James NaltonBy James Nalton.
If you get the ball in the box, things can happen. This is what the United States men’s team learned as they eased to victory against New Zealand in the second of three group stage games at the 2024 Olympics in France.
This second visit to Marseille was much more satisfactory than the first as Marko Mitrović’s team ran out 4-1 winners.
The three goals France had scored against the USA in the opening game put a dent in the goal difference column, but with half an hour played of this game, that damage had already been undone.
It was vital to get a first win on the board, and it was all but secured by the time the halftime whistle was blown.
A penalty from Djordje Mihailovic and subsequent goals from Walker Zimmerman and Gianluca Busio were rewards the team received for working the ball into the box in the first half.
Nathan Harriel was fouled in the box for the penalty as the USA posed a threat in New Zealand’s area, Zimmerman was alert to finish after the ball bounced around in the box following a Mihailovic free-kick, and Busio persisted in a similar situation in open play to find the net for a third.
The goals themselves were scrappy, but the play to get into those areas and situations in the first place was good.
What the United States senior team would have given for a handful of such goals in the Copa America…
At the other end, New Zealand did pose an occasional threat but for the most part, the United States defended stoutly and in a relatively composed manner.
Some criticism had gone the way of goalkeeper Patrick Schulte for France’s opening goal in the first game, but he pulled off a brilliant save in the first half of this game to keep the score at 2-0. A shot from Matthew Garbett was fired in from distance and just as it approached Schulte’s goal it took a deflection off Zimmerman who was desperately trying to block the shot himself. The deflection could easily have taken it into the goal but Schulte reacted quickly to make a top save.
The USA didn’t let up in the second half.
Griffin Yow looked lively off the bench and set up Paxten Aaronson for the fourth — the shot deflecting in off Finn Surman.
Another substitute, Jack McGlynn helped control the midfield with some tidy technique and a good range of passing. He found the net himself at one point in the second half but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The occasion was soured somewhat from a USA point of view by an injury to Busio and a goal conceded with just over ten minutes of normal time to go, but such a convincing win was exactly what this team needed and put it in a position to qualify for the quarterfinals if it can defeat Guinea on Tuesday.
Just keep getting the ball into the box.
