US-Argentina Preview

The U.S. will debut its natty new red kit (photo-shopped above onto defender Carlos Bocanegra) when it faces Argentina tomorrow night at the New Meadowlands Stadium (7:00 p.m., ESPN2).

They’re going to need all the mojo the new threads can provide, because the two-time World Cup champion Albicelestes are bringing a formidable mix of rising young players and established superstars for the match.

Led by reigning World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, the Argentine roster also includes veterans Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Mascherano along with up-and-comers Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore.

Mancester City striker Carlos Tevez and Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero were both left off the roster, but the team is lethal nonetheless.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley called 24 players to training camp in Cary, NC, a week ago, but after Steve Cherundolo, Zak Whitbread and Stuart Holden went down with injuries, he summoned Eric Lichaj to bring the total to 22. Eighteen of those players will travel to the game.

Holden’s injury—a 26-stitch gash to his knee courtesy of Man U defender Jonny Evans’s studs—is certainly the lead talking point for the Yanks in the run-up to this game. He’d been in the form of his life for Bolton all season long and would have been a huge asset in the U.S. midfield.

Bradley is certain to call on his veterans to lead the way against this visiting world power, so we’re not expecting any surprises at the opening whistle. For instance, as well as they’ve done in their brief national-team careers, Red Bulls Tim Ream and Juan Agudelo are not likely to start this one (provided they both travel), and neither is German-American newcomer Timothy Chandler.

Here are the 22 players Bradley has to choose from:

GOALKEEPERS: Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves), Tim Howard (Everton), David Yelldell (Duisburg)

DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (Tigres), Timothy Chandler (Nuremberg), Eric Lichaj (Leeds [on loan from Aston Villa]), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United),

MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Mikkel Diskeruud (Stabaek), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt)

We’re betting his starting XI looks like this:

—————- Buddle             Altidore

Donovan            Edu            Jones                        Dempsey

Bornstein            Gooch            DeMerit            Spector

————————–Howard

Agree? Disagree? Think there’s no way Michael Bradley doesn’t start? Let us know in the comments.

The U.S. has done surprisingly well against Argentina in recent meetings, blanking them 3-0 at the 1995 Copa America, 1-0 in a 1999 friendly at RFK Stadium*, and drawing the Albiceleste 0-0 in 2008, at the old Meadowlands stadium. In the 2007 Copa America, a U.S. B-team lost to Argentina 4-1.

•••

* We attended that game, after watching a friend’s band in DC late into the night before. We overslept on game day, and ran into a massive parade en route to the stadium (on the other end of DC from our hotel, of course). Who knew it was Gay Pride day in DC that day? Not us.

We arrived at RFK just in time to see Kasey Keller stop a penalty for the U.S., then took our seats—right in the heart of the Argentine fan section, thank you Ticketmaster—and watched Joe-Max Moore win it for the Yanks, taking a nifty backheel from Earnie Stewart and burying it in the Argentina goal.

Our sky-blue-and-white-clad neighbors did not appreciate our response to this development. One of them let us know with a high-volume vuvuzela blast approximately five centimeters from our right ear. This in no way dampened our delight in the 1-0 U.S. victory.