USA vs Nigeria final score: Altidore’s brace gives USMNT 2-1 win

The United States men’s national team was hosting Nigeria at EverBank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, in their final game before heading to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. It was an important contest because of the similarities in the Nigeria and Ghana squads, the United States’ first opponent in the World Cup and a must-win if they’re going to advance out of the group.

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The game was a milestone for goalkeeper Tim Howard, who played his 100th game for the United States. The announcers also reminded the crowd that the United States has never won all their warm up games heading into a World Cup, something they could achieve with a win.

Early on the game seemed to go as others, through Michael Bradley who is cementing himself as the intergral part of this offense. In the USMNT’s last game Bradley chipped a beautiful pass to Fabian Johnson for a goal against Turkey.

The American side got some set pieces, which had been a staple of their scoring abilities in the game against Azerbaijan. In the 29th minute there was a corner that was headed to captain Clint Dempsey who took a weird aerial sideways kick after chesting the ball that didn’t hit the mark.

There was a big moment in the 31st minute when striker Jozy Altidore scored a goal in the final warm up game. Altidore gets a nice low pass from Johnson across the front of the goal and Altidore just tapped it in.

The goal is a big for the USMNT as concerns were creeping in about Altidore’s scoring abilities. Not necessarily that he was incapable of scoring, but that he was in a slump with a bit of a drought. He scored just one goal int he Premier League and hadn’t scored in 28 games, or since December 4th, 2013 for either club or the USMNT.

The old adage is that after the drought comes the flood, so if this goal can open the flood gates that will be crucial for the United States trying to get out off a tough group which includes World Cup favorites Germany and Portugal. Altidore did score five goals in five games for the USMNT, and they’re hoping that kind of flood comes from Altidore.

“I’m confident I can put together a good stretch of matches in our three friendlies pre-World Cup and then have that carry over in Brazil,” Altidore told FanSided in May when asked about returning to that five goals in five game form. “As a player, you go through these stretches where you have some droughts. It is just part of the game. I had something similar occur with the national team, where I went quite a while before putting together a successful goal-scoring run for the national team last year. That said, I am excited for what lies ahead and looking forward to putting it all together during the most important time of the national team’s schedule.”

In the 40th minute another set piece almost resulted in a goal for the United States. Bradley sent a cross towards the back post for Dempsey but it was headed away and landed inside the box at DeMarcus Beasley’s feet, but he was unable to get the shot on target. Nigeria also had a chance at a goal late in the first half but Howard scooped the attempt up to keep the lead heading into the break.

There was a scary moment in about the 59th minute when captain Clint Dempsey got a hard challenge and went down. His left leg got caught and it looked like their knees could’ve collided. Dempsey received treatment and stayed in the game, with the way star players have gone down ahead of the World Cup it was a bit nerve-racking.

In the 65th minute Dempsey made a beautiful move to get into the box with the ball. After beating the defense he could’ve passed it to the other side of the box for another easy Altidore goal but Dempsey tried to take the shot himself and it couldn’t get past the keeper.

In the 68th minute Altidore had his opportunity again. He got a deep pass from who else other than Michael Bradley, he cut back up the pitch to get around the defender in the box and put a strong strike into the back of the net.

The pass from Bradley was remarkable how it traveled through the air and dropped in behind the defender at the feet of Altidore. It was Altidore’s second goal of the game and it looks like the flood gates are open for him.

This GIF from CJ Zero helps illustrate how Bradley’s pass dropped in at Altidore’s feet.

Dempsey almost got behind the defense in the 79th minute but the Nigerian keeper was able to come out to the edge of the box to collect the ball and prevent a scoring opportunity.

In the 84th minute Altidore got past his defender but not by enough to cut into the box towards the goal, instead he tried to cross it to Dempsey but Nigerian defenders intercepted it. Some how Dempsey was still able to get around them and get to the ball but couldn’t get a shot off.

In the 85th minute a penalty was conceded by Matt Besler and the United States on Victor Moses and he buried the kick to pull the game back within a goal.

Moments later the United States got another chance in on goal after a beautiful through ball into the box, but the Amercians couldn’t reign it in to take advantage and it went off their feet and out-of-bounds.

In the 91st minute another Michael Bradley pass that landed at the feet of Fabian Johnson almost put him in position to set up another goal, but the Americans couldn’t convert the opportunity on the pass into the box.

The good  news for the American is that their attack looked stronger against a World Cup bound team, and one that is similar in playing-style to Ghana, the American’s first game and a must-win. Another positive note for the Americans is that they made it through without any injuries.