Yes, it was a friendly. Yes, Germany played like it was a friendly. But the United States men’s national soccer team has beaten Germany and the Netherlands in away matches over the past week and I’m still pumped, dammit!
This is the 30-pass buildup (yes, that’s a three followed by a zero) that resulted in Mix Diskerud’s brilliant two-touch goal to level the United States and Germany at the end of the first half, in which the United States ended up winning 2-1.
All 30 passes are beauties, but the 30th with Michael Bradley launching it to Diskerud across the width of Germany’s box is… well… sometimes there are no words.
Oh, and can we talk about how 10 United States players are in the attacking half for this run? Jurgen Klinsmann’s tactics to push the fullbacks forward and play balanced, but supportive, ball caused the Germany to go on the defensive and show vulnerability. I haven’t seen German vulnerability like that since [CENSORED FOR OBVIOUS WORLD WAR II / NORMANDY INVASION JOKE].
Also, the United States forwards push up very aggressively, causing the Germans to play farther off the ball than they would have liked (and, frankly, should have) giving Michael Bradley tons of space. Bradley has shown himself to be masterful when it comes to being a field general and leading possessions, and this play is just the latest example of how Jurgen Klinsmann got it right with changing Bradley’s position after his father, Bob Bradley, left for Egypt.
I’m done talking. If you haven’t watched the video above, do so. If you have, watch it again. And then watch it a third time.
Thanks to SBNation’s @RobUsry for catching this goal, since we didn’t see it in the official U.S. Soccer highlights.
