CARSON, Calif. – Now that Gyasi Zardes has his first U.S. National Team cap under his belt, the LA Galaxy striker is itching to make his mark in a U.S. kit.
Zardes made his first appearance for the U.S. last week in a 3-2 defeat to Chile, coming on as a 68th minute sub. Despite being thrown into the match in the midst of a rally by Chile, Zardes appeared undeterred by the pressure as the 23-year-old proved to be a capable target forward and nearly helped the Americans pull level with a chance in stoppage time.
“It all happened so fast. I just felt a lot of excitement and a lot of joy because everything that I had always dreamed about was coming true,” said Zardes.” It was a surreal moment, but I was just trying to play simple because when you do that, you find the rhythm of the game.”
But with his first appearance in the rearview mirror, Zardes has turned his focus to this Sunday’s match against Panama at StubHub Center.
The Galaxy Homegrown Player, who grew up a stone’s throw away from the stadium in nearby Hawthorne, will have an opportunity to make his second appearance for the national team in front of his friends and family on Sunday.
“It’ll mean so much to me,” Zardes told LAGalaxy.com. “This is my hometown and my home stadium so it means the world to be able to have this achievement. To play in front of my family, friends and fans will simply be a dream come true.
“This is our dream and we’re living it together. I may be on the field, but we’re all living this dream together. It’ll be wonderful to see my wife and son in the stands watching us.”
If he does suit up on Sunday, he’ll have an opportunity to take on his teammate Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Such a meeting will be particularly meaningful for the two Galaxy players as they are not only teammates but also former neighbors who spend time with each other’s families off the field.
But despite that familiarity, Zardes says that kindness gets thrown out the window if he gets an opportunity to score on Sunday.
“Jaime is one of my best friends and our families are very close, but it’ll be wonderful to score against him,” he said. “I hope I score a couple.”
However, no matter if he scores or even suits up on Sunday, Zardes has already declared his participation in the U.S. National Team’s January camp a rousing success.
“I feel like I’m starting to see things in a different perspective. Like I always say, I’m a student of the game and I’m always learning,” Zardes said. “I try to apply the advice that the coaches give me and simply apply it to my game so that I can adapt to this new level. It’s truly something special.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
USA vs. Panama
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, 1 pm PT
StubHub Center, Carson, Calif.
Watch on ESPN, UniMas, UDN
A US national team in transition seek to end a five-game winless skid – and secure just their second victory since last summer's World Cup – when CONCACAF colleagues Panama visit Southern California for an international friendly on Sunday afternoon.
It's a time of evolution and experimentation for the USMNT as a new cycle dawns. But with a post-Brazil hangover still, well, hanging over the team as head coach Jurgen Klinsmann issues wave after wave of headline-making pronouncements, the Yanks could really do with a convincing win as they wrap up their January camp.
For their part, Los Canaleros will seek a measure of revenge for the stunning US victory that ended their World Cup dreams in these teams' last meeting, on the final day of the Hexagonal qualifying round in October of 2013.
PREMATCH CONTENT
- Penedo says shorthanded Panama face tough task vs. USMNT
- DC United center back Steve Birnbaum fits in right away in first-ever USMNT camp
- WATCH:Jurgen Klinsmann and Jozy Altidore share their takeaways after Chile loss
- Omar Gonzalez turning focus to preparation with LA Galaxy, unworried over place with USMNT
- Klinsmann says Miguel Ibarra's future with USMNT bright: "He has a lot of cards in his pockets"
- Altidore says USMNT struggles part of "transition" to new World Cup cycle in Fox interview
- Jermaine Jones confesses to discomfort in new 3-5-2 role: "That system, for me it's not easy"
- WATCH: Armchair Analyst breaks down the USMNT's loss in Chile | MLS Now
- One win in last nine? Jurgen Klinsmann explains reasons behind rough patch
- Klinsmann points to fitness levels as primary reason for USMNT's loss to Chile
HISTORY
With the scoreboard showing a 2-1 lead over the already-qualified US as the clock reached 90:00 on that sultry night in Panama City, Panama thought they'd secured fourth place in the Hex – good for an intercontinental playoff vs. New Zealand – at Mexico's expense. But that's when Graham Zusi (soon to be known as "San Zusi" by grateful Mexico supporters) and Aron Jóhannsson struck with injury-time goals that crushed Canalero hopes and rescued El Tri's.
That unforgettable result extended a tradition of USMNT dominance over their Central American counterparts. The Yanks hold an 11-1-2 overall record in the rivalry, with Panama's only win occurring in the early phases of the 2011 Gold Cup – a 2-1 result in Tampa that remains the US's only group stage defeat in the modern formulation of the event. That setback was avenged later in the same tournament with a US victory in the knockout rounds.
USA OUTLOOK
Klinsmann rolled out an new 3-5-2 formation on last week's rare visit to Chile, and it led to well-taken goals for recent MLS returnees Brek Shea and Jozy Altidore. But the recent habit of second-half swoons kicked in again as La Roja stormed to a 3-2 comeback win, extending the USMNT's winless run to five games – and raising a variety of questions about a squad that doesn't seem to know its own identity at the moment.
Klinsmann has a simple explanation, however: His team isn't fit enough. Pointing to the timing and length of the MLS offseason, the fourth-year head coach explained that his 16 days of camp before the Chile match were not enough to overcome some players' insufficient winter conditioning work.
Whether you think he's saying what needs to be said or simply passing the buck, there's no denying that Klinsmann's latest head-turning remarks have upped the ante a notch or two heading into the Panama clash. Will he maintain the experimental attitude of last week, or keep things simple and hunt for a win?
PANAMA OUTLOOK
While perhaps their greatest generation of players were cruelly denied the nation's first-ever World Cup berth two years ago, Los Canaleros have plenty to look forward to as they seek to consolidate a position among the region's leading soccer powers.
Last month their U-20 squad upset their Yanqui adversaries in the group stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament in Jamaica, helping them secure one of the event's automatic bids ahead of Tab Ramos' much-ballyhooed US team.
Now manager Hernan Dario Gomez has called six standouts from that group into the senior squad: Ismael Diaz, Fidel Escobar, Chin Hormechea, Michael Murillo, Luis Pereira and Jhamal Rodríguez. Pereira won the Golden Ball at the U-20 event and will be seeking a fast-tracked route into the Panama midfield.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
USA – Gyasi Zardes
The LA Galaxy Homegrown player showed promise in his brief USMNT debut vs. Chile, and may well have earned a longer runout in front of his home fans at StubHub Center on Sunday. Always bursting with potential, Zardes grew into one of MLS's top attackers last year and now has real hopes of becoming a regular for Klinsmann during the 2018 World Cup cycle.
PANAMA – Jaime Penedo
The man tasked with denying Zardes & Co. on Sunday is a Galaxy teammate, a key cog in LA's modern MLS dynasty and a foundational element of Panama's player pool. Penedo may need to produce a sterling display in goal if the visitors are to sneak a win here.
ROSTERS
USA
GOALKEEPERS: Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Matt Hedges(FC Dallas), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United), Shane O'Neill (Colorado Rapids), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur, ENG)
MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (Orlando City), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
PANAMA
GOALKEEPERS: Jaime Penedo (LA Galaxy, USA), Jose Calderon (Deportivo Coatepeque, GUA)
DEFENDERS: Leonel Parris (Tauro FC), Fidel Escobar (Sporting San Miguelito), Harold Cummings (Santa Fe, COL), Luis Ovalle (Zamora FC , VEN), Eric Davis (Sporting San Miguelito), Chin Hormechea (Arabe Unido), Michael Murillo (San Francisco FC).
MIDFIELDERS: Anibal Godoy (Budapest Honved FC, HUN), Marco Sanchez (Táchira, VEN), Jhamal Rodríguez ( Chorrillo FC), Luis Pereira (Arabe Unido), Ricardo Buitrago (Plaza Amador), Hécgar Murillo (Tauro FC).
FORWARDS: Blas Perez (FC Dallas, USA), Gabriel Torres (Colorado Rapids, USA), Rolando Blackburn (Communicaciones, GUA), Ismael Diaz (Tauro FC), Alfredo Stephens (Chorrillo FC), Jairo Glaize (Sporting San Miguelito).
