Jorge Luis Pinto’s reign as Honduran manager has seen his side transition into a pacy, counterattacking 5-4-1 that steered Costa Rica to the World Cup quarterfinals a year ago. While the base system is usually deemed as reactive, here, it was the ideal formation to negate the Americans’ midfield diamond.
The diamond is a narrow formation that heavily relies on width from the full-backs and shuttlers (wide central midfielders), but Honduras possessed adequate protection in these areas, preventing overloads and nifty combination play. This forced the Americans to launch balls into target man Jozy Altidore, but Honduras’ back trio comfortably isolated the striker. With Michael Bradley instructed to avoid dropping deeper into midfield to receive the ball, the US’ attack lacked cohesion and a natural link between midfield and attack.
Honduras, on the other hand, displayed their threat in transition on two occasions in the opening five minutes — Andy Najar and Mario Martinez running at defenders from narrow positions, whereas Anthony Lozano served as the ideal centre-forward that possesses pace, quality linkup play and strength. The attacking trio easily evaded Kyle Beckerman countless times in the first half, yet the wingers oddly opted for ambitious wayward shots from distance, opposed to breaking down a retreating American back-line.
Likewise, another key to Honduras’ early dominance was the freedom the centre back trio received to build out the back due to a numerical advantage against Altidore, and Jurgen Klinsmann instructing his side to drop deeper into two banks of four. While neither side holds the ability to break down a deep-lying organized defence — a genuine creative playmaker is non-existent in both squads — Pinto’s attacking three varied their movement into the channels to run at defenders in transition.
The first move saw Martinez drop deeper into space to clip a ball down the right channel for Lozano, and the striker easily turned John Brooks en route to the penalty area, but his cross was cleared for a corner. The second attack fell in stoppage time, as Wilmer Crisanto instantly launched a ball into the channel for Najar, who skipped past Ventura Alvarado and shrugged off the recovering DeAndre Yedlin before firing his shot inches over the net.
Despite Honduras’ constant threat on the counterattack, the U.S. persisted to play through the flanks, and was eventually rewarded via set pieces that were initially won in wide areas. Bradley’s delivery from a short corner subsequently led to Clint Dempsey nodding a saved Altidore shot into the net. Then around the hour mark, Dempsey nodded his captain’s second half free kick past goalkeeper Donis Escober from point-blank range.
Nevertheless, Pinto’s second half substitutions shifted the tempo in the final stages. Romell Quioto replaced Najar on the left, Carlos Discua moved into midfield, thus shifting Alfredo Mejia to the right, whereas Eddie Hernandez joined Lozano upfront with 15 minutes remaining.
All three substitutes offered an improved attacking threat, and were equally involved in Honduras’ best chances. Discua scored within seconds of his arrival with a powerful off the ball run from midfield, and his spatial awareness positioned his side into dangerous positions.
Still, where Pinto’s personnel alterations offered suitable options in open play, Klinsmann’s caution nearly backfired. The first half lead ensured the Americans could sit back and limit space for Pinto’s men to exploit on the counter, but the midfield duo of Bradley and Beckerman tired, and were bypassed by two incisive passes in the buildup of late legitimate chances squandered by Hernandez.
“It was not easy at all tonight, it was a very tight game,” Klinsmann said. “It’s going to be a journey in which we hope we’re going to improve from match to match – there will be moments of little struggle.”
The Americans were reluctant to press higher up the pitch, and without an outlet upfront — Chris Wondolowski is purely a finisher, whereas Dempsey isn’t a centre forward — they relied on quick surges from fullback Fabian Johnson and Yedlin to mount promising counter attacks.
“I feel like we played a good match,” said Pinto. “But in football, sometimes the small details are what determine the matches. That’s what happened to us.”
More so, Pinto’s meticulous approach was worthy of a draw at minimum — his side negated their threat in wide areas, and consistently broke with speed, targeting a potential weak point in Beckerman. Though the Americans struggled to create chances in open play, their set-piece efficiency served as the decisive factor.
