International Friendlies: 5 Things We Learnt From United States' Draw With France

Modified Jun 12, 2018 08:19 GMT

France v United States - International Friendly Match

Heading into France's final World Cup tune-up match against the United States, many thought it would be a thrashing. France are clearly the more talented side, fielding a starting 11 that will most likely remain unchanged come their World Cup opener against Australia.

But despite the US Men's National Team squad only averaging 6.5 international appearances per player, the Americans dug their heels in and put up an encouraging fight. Now let's go through 5 things we learned from the USMNT's draw with France.

#1 Dave Sarachan is the perfect bridge to the next manager

Taking over in a time when the USMNT was drowning in turmoil, Dave Sarachan has managed to steady the ship. Despite the immense disappointment of not qualifying for the World Cup, Sarachan has helped build a new buzz around the national team.

The United States is heading into a new era, out with the old in with the new. Sarachan's approach of prioritizing the youth is just what the U.S. needed. International caps are hard to come by. Promising young talents have been rarely afforded the opportunity to get consistent game time with the national team, so it's good to at least get these youngsters' feet wet.

As the search for a new long-term manager continues, Dave Sarachan has proved to be the perfect fit as interim manager.

#2 Zack Steffen Should Be the Starting Goalkeeper of the Future

FBL-FRIENDLY-FRA-USA — France v United States - International Friendly Match

After an outstanding string of playoff performances last fall and more recent strong showings for the Columbus Crew, Zack Steffen showed why he should be the USMNT's starting goalkeeper for years to come.

In a hostile environment with the United States constantly under pressure, Steffen managed to keep his cool and put his exciting reflexes and agility on full display. Steffen managed 7 saves from the 18 total shots he faced. His best work came when he denied a rapidly advancing French squad not once, but twice in the final minute of stoppage time.

After yet another strong showing against an International powerhouse, Zack Steffen has surely cemented himself as the No.1 goalkeeper atop the United States' depth chart.

#3 Don't Forget About Matt Miazga

Since signing with Chelsea in 2016, Matt Miazga has flown relatively under the radar. After spending a couple of seasons with Vitesse Arnhem, Miazga played a large role in the Dutch club's qualification for the Europa League the next season.

Miazga produced a solid outing against the relentless pressure from France. He owned space in the box against an aerially strong Olivier Giroud, until the two clashed heads in the 60th minute, resulting in Miazga's exit from the match.

At only 22 years old, Miazga is very young and has plenty of untapped potential worth getting excited about if you're a fan of the US. A change of club scenery in 2018 may be what Miazga needs in order to maximize his development.

#4 Antonee Robinson Should Be the Starting Left Back

After an eye-catching international debut against Bolivia, Antonee Robinson followed it up with another solid showing against France. Robinson's blend of pace and strength gives him an advantage in one-on-one situations. Against some of the best attackers in the world, Robinson found himself making good defensive plays more often than not.

Robinson had a strong season in England for Bolton Wanderers on loan from Everton. It will be interesting to see where he heads next for his domestic duties come fall, but it looks like the US's long-standing problem at left back finally has a solution.

#5 Tyler Adams is One of the Best Young Talents on the National Team

Tyler Adams rose to the occasion against one of the best midfields in the world, having his defensive qualities on full display. After a timid opening 20 minutes to the game where Paul Pogba was afforded too much time and space, Adams stepped up and contested Pogba well in the midfield. Adams was also constantly supporting the backline, possibly making more last-ditch defensive interventions than any of the central defenders.

This isn't the first positive performance from Adams for the United States, but this one was by far his most impressive. The future is bright for this 19-year-old who could be the next young American to make a move to Europe, which would surely be beneficial to his development.

Edited by Arvind Sriram