Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler made his 30th international appearance on Sunday as the United States Men’s National Team twice came from behind to defeat Iceland 3-2 in a friendly at StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Besler started and played 90 minutes as the U.S. played its first match of a 2016 campaign that will include 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying and the Copa America Centenario in June. Jurgen Klinsmann’s side erased deficits in both halves on Sunday as goals from Jozy Altidore, Michael Orozco and Steve Birnbaum — who scored the decisive header in the 90th minute — ensured victory against their European visitors.
Iceland — No. 36 in the latest FIFA rankings and set to make its first-ever European Championship appearance this summer — went ahead in the 13th minute when Kristinn Steindorsson’s deflected shot beat goalkeeper Luis Robles from 15 yards out. The U.S. needed just seven minutes to restore parity as Michael Bradley slipped a through ball to Jozy Altidore, who finished low into the right corner.
Iceland regained its lead three minutes after the interval when Aron Sigurdarson marked his international debut with a well-placed strike just inside the far right corner of the net. Orozco, Besler’s partner in central defense, leveled proceedings in the 59th minute, tapping home from close range after Birnbaum sent a header across the face of goal.
Birnbaum then turned goal scorer in the 90th minute, latching onto Bradley’s free kick from the right wing for his first international goal as the U.S. won its third straight game against European opposition, having beaten the Netherlands and Germany last June.
Besler and the U.S. will remain in Carson this week before ending the January camp with Friday’s friendly against Canada at StubHub Center. The CONCACAF neighbors will kick off at 9:15 p.m. CT on FS1, UniMas and Univision Deportes. The match could feature a pair of Sporting KC defenders as Besler squares off with Canadian left back Marcel de Jong.
Following Friday’s match, Besler and de Jong will rejoin Sporitng Kansas City for the club’s second phase of the 2016 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. The team will play four matches in the Desert Diamond Cup from Feb. 17-27 at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona.
