SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA (BDCi) — The U.S Men’s National Team opened its three-game Send-Off Series with a 2-0 victory against Azerbaijan at Candlestick Park as second-half substitutes Mix Diskerud and Aron Johannsson each scored a goal.
The match saw U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard tie Kasey Keller’s record of 53 career U.S. MNT victories.Howard also posted his 35th career shutout making two saves for the victory.
Throughout the first half and into the second, USA always seemed like the team that would score the first goal and the U.S finally broke the stalemate in the 75th minute. Substitute Brad Davis delivered a free kick from the left side and Azerbaijan’s Ilkin Girtimov headed the ball, but not out of danger.
Diskerud got a head on the falling ball and it bounced to Michael Bradley, whose shot from 13 yards out was blocked by Azerbaijan’s defender Elvin Yunuszade on the goal line with his left foot. The ball ricocheted to Diskerud who finished with skill and powered the ball into the right side of the net. It was Diskerud’s third career goal and first of 2014.
In the 81st minute, Johannsson doubled USA’s lead off a Davis corner kick from the right side. Johannsson was completely wide open at the edge of the six-yard mark and he flicked his header into the upper right corner of the net for a 2-0 lead. It was Johannsson’s first goal of 2014 and second of his young U.S MNT career.
Next up for USA is a match against Turkey on Sunday June 1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Source: ussoccer.com