USA lost 4-2 to Czech Republic on Tuesday as head coach Bob Bradley prepares to name his 23-man squad.
Bradley's side lose friendly in Connecticut
USA suffered a 4-2 friendly defeat to Czech Republic on Tuesday as head coach Bob Bradley prepares to name his 23-man squad for South Africa.
Rangers' Maurice Edu opened the scoring for the home side, but goals either side of half-time from Tomas Sivok and Jan Polak gave the visitors the lead.
Substitute Hercules Gomez levelled matters although things ended on a sour note as further goals from Martin Fenin and Tomas Necid saw the Czechs confirm the victory.
With defenders Carlos Bocanegra, the USA captain, and Jay DeMerit still recuperating from injuries, Bradley gave a start to AC Milan centre-back Oguchi Onyewu, out since last October's final World Cup qualifier when he ruptured a tendon in his left knee, while Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden, on the mend after a fractured fibula, also got his first USA start since March.
Holden played a key part in the opening goal in the 17th minute, sending in a cross from the left that teased Petr Cech off his line. The Chelsea keeper missed it, leaving Maurice Edu of Rangers to pounce on the loose ball and score from close range.
The Czechs, beaten 2-1 by Turkey in New Jersey last Saturday, began to take advantage of loose US play in midfield and were starting to cause problems on the counter-attack, particularly down their right flank.
Unmarked
The visitors should have equalised in the 26th minute when right-back Ondrej Kusnir crossed into the box to an unmarked Martin Fenin, who shot wide across the face of Brad Guzan's goal.
Kusnir was again a threat five minutes later as he forced US left-back Jonathan Bornstein to concede a free-kick in the corner, Jaroslav Plasil's inswinging centre forcing Guzan to punch to safety.
The Aston Villa keeper, though, was partly to blame when the Czechs finally equalised, caught out of position as Plasil sent in another free-kick from the same area as centre-back Tomas Sivok rose above a static Onyewu to head home from close to the penalty spot.
Sivok's goal sent the Czechs in at the break deserving of the level terms and Bradley responded by making five of his permitted six changes for the start of the second half.
Eddie Johnson and Edson Buddle made way for Robbie Rogers and Brian Ching in the attack while Beasley and Jose Torres made space in midfield for Sacha Kljestan and Hercules Gomez and Bornstein was replaced by Heath Pearce at left back.
Pearce fared little better, though, as the Czechs, already denied a second goal due to an offside, went in front in the 58th minute.
Lead
David Lafata cut inside right-back and captain for the night Steve Cherundolo and sent in a low cross from the left to the far post where Jan Polak easily lost substitute Pearce to tuck home and give the Czechs a 2-1 lead.
The Americans were level again seven minutes later as Gomez boosted his selection chances by heading home a Holden corner that had been headed back across goal by Clarence Goodson.
Back came the Czechs, Pearce again beaten at left-back, this time by Libor Sionko, whose cross was miscued by Goodson in front of goal. The ball squirmed out to Fenin who made no mistake from seven yards out to put the visitors back in from with his left-footed shot past Guzan.
There was worse to come in the 92nd minute as Edu, filling in for the subbed Onyewu at centre back was beaten in the air on a long ball by Tomas Necid, who turned and shot home for the fourth Czech goal.
Bradley will take his 23-man squad to Philadelphia for Saturday's farewell home game before the World Cup when they play Turkey.
