Youth shines in USMNT win over Bolivia

Youth shines in USMNT win over Bolivia
by Caleb Smith
May 29, 2018

The future of the U.S. Men’s National Team was on display Monday night in a 3-0 victory over Bolivia at Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dave Sarachan fielded a young roster (average age being 22) which showed flashes of potential from a handful of the youngsters and debutants.

Below is a look at some of the young talent that impressed in the win.

M Weston McKennie – The word that comes to mind when watching McKennie is tenacious. A warrior. Someone who will do anything and everything to help his team win. McKennie was all of that and more Monday night. He was all over the field. He broke up the few chances that Bolivia created, he started the attack from the back, he kept possession of the ball and distributed it effectively. His technical ability combined with his physical strength and stamina will make him a very important player for this next generation.

LB Antonee Robinson – The Everton left-back was the Man of the Match in the eyes of many media outlets and rightly so. He showed his athleticism to travel up and down the flank, tracking runners and getting involved in the attack. While he did get beat by the Bolivia wingers on occasion, he was able to track back and close the ball down effectively. His assist to Tim Weah in the 58th minute was a textbook beat-the-first-defender cross which made it easy for Weah to tuck home. Of all the positive performances and exciting prospects in the pool, his performance may be the most important. Since the departure of Demarcus Beasley the national team pool has yet to produce a competent, natural left-back like Robinson. It has been an enigma to the national team and Robinson can change that narrative.

F Tim Weah – Son of a former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, Tim Weah is starting to forge his own path as a professional. He was active early and often as he and Josh Sargent connected well in the final third. His nerves got to him early as he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and rushed the shot. However, his goal in the 58th minute was well deserved and well placed. His outlook for both club and country looks very bright.

F Josh Sargent – It’s crazy how Josh Sargent has yet to play a professional game yet looked the part against Bolivia. Sargent’s movement around the box and in the channel makes him a dangerous goal scorer. He and Weah saw their time together at the youth level come to fruition as they combined well and saw lots of the ball in the first half. He was gifted a goal when goalkeeper Carlos Lampe tried to casually chipped the ball to a defender over Sargent’s head. His alertness and constant movement makes him a pest for defenders. Once his career gets up and running in Germany, his role with the national team will likely increase tremendously.

M Keaton Parks – The 6-foot-4 Texan made a good impression for the time he was given. He showed great passing ability and his ability to glide past defenders. He rushed some shots here and there when he could’ve combined with teammates but overall a good performance from a unique player. His time with Benfica will have an impact on the role that he will play with the national team moving forward.

CB Erik Palmer-Brown – It was a quiet yet effective performance from the Manchester City loanee. For a center back, that is the definition of a great game. He did what he needed to do to keep the Bolivian attack at bay. Palmer-Brown has always been known for his ability to play out of the back and he showed that numerous times. His loan with KV Kortrijk has gone well as he had earned a starting spot near the end of the season. Depth at the center-back position is the team’s biggest strength and Palmer-Brown is well in the mix to be a contributor to the national team for years to come.

Related Topics: Youth National Teams
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