German-raised Jones lifts U.S. to a victory
How complicated has coaching the U.S. national team become for Bob Bradley? Weddings and German translation were both crucial topics after his team’s resounding 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Jamaica in front of an electric sellout crowd of 45,423 at RFK Stadium.
Bradley jokingly began his postgame news conference in the foreign tongue as a nod to German-raised American midfielder Jermaine Jones, whose 49th-minute game-winner was his first goal in a U.S. jersey. He then took as many questions about the early Sunday arrivals of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey — both players had been excused since Wednesday to attend the nuptials of their respective sisters — as he did about the tactical changes that helped result in the best U.S. performance of the tournament thus far.
“It was enjoyable to watch for 60 minutes on the bench, and it was nice to come into, too,” said Donovan, who began the afternoon as a substitute after a 7 a.m. arrival from California. “The team was flowing well, and it was fun to be a part of.”
Jones made it easier, stepping into a volley that deflected off Jamaican defender Jermaine Taylor, giving no chance to goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who hadn’t allowed a goal in the first round.
“The first goal you score for the national team is always special and even more so that it was a very important goal for us,” said Jones, who celebrated with a salute in honor of his U.S. serviceman father on Father’s Day and used teammate Steve Cherundolo, who plays professionally in Germany, as a translator. Jones also got Taylor red-carded in the 67th minute after flopping on a breakaway.
While Donovan wasn’t able to play 90 minutes, Dempsey started and showed no ill effects from an overnight arrival from Texas. He went just over the bar with a bicycle kick in the 40th minute, and he doubled the lead with 10 minutes remaining. He collected a cross from Juan Agudelo — who replaced Jozy Altidore (left hamstring strain) just 12 minutes into the contest — and sidestepped Ricketts for the finish.
“It was more motivation, especially after the [Guadeloupe] game, not getting a goal, being frustrated with myself,” Dempsey said. “I wasn’t going to let a flight coming in at 2 a.m. in the morning affect my performance. I was going to go out and work harder.”
Bradley also got energy on the right from Donovan’s replacement, Alejandro Bedoya. Sacha Kljestan and left back Eric Lichaj both had solid attempts on goal turned back by Ricketts.
“It’s about a lot of things,” Bradley said. “But clearly this idea that we keep improving in terms of how we move the ball, the rhythm of our play, this kind of thing, it’s part of our growth.”
Panama, which toppled El Salvador 5-3 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in the second half of the doubleheader at RFK, will face the United States in the semifinals at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on Wednesday. Panama beat the United States 2-1 in the group stage.
