Final Score
United States 0-2 — 2
Peru 1-0 — 1
The U.S. men’s soccer team defeated Peru 2-1 in a friendly at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night.
A pair of goals from Jozy Altidore overturned a 1-0 deficit after Daniel Chavez had given Peru a 20th-minute lead. both teams had chances to add to the score late on, but the Stars and Stripes secured the win in their first performance after faltering in the Gold Cup.
Peru faces Columbia in a friendly on Tuesday while the U.S. will welcome Brazil to RFK.
Check here for stats and highlights of the match.
Lineups
United States: Guzan; Orozco, Gonzalez, Brooks, Ream, Yedlin, Jones, Bedoya, Zardes, Altidore, Wood
Peru: Gallese; Advincula, Zambrano, Ascues, Vargas, Carrillo, Lobaton, Ballon, Cueva, Farfan, Chavez.
Stats
Goals: United States: Jozy Altidore (59′ PEN, 69′); Peru: Daniel Chavez (20′)
Shots (On Goal): United States 14 (5 on goal), Peru 13 (4 on goal)
Tackles: United States 15, Peru 16
Fouls: United States 10, Peru 13
Possession: United States 41% Peru 59%
Cards: United States: John Brooks (50′), Jozy Altidore (85′)
Attendance: 28,896
Daniel Chavez Gave Peru a 1-0 Lead in the 20th Minute
After a dull opening sequence with no goalmouth action to speak of, Daniel Chavez gave Peru the lead with this shot that took a crazy deflection off Omar Gonzalez and looped over Brad Guzan for the goal.
Jozy Altidore Missed a Penalty, But Converted Rebound to tie the Match
The U.S. got back on level terms in the 59th minute when they were awarded a penalty for a foul in the box. In Jozy Altidore fashion, he missed the spot kick but followed up his miss and finished for the goal.
Altidore Scored Again to Give the United States a 2-1 Lead
Some horrific defending from Peru led to this 69th minute tap-in goal by Altidore, his second of the match and 29th for the U.S. in his career.
Preview: Peru Visits the Nation’s Capital for an International Friendly
Though Peru finished third in the Copa America over the summer and narrowly missed out on a historic final, Ricardo Gareca’s men sit 48th in the FIFA World Rankings, well behind Friday’s opponents the United States (28th).
Peru is also a heavy underdog in this matchup against the U.S., which wants to put the Gold Cup disappointment fully in the rear view mirror.
Tim Howard is back in the national team after taking a sabbatical, but he is second choice to Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzan. Manager Jurgen Klinsmann said Guzan would be the No. 1 goalie through the Confederations Cup playoff against Mexico.
Klinsmann isn’t on the hot seat yet, but a poor performance in the next several games might push him towards that chair.
Editor’s note: Football is around the corner, and Heavy’s partners at DraftKings have the best NFL and college contests. Sign up with DraftKings promo code HEAVY and get a $600 deposit bonus with no season-long commitment.
Comments
USA vs. Peru: Score, Stats & Highlights