USA vs. Azerbaijan, 2014 World Cup friendlies: Set pieces lead to late USMNT win

The biggest difference between the side that drew Mexico in April and the team that played Tuesday night was the absence of Clint Dempsey. When played as a forward alongside a more traditional striker, Dempsey sits higher than he will in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but still likes to drop deep to find the ball and can pick out a pass to someone making a run into the box. Dempsey was scheduled to start this match, but was pulled as a precaution due to a minor groin problem and was replaced by Chris Wondolowski, a completely different kind of player.

With Wondolowski and Jozy Altidore up top, the USMNT attack lacked creativity and balance. With a poacher and a target forward, all of the creative and dirty work was left to Bradley, while no questions were asked of the Azerbaijan defenders as they defended against two extremely similar players. Wondolowski couldn’t finish the chances he got and Altidore looked a lot more like the player who couldn’t get a game at Sunderland than the one who dominated in a USMNT shirt in 2013.

Jurgen Klinsmann said earlier that the match that Azerbaijan, ranked 85th in the world, was supposed to be a chance for the U.S. to ease their way into the Send-Off Series after a long and tough training camp, but their play in the first half still fell below expectations.

Klinsmann made a couple changes to start the second half, none of which made a bigger impact than the introduction of Brad Davis. The midfielder was tidy with the ball and ran at the Azerbaijan defense, causing them real problems for the first time all match.

The biggest question is about who will fill out the starting lineup in midfield with both Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan out, and Fabian Johnson playing fullback. Those three players made up a stable unit with Graham Zusi and Clint Dempsey over the last couple years, and now someone new is going to have to emerge. That man would appear to be Nantes winger Alejandro Bedoya, but Klinsmann could also insert Kyle Beckerman and play a narrow diamond midfield instead of his usual 4-2-3-1.

Azerbaijan are led by 67-year-old Berti Vogts, a former German international defender who will also serve as a scout for the U.S. during the World Cup.