Slovakia and the United States played in a friendly on Saturday, November 14, 2009. Both teams have qualified for next summer’s FIFA 2010 World Cup Final. Here’s a recap of the match along with video highlights.
Slovakia beats United States 1-0 – Video Highlights
The United States dominated possession, especially in the 2nd half, but struggled to convert any chances as they lost to Slovakia. The home side, Slovakia, scored a first half goal, and was able to hold off the USA for the rest of the match. For Bob Bradley, USA manager, it was a chance to give some players a chance on the international stage. A few players were unavailable for the match (Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, Stuart Holden) because of injuries and the MLS Playoffs.
The goal for Slovakia came in the 26th minute from Marek Hamsik as he converted a penalty kick. The United States pushed late for an equalizer but they were unable to find it. It was a disappointing performance for the Americans who were the better team for much of the play and controlled the midfield but failed to find the back of the net. They face Denmark in another friendly on Wednesday, November 18, 2009.
