AARHUS, Denmark – It continues to be a good month for US national team forward Jozy Altidore.
The striker, voted MLS Player of the Week for the 2015 MLS season's debut week after a two-goal performance for new club Toronto FC, continued his resurgent form in March by scoring the opening goal and assisting on the second for the USMNT in a 3-2 loss to Denmark in a friendly on Wednesday.
Altidore showed a combination of determination and skill on the night, putting great pressure on the Danish defense, especially in the second half. Through the performance, he maintained his status, presumably, as a first-choice option for US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
After the game, Altidore said although the team played well for most of the encounter, he was dissatisfied with the overall loss of focus in the final minutes of the match, in which the US gave up two late goals that changed a 2-1 US lead to a 3-2 defeat.
“It’s really disappointing to give a game away like that, it’s just frustrating. Looking on the whole, the goals we gave up were soft,” he says. “We’re not hard enough to play against yet.”
Despite the result, acting USMNT captain and TFC teammate Michael Bradley spoke highly of Altidore’s performance in the friendly, noting that his performance always brings a great element to the team’s dynamic.
“He’s a strong personality, a strong character, has a commitment to himself and to the team,” said Bradley, who wore the armband for an injured Clint Dempsey. “His contribution to the team is always big. He always finds a way to make a difference.”
The match also saw Altidore reunite with former AZ Alkmaar teammate Aron Johannsson, a pairing Klinsmann said he hopes to see more from in future games. The duo worked cohesively against Denmark, with Altidore providing an assist for Johannsson’s goal after 65 minutes. Altidore remarked with optimism that he thinks the best is still yet to come for the young Johannsson, while Johannsson repaid the compliment.
“Jozy showed again that he can also be a team player and set me up for a great goal,” said Jóhannsson, recently coming off a long injury sustained during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Coming off a solid start with Toronto FC and a good showing against Denmark, Altidore is optimistic about what he can offer the team in the coming months going into this summer's Gold Cup.
“Like I’ve always said over the years, every time I come to this team I know I’ll always get chances,” he said. “I always know I’ll get a brand of football that’s always good for my play.”
