Next Generation of USMNT players making their mark this month

If you are a United States soccer fan — I’m pretty sure I am — you have to be pretty darn excited right now.

The 2014 World Cup was fine. The United States made it through the group stages but were bounced in the first round of knock-out play, leaving fans wondering what direction this seemingly stagnant team was headed.

In a post-Landon Donovan era, it was a team that was built around getting players — and in turn, fans — out of their comfort zones.

For evidence of the United States’ changing of the guard, look no farther than Donovan’s weird departure from the team and from playing soccer. Fans who had grown up in an era when Landon Donovan was synonymous with the game in this country might have been questioning Klinsmann’s plan.

Largely because of players like Donovan, though, the United States has continued to find young, talented players. Getting those guys into winning form has been a tough, fluid code to crack.

In a recent game against the Netherlands, the US team looked like they were going to lose in familiar ways. There wasn’t enough back-line discipline. Forward Gyasi Zardes wasn’t taking advantage of his opportunities. Zardes did put one in the back of the net, but the United States was down 3-1 with things not looking good.

Then a few funny things happened. Central defender John Brooks — who gets pretty badly beaten at times — made a 70th minute  box-to-box run and finished to put the US within a goal. OK, his run wasn’t “box-to-box.” Actually, it started around midfield, but still, it was a piece of inspired play that depended especially on Brooks’ trust of others to cover his back line in the likely case his run hadn’t resulted in anything good.

OK, so here are those pesky Americans who always give their fans a little more hope than is realistic. So I thought.

Danny Williams, a relative unknown, proved me wrong and unleashed this crack to level the match.

Then lightning struck in the 90th minute. I mean, Amsterdam was reeling, but one name you know (Michael Bradley) and two names you probably didn’t know (Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood) took advantage and made history.

Yes, the Netherlands took their feet off the gas and no, their defense was never VERY good in this game.

But the US team took advantage. They scored four goals. They were opportunistic. They finished.

To summarize, The four goal-scorers on June 5th have six total goals between them in International play.

Don’t get me wrong, this is still Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey’s group. However, in a post-Landon Donovan era, with a national team that was 1-3-2 since the World Cup, the recent wins are huge.

Following the comeback in Amsterdam, the Americans beat Klinsmann’s Germany and are now 4-1 in their past five games.

The really fun thing about their recent run is that they have done it without some of the names US soccer fans have gotten used to. Perhaps it’s time for US fans to get to know some of these younger, lesser-known guys.

A week ago, I sure was pumping my fist in excitement, celebrating a comeback for the ages. My arm has plenty more where that came from. I wonder if some of these new faces have the same.