U.S.A versus Canada – Gold Cup: First half review
The match between Canada and U.S.A kicked off in fantastic fashion between the two North American rivals as U.S.A fielded a strong line up. The American national team played with a 4-5-1 formation as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tim-Howard-c35095 kept goal for Bob
Bradley’s side. The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jermaine-Jones-c18363 and
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Juan-Agudelo-c19644 supplied Jozy Altidore in attack. Landon Donavan also started for U.S.A as he played just off Altidore as a shadow striker.
Right from the start, U.S national soccer team were aggressive in their approach. They used a high press strategy and looked to win back the ball at every given opportunity in the central midfield region. Canada were taken by a
surprise as their midfield four of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kevin-McKenna-c20748, Hainault, De Jong and Terry Dunfield.
Up front, Simeon Jackson and Nikolas Ledgerwood led the Canadian attack.
Soon it was evident that U.S.A were going to be the more dominant team in the match as the Canadians looked uncomfortable on the ball and as they sat back and decided to play on the counter attack. However this strategy was thwarted
by the United States’ in the 15th minute as they got their first goal of the encounter. It was http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jozy-Altidore-c19634 who was sent clean through on goal by Donovan as America got their first goal of the match.
After going a goal down, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Canada-c748 became more enthusiastic in their approach but to no avail as they were hardly given any time and space on the ball by the energetic Americans. In the 17th minute, Altidore found himself
in a one on one situation with the goalkeeper once again but this time the young striker was unable to apply the finishing touch as the score line remained at one nil to the Americans.
In the 27th minute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/America-c38390 almost doubled their lead as Juan Agudelo found himself in space inside the American penalty area. The American midfielder failed to trouble the Canadian goalkeeper goal as his shot sailed
well wide of the target following a superb through pass by Donovan. Nonetheless the first half came to a conclusion as with the Americans in the lead thanks to a 15th minute strike by Jozy Altidore.
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