By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Nov 12, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The United States National Team traveled to Bratislava this week to play World Cup-bound Slovakia on Saturday in a high-profile friendly meant to help Bob Bradley’s squad build experience ahead of 2010.
The game will also be the first test since the Confederations Cup in June that doesn’t involve a CONCACAF opponent, giving Bradley a real taste of what the World Cup in South Africa will be like next year. The first of two games in Europe (the US plays Denmark on Wednesday in Aarhus), Bradley hopes to test some MLS players while getting a closer chance look at his European-based ones.
The US roster is a mix of veterans and new faces. Among those who will be missing are Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan and Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden, who were not called in because of the MLS playoffs. Bradley also passed on goalkeeper Tim Howard, who is resting following a foot injury, in favor of Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan.
Forwards Conor Casey (two goals against Honduras last month to help the US qualify for the World Cup) and Dallas FC’s Jeff Cunningham (who last played for the US in 2005) will be in camp and could get playing time against Slovakia. Against the small central European nation, Bradley will continue to assess what strikers to play in the wake of the terrible tragedy that befell Charlie Davies, who was severely injured last month in a car crash days before the World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica in Washington, DC.
As a result, Bradley may employ a 4-4-2 with Guzan in net, Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo anchoring the four-man defense. This is literally an open audition for the other two spots, with Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit recovering from surgeries.Bradley's midfield will certainly include Clint Dempsey and Benny Feilhaber on the wings. In attack, Jozy Altidore and Casey should get the nod.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the US and Slovakia. The Americans faced the former Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, losing 5-1 in Florence. A lot has happened since then. The US has matured as a soccer nation, while Slovakia reached the World Cup for the first time since it became an independent nation in 1993.
“Playing the United States is an important test for us so we can compare ourselves to another team that has qualified for the World Cup,” Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik said during a conference call Wednesday with reporters. “The US is a very good team and it won’t be easy to defeat them. We’ll be at home, before our own fans, so we’ll do everything we can to win.”
Slovakia is currently ranked 33rd in the World – up 12 spots from the previous month. Despite their relative youth (the average age of the players used over the past 11 months is just 25 years and four months), the Slovaks ousted group favorite Czech Republic, securing first place in Europe’s Group 3 last month with a 1-0 road win over Poland under a heavy snowstorm.
“Reaching the World Cup finals was a great joy for me and for all our fans,” said Hamsik. “I feel good. I think we can go far as a team, especially after our victory over Poland.”
Although they’re not household names, the Slovaks are laden with talent. Stanislav Sestak spearheads the attack and is a standout with German club VfL Bochum, where he has played since 2007. The 26-year-old striker has nine goals in 27 appearances for Slovakia and possesses both speed and great dribbling abilities.
Another player who is able to make things happen is Manchester City midfielder Vladimir Weiss. The 19-year-old made his debut this year for Slovakia and his five caps don’t speak to his ability to create plays and push the ball forward for his teammates. Son of the team’s coach with the same name, Weiss is an emerging talent and one of Europe’s upcoming stars, although he continues to ride the bench at Manchester City this season.
The heart of the team rests with Hamsik. An attacking midfielder, Hamsik has become one of the best players in Serie A over the past two years. The 22-year-old, who has played with Napoli since 2007, has the ability to play both midfield and as an added striker.
Last year, Hamsik was named Serie A’s best young player by the league and he has continued to do well this season, scoring seven goals in 12 league matches. Last month, Hamsik, known for his spiky hairdo, scored two goals in the second half as Napoli rallied for a 3-2 win. An opportunist in front of the net, Hamsik is one of those players who knows how to get open and poke the ball into the net whenever he gets the chance. He is by far the most dangerous player on the team.
Under manager Vladimir Weiss’ stewardship, the team has radically improved since he took over in June 2008 after the team failed to qualify for last year’s European Championship. Weiss, 45, who once played for Czechoslovakia (he was on the 1990 World Cup team), has turned Slovakia into a strong unit that plays a 4-3-3 capable of scoring goals against any team.
Bradley, meanwhile, needs to use the next two games to show that he is someone who deserves to manage a team at the World Cup. Tactically, Bradley is predictable. Against CONCACAF teams, using set plays and long-range shots to score goals works. Against more physical and imposing teams like Slovakia, Bradley needs to resort to other methods. For the US, this is the sort of test that will go far into helping Bradley assess how far he - and this team - has come over the past year.
Clemente Lisi is the author of “A History of the World Cup: 1930-2006.” Contact him at CAL4477@yahoo.com
