Agudelo, Diskerud Lead United States Past South Africa

Agudelo started the goal-scoring sequence in the 85th minute with a through ball to Diskerud, who controlled it just inside the penalty area. After fending off two defenders with some clever footwork, Diskerud found Agudelo following his own pass with a run through the middle. Diskerud floated the ball forward, Agudelo controlled it with a nifty touch off his thigh and then struck it off the underside of the crossbar with the outside of his foot. The show of skill by both players is the exact kind of thing USMNT followers have been craving for years, but have rarely witnessed from their own players.

With the goal, the 17-year-old became the youngest player to ever score for the United States’ senior team.

Mikkel Diskerud has made quite a impression in his debut.

Diskerud was able to win a ball inside the penalty area, made a nice touch to Agudelo who was cutting in. Agudelo controlled the ball off his thigh just outside the six-yard box and beat the South African keeper with a shot off the outside of his foot that ricocheted off the crossbar and in.

The chance was part of the United States attack that’s woken-up for the second half. While the States have not been as controlling as the Bafana Bafana were in the first half, they’ve been the slightly better of the side through the half’s first 20 minutes. The States are actually holding some possession, something they’re not accustomed to doing even with a full squad.

Regular ESPN watchers might be familiar with ESPN’s incessant NASCAR advertisements. I’m not a NASCAR fan or basher, but they do seem to promote the product heavily. Along with promoting the races that they have, they also promote Amp, one of Red Bull’s direct competitors. Is it possible that ESPN producers have explicitly told their soccer staff not to mention the Austrian drink that tastes like carbonated, liquefied Sweet Tarts? Yes or no, it’s funny to speculate about.

For Findley, it was a tough half. SB Nation Soccer contributor Kevin McCauley spent the period counting how many times Findley gave the ball away under little resistance. Hopefully you weren’t playing the corresponding drinking game, because Kevin got to six.

If you were playing the drinking game, we want your comments, below. Please, don’t use spell check.

The United States gave South Africa their chances to take the lead at the Nelson Mandela Challenge, but with the Bafana Bafana unable to break through a sharp Brad Guzan, today’s friendly has gone to halftime scoreless.

For the States, is has been all Guzan. The nominal number two for both club and country has not seen much action over the last two-and-a-half years, but whatever rust had accumulated on the former Chivas USA `keeper was knocked off pre-match, with the Villa stopper making numerous strong reads in the first half. Three times he saved Bafana chances after the hosts broke through the line, and toward the end of the half Guzan was decisive coming off his line to swallow-up a through ball.

One of the things people tend to dislike about U.S. Men’s National Team coach Bob Bradley is his insistence on using players with whom he’s already comfortable.

Today’s starting lineup would be a perfect case in point. Robbie Findley gets the nod as a lone striker, three-fifths of the starting midfield play for the eighth best team in MLS and none of the offensive youngsters that intrigued many of the country’s fans will be in the starting XI.