The Equalizer: Three U.S. soccer players distinguish themselves at the Confederations Cup

6/29/09
brian mcbride
By Max J. Dickstein

The Equalizer: Three U.S. soccer players distinguish themselves at the Confederations Cup

Photo credit: Game Face

USA's Benny Feilhaber, center, vies for the ball with Brazil's Felipe Melo during their Confederations Cup final soccer match at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, June 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

By Andrew Keh

The exhilarating U.S. run in the Confederations Cup, which ended on Sunday with a 3-2 loss in the final against Brazil, provided a much-needed boost for the team’s profile in this country.

But as the fanfare for our boys in white inevitably subsides, what can be taken away from the team's performance in South Africa? For all the sudden coverage it received stateside, the tournament was no more than a dress rehearsal for next summer’s World Cup, another trial on the road to the big stage.

For the U.S., games against Brazil, Italy, and Spain, as well as a do-or-die match against Egypt, were a valuable crucible through which certain unproven players could make their case to head coach Bob Bradley for 2010.

One of the most impressive performers was defender Jay DeMerit. Throughout the tournament, DeMerit stood tall against some of the most accomplished strikers in the world, throwing himself into unenviable positions to disrupt opposing attacks with a palpably steely edge. Against Spain, DeMerit’s boot was omnipresent, always sticking in to block a shot or deflect a pass. The starting job in central defense alongside Oguchi Onyewu now seems to be his to lose before next summer.Also elevating his stock was Charlie Davies. Already a star for his club Hammarby in Sweden, Davies is still a relative newcomer to the national squad. But he looks set to help fill the void left at forward since Brian McBride retired from international soccer.

Though Jozy Altidore, the poster-boy for American soccer’s future, gets all the attention, Davies is currently the more refined player. He caused all sorts of problems for defenses with his pace, showed comfort with the ball at his feet, and was willing to scrap in the box, as he did for his goal against Egypt.

Another periphery player that impressed was midfielder Benny Feilhaber. After a spectacular goal in the 2007 Gold Cup, a string of injuries pushed him out of the national team picture. But Bradley’s admiration for the 24-year-old is plain, as are the reasons for it.

In a midfield that tends towards hardiness and grit, the Brazilian-born Feilhaber adds a needed bit of finesse. He was calm on the ball, showed a good passing eye and made a skittering, dribbling run to help set up the team’s second goal against Spain.

Though the tournament ended in heartbreak, the emergence of these players gives the team added hope as it prepares for the next big tournament in South Africa.
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The Equalizer: Three U.S. soccer players distinguish themselves at the Confederations Cup

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