For the first time since 1998, the United States has won a game in Europe against a team other than Poland.
After starting unbeaten in his first 11 matches, head coach Bob Bradley and the United States had lost five in a row. That was until his son, Michael, touched in an 86th minute winner, to beat Switzerland 1-0 in Basel.
The US did it with a number of players who weren’t even in the 4th grade in 1998.
20 year old regular starter Bradley was joined in the starting XI by Maurice Edu, 21, who earned his first cap for the men’s senior national team. Edu, who plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, looked like a seasoned veteran in the midfield, controlling play defensively and providing a key outlet pass that led to the United States lone goal.
Providing the late spark for the United States were a pair of second half substitutes that starred for the US in this summer’s Under 20 World Cup.
Freddy Adu, 18, entered in the 77th minute for New England striker Taylor Twellman, and made an immediate impact, nearly scoring a second goal for the US in the closing moments.
Danny Szetela, 20, came on for Eddie Lewis in the 83rd and setup the eventual winner. Szetela received an outlet pass from Maurice Edu, and crossed to Clint Dempsey, who knocked the ball to the feet of Bradley for the goal.
Both Adu and Szetela made well-publicized moves this summer from Major League Soccer to top flight teams in southern Europe, Adu to Portugal’s Benfica and Szetela to Racing Santander in Spain.
However, both have struggled for playing time in their new surroundings. Adu has played just over an hour for Benfica in the Portuguese league, while Szetela hasn’t even seen the field for Santander, who is tied for sixth in Spain’s La Liga.
But both have benefited greatly from practicing against top-level competition day-in and day-out.
The same can be said for Bradley, who plays for Heerenveen in the Netherlands. Bradley has been on a strong goal-scoring run of late, and has teamed up well with Brazilian striker Afonso Alves. Alves scored seven goals the last time out in the Netherlands, a number of which Bradley helped setup.
This wave of youth bodes well for a United States team that is scheduled to start World Cup 2010 qualifying this June.
It’s an even stronger sign considering the next opportunity the United States has to win any hardware involves a younger roster.
Each and every one of the aforementioned young guns will likely be on the field for the United States at this summer’s Olympics in Beijing.
Olympic soccer rosters must be made up entirely of players age 23 or under, with each team allowed three players exempt from age restrictions.
11 players on the United States roster for their win over Switzerland will be eligible for next summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing.
The United States returns to action on November 17th when they travel to South Africa.
And there’s no doubt some of these youngsters will be on field.
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