| Player | Club at the time | League at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Altiodore, Jozy | Sunderland | Premier League |
| Beasley, DaMarcus | Puebla | Liga MX |
| Beckerman, Kyle | Real Salt Lake | MLS |
| Bedoya, Alejandro | Nantes | Ligue 1 |
| Besler, Matt | Sporting Kansas City | MLS |
| Bradley, Michael | Toronto FC | MLS |
| Brooks, John | Hertha BSC | Bundesliga |
| Cameron, Geoff | Stoke City | Premier League |
| Chandler, Timmy | Nurnberg | Bundesliga |
| Davis, Brad | Houston | MLS |
| Dempsey, Clint | Seattle | MLS |
| Diskerud, Mix | Rosenborg | Norway |
| Gonzalez, Omar | LA Galaxy | MLS |
| Green, Julian | Bayern Munich | Bundesliga |
| Guzan, Brad | Aston Villa | Premier League |
| Howard, Tim | Everton | Premier League |
| Johannsson, Aron | AZ | Eredivisie |
| Johnson, Fabian | Hoffenheim | Bundesliga |
| Jones, Jermaine | Besiktas | Super Lig |
| Rimando, Nick | Real Salt Lake | MLS |
| Wondolowski, Chris | San Jose | MLS |
| Yedlin, DeAndre | Seattle | MLS |
| Zusi, Graham | Sporting Kansas City | MLS |
WORLD CUP: GHANA 1 – USMNT 2
The USMNT opened Group G play at the 2014 World Cup with a 2-1 win over Ghana on Monday at the Estadio das Dunas in Natal. Clint Dempsey opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game, with the USMNT defending that lead until the 82nd minute. Andre Ayew equalized finally turning a Ghana opportunity into a goal. Ghana’s equalizer held for four minutes with John Brooks scoring the USMNT’s winner.
The USMNT ran into injury problems in the heat of Natal. Jozy Altidore left the game on a stretcher in the 21st minute with a strained hamstring. Altidore will undergo scans to determine the severity of the injury. Matt Besler followed at halftime with USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann not wanting to risk another hamstring injury. In his place, Klinsmann brought in Brooks. Klinsmann used his last substitution to bring on Graham Zusi in the 77th minute in place of Alejandro Bedoya who also showed signs of muscle strain. Zusi assisted on Brooks’s game winning goal.
Ghana had lineup issues of their own, with Kevin Prince Boateng and Michael Essien not in the starting eleven. With lots of time on the ball, Ghana had trouble turning chances into shots on goal. Boateng subbed on in the 59th minute and Essien followed in the 71st. Read More
WORLD CUP: USMNT 2 – PORTUGAL 2
Portugal needed the last moment of the game to keep their World Cup hopes alive against the USMNT in Group G. On a humid and hot night in Manaus, the USMNT fought back to equalize and take the lead, only to see Cristiano Ronaldo send a perfect cross into the box for a 95th minute equalizer.
The USMNT looked in trouble early on against Portugal, with Ronaldo active on the wing. That pressure paid off in the 5th minute when a defensive miscue put the ball on the foot of Nani who opened the scoring. The USMNT had several good opportunities. Michael Bradley forced a goal line clearance from defender Ricardo Costa in the 55th minute. The USMNT finally scored when Jermaine Jones found the back of the net with a shot from outside the box in the 64th minute.
With the score now level, the USMNT kept up the pressure and took the lead with a Clint Dempsey goal in the 81st minute. Ronaldo found Silvestre Valera five minutes into stoppage time, who scored with the last kick of the game. Read More
USMNT 0 – GERMANY 1
The USMNT advanced to the knockout round of the 2014 World Cup after losing to Group G winners Germany on Thursday in Recife. In wet conditions, both teams had trouble turning opportunities into shots on goal in the first-half. The USMNT needed to do more than Germany to keep the game scoreless, with Germany finally getting the game’s only goal in the 55th minute. Portugal beat Ghana in the other game, with the USMNT comfortably advancing on goal difference in 2nd-place.
Germany’s goal came from a corner kick in the 55th minute. USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard punched out the initial shot, but it fell to Thomas Muller who scored from the rebound. Though Germany had the bulk of the chances, the USMNT wasn’t without opportunities of their own. The USMNT pressed for a late equalizer but were unable to come up with a tying goal. The USMNT advances to their second straight Round of 16, a first for the United States.
USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann made two changes to his starting eleven following the 2-2 draw with Portugal. Omar Gonzalez replaced Geoff Cameron in central defense and Brad Davis got the start in place of Alejandro Bedoya in midfield. Bedoya later subbed on for Davis. Read More
WORLD CUP: BELGIUM 2 – USMNT 1
The USMNT exited the 2014 World Cup with a Round of 16 loss to Belgium in Salvador. With the USMNT absorbing significant pressure from the Belgium attack, the game ended scoreless in regulation. Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne scored in the 93rd minute and Romelu Lukaku added a second goal in the 104th. Extra time substitute Julian Green pulled a goal back for the USMNT, scoring in the 107th minutes after subbing on. Belgium advances to a quarterfinal meeting with Argentina on Saturday.
“It’s heartbreaking, I don’t think we could have given any more,” USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “We left it all out there. We got beaten by a really good team. They took their chances well. It’s heartache, it hurts. But hats off to Belgium, they were fantastic.”
USMNT Jurgen Klinsmann altered his lineup against Belgium, keeping Omar Gonzalez in the back line and putting Geoff Cameron in the midfield. Klinsmann made an early substitution when Fabian Johnson had to leave with a strained left hamstring in the 30th minute. Klinsmann brought on DeAndre Yedlin in place of Johnson.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard made 13 saves in regulation, with Belgium struggling with crosses and shot selection. Belgium had numerous opportunities on the ball, but most of their crosses and corner kicks failed to connect. Klinsmann brought on San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski in the 72nd minute to partner Clint Dempsey in the USMNT attack. Wondolowski had a late opportunity in regulation.
With Belgium scoring early in extra time, the USMNT tried to press. This allowed Belgium opportunities on the counter attack and they took advantage in the 105th minute. Romelu Lukaku scored in the 104th minute to put the game away. Jurgen Klinsmann used his final substitution to bring on Julian Green on just before the extra time break. Green scored in the 107th minute, his first goal for the USMNT. Read More
