KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Well, that's one way to get a last look at your leading central defense candidates before the start of Copa America Centenario: Start all four of them at once, and see if two of them can play fullback if needed.
US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann took that unusual step for the first half of Saturday night's 4-0 rout of Bolivia at Children's Mercy Park, the Yanks' last tune-up opportunity before opening Copa play next Friday against Colombia.
Matt Besler started at left back, John Brooks and Geoff Cameron paired in the middle, with Michael Orozco at right back. Besler and Orozco were both subbed off at the half, for Fabian Johnson and DeAndre Yedlin, respectively, after Klinsmann got the look he needed.
Steve Birnbaum, who went the full 90 at the right center back spot in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Ecuador, did not feature on Saturday night
Orozco has some previous experience on the outside with the Yanks – but Besler, Sporting Kansas City's captain, hadn't played left back for anyone since 2009, his rookie year with the then-Wizards.
“It was interesting,” said Besler, who was Klinsmann's first choice at left center back in the 2014 World Cup but is being increasingly challenged by Hertha Berlin's Brooks. “I hadn't played there for a while, but Jurgen said that we needed someone to fill in there tonight. So I embraced the challenge and the opportunity, and I enjoyed it. At the end of the day, it was all about the team and getting the result, and that's what we did.”
Klinsmann liked what he saw from the foursome in the first half – which included Brooks' close-range, left-footed finish that gave the US a 2-0 lead in the 37th minute – and he didn't rule out using either Besler or Orozco in a fullback role during the upcoming tournament. He also indicated that Monterrey’s Edgar Castillo, who was called-up on Friday as a replacement for the injured Timmy Chandler and will join the US on Sunday following the Liga MX final, could potentially see time at left back.
“Obviously, we have Edgar Castillo coming in tomorrow,” Klinsmann said. “But again, it depends on who's playing the right flank for the opponents. When you talk about certain names, you need to have an idea. Maybe throwing Matt in there because he's a 100 percent pure defender and gets the defensive job done, and doesn't need to worry about going forward that much – or you want to have more an attacking-minded left back. He did a great job, so that 45 minutes was very valuable to us.”
The same was true on the other side of the back four, Klinsmann added, even with Orozco's previous experience at right back.
“It's important that we know it's OK if it's needed,” he said. “Whatever happens – two yellow cards, a red card, an injury – on the left side, there's Matt always ready if it's needed, and on the right side there's a Michael Orozco who can jump in as well.”
Steve Brisendine covers soccer in Kansas City for
