Ecuador on Tuesday night.
1. This felt a lot like the Costa Rica game.
The US played well early, created several chances and deserved to lead at halftime. But in the second half, the visitors hit the US with a sucker punch and escaped with a win. For what it’s worth, Ecuador probably outplayed the US in the second half. The visitors looked dangerous on the counter-attack as the US midfield struggled to stay organized. But this never should have been a loss, and now the US team must be frustrated. With the rest of the year off and World Cup qualification starting next summer, the US must learn from tonight’s disappointment. For now, though, the results aren’t important. They will be soon.
2. Substitutions hurt the US.
But that’s kinda the point of friendlies, right? US manager Jurgen Klinsmann wants to evaluate players and build depth. Unfortunately, his substitutions disrupted the team’s rhythm Tuesday night. Thing is, the US should have led by at least a goal at halftime. So why did they lose? OptaJack has a good theory:
78% – #USMNT out-shoots Ecuador 18-5, but completed just 78% of its passes while losing the possession battle 49%-51%. Struggle.
The US finished the year at 5-7-3, with only 13 goals scored in 15 matches. That’ll have to improve next year. Completing more passes will help.
3. What a great atmosphere
I wasn’t there. I watched on TV. But I still got goosebumps when the US fans at Red Bull Arena screamed out the words to the national anthem. I’m not sure what the breakdown was, but on TV it looked like American fans outnumbered Ecuador’s support. If nothing else, it’s nice to see our boys getting the support they deserve. And it’s exciting to follow an international match with so much excitement surrounding it.
