The USMNT will begin life after Landon Donovan on Tuesday night at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. Landon Donovan’s omission from the 23-man squad has brought a mix of reactions, but Jurgen Klinsmann will be out to prove his critics wrong.
A friendly match against the 85th ranked nation in world football may not prove to be a tough test, but if anything, it should allow the USMNT to hopefully build some confidence.
“There’s a purpose behind choosing Azerbaijan,” head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in his pre-game press conference on Monday.
“It’s a team that’s not in the top category of opponents. We wanted to kind of not hit a top-10 team right away in the first match after a very strong preparation where we did a lot of physical work so the legs might be here and there a big heavier. It’s important to start the send-off series with a win and build confidence and see where the guys are right now after that intense two weeks.”
Landon Donovan's name doesn't feature in the USMNT's 23-man squad for the World Cup
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They will follow-up Tuesday’s match with a friendly against Turkey on June 1st, and then one last preparation against Nigeria on June 7th, before they make their way to Brazil.
Critics have also hit out at Klinsmann defensive options, which some believe lack some experience.
In 2010, the USMNT had a strong back-bone, which was considered to be their back-line. A defensive line made up of Carlos Bocanegra, Onyewu, DeMerit and Cherundolo led the Yanks to the top spot in the group at the World Cup in South Africa, while only conceding three goals.
Next month, all signs point to the German manager having a very different group of players standing in front of Tim Howard. A group of defenders who are talented in their own right, but they will be put to the test against the likes of Portugal, Ghana and Germany.
Beasley, Gonzalez, Besler and Cameron will likely start the first game of the World Cup against Ghana. Wanting to silence their doubters will be extra motivation for them, but building some motivation prior to the big tournament starts with their friendly match tonight.
Azerbaijan have never qualified for a major tournament, and they more than likely may never. This will be their first match against the USA, and having won just one of their World Cup Qualification matches, Klinsmann’s men should be able to make quick work of the European side.
American fans are already on the fence in regards to Donovan not going to the World Cup. If Klinsmann’s selection fails to impress against an inferior Azerbaijan side, the voice of his critics could start to get much louder before the World Cup kicks off.
Where to watch the match: Live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch USA vs Azerbaijan live on Tuesday, May 27, 2014:
In the UK at 3:00 BST (Wednesday) on: BT Sport 2
In the USA at 22:00 ET on: UniMás, ESPN2, Watch ESPN, Univision Deportes
Viewers outside of these countries can visit the USA vs Azerbaijan match page full TV listings in your area.
