There were a number of glaring defensive breakdowns:
As a group: (77′)
77th minute, a slashing Libor Sionko gets past an over committed Heath Pearce and lays a cross past the goal mouth which Clarence Goodson fails to deal with effectively. The US defenders are caught ball watching.
Tomas Necid’s first touch is not the best but in the scramble his shot comes off Bedoya and springs free to the unmarked Martin Fenin who hits a clanger. There was no one culprit in that complete breakdown in defense beginning with the amount of ground ceded to Sionko to Fenin’s finish.
The USA was also let down on the one on one situations.
Oguchi Onyewu: (44′)
Does Bradley risk taking Oguchi Onyewu to SA? Seven months of injury time off can lead to situations like in the 44′ minute when the AC Milan defender on a one on one with Tomas Sivok, completely failed to elevate to head off Jaroslav Plaisil’s free kick, leaving Sivok unimpeded to score the Czech Republic’s second goal.
Two factors go into successfully clearing a cross like that – reaction time and an explosive standing jump.
Gooch lacked both which shows that he is yet to attain complete match fitness. Peter Crouch will be relishing his prospects. Ditto Antar Yahia. Ditto Milivoje Novakovič.
Maurice Edu: (90+2′)
The Rangers right back was guilty of misjudging a long ball in stoppage time which Tomas Necid was able to get to as the ball bounced of Edu’s back. The Czech striker took off with Edu and Cherundolo giving up the pursuit.
If Bob Bradley was looking for some closure on his SA hopefuls on the defensive end, he was in for a letdown.