Defensively sound: At the same time, Cannon looked defensively sound as he impressed with his positional play as well as a healthy amount of aggression in tackles, a much needed trait for the USMNT as they begin to face tougher opponents outside of CONCACAF. Lastly, what stood out most to us was his ability to solve tricky situations in tight spaces with intelligent short passes out of his own half, not too dissimilar from skills shown by Ajax full back Sergino Dest during the U20 World Cup this summer. Admittedly, Cannon remains a bit raw as a player; however, if he gets more minutes with USMNT and becomes comfortable as part of the group, we think he could become a serious contender for one of the full back spots on the team.

Other Notable Performances

Matt Miazga (23, Clifton, NJ) - Chelsea FC, Premier League

Capitalized on Panama opportunity: The second player that clearly capitalized on the opportunity to start vs. Panama was Matt Miazga. Next to a significantly more shaky Omar Gonzalez, Miazga provided the US team with much needed composure in the back along with a physical presence that for most of the game overpowered the few Panamanian counter attacks coming the USMNT’s way. Equally as important, in the absence of John Brooks and Aaron Long, it was Miazga who took on the responsibility of organizing the USMNT back-line, letting others know when to step up or when to fall back, despite Omar Gonzalez captaining the team. Above all, after a stellar season on loan with Reading in the Championship, Miazga has matured as a player, having grown physically (in a very tough English league) and most importantly from a positional perspective; he was much more impressive than his center back partner for most of the game. Lastly, while Panama was admittedly not much of an attacking threat, Miazga showcased that he has the pace to defend fast counters - a vital trait for teams susceptible to counter attacks, such as the USMNT.

Passing out of back looked solid: Along with a defensively stable game for Miazga, he looked the most secure at building play out of the back by finding good outlet passes. This became especially apparent as Mizaga was able to find a very high standing Cannon with driven balls multiple times on the right hand side, without dwelling too long on the ball. All said, as we’ve said before, we don’t want to over evaluate this game against a second string Panama, but Miazga looks up for the challenge to compete for the second starting center back spot next to Brooks over the next few years.

Christian Pulisic (20, Hershey, PA) - Chelsea FC, Premier League

Captain vs. Curacao: In his first competitive game as the team’s captain, Christian Pulisic remained a real bright spot primarily in the first half. In fact, right from the get go, Pulisic was the most active player on the ball, driving at players 1v1 and creating USMNT chances less than ten minutes into the game. With a bit more luck, he could have been on the score sheet early on - but Curacao’s keeper, Room, came up with a spectacular save from point blank range. Above all though, it was most apparent that Pulisic is ready to become the real leader of this team. He’s already the face of the USMNT, but he’s shown that he can put the team on his back - popping up in virtually every offensive position on the field, including on the wing, the center, or deep in the opponent's box.

Moment of brilliance delivers the goal: As such, it wasn’t surprising to see Pulisic create the only goal on the night after a moment of brilliance in the first half. Having received the ball on the left wing, Pulisic passed an opponent with ease after a nice move and struck a long cross to the back post where Weston McKennie nodded the ball home, giving the goalie no chance for a save. The link up between the two 20-year-old USMNT stars was by far the most exciting part of the game, and we always have to put their age in perspective. The future remains bright, we just need to give our young guys a chance.

MLS Spotlight

Brian White (23, Flemington, NJ) - NY Red Bulls, MLS

For two months, the NY Red Bulls have been without star striker Bradley Wright Philips, but the team has still been able to score goals. One of the key players to step up in BWP’s absence has been second year player Brian White. White, who has experience playing for the U23 Red Bulls and Red Bulls II squad, now has five goals in 10 games this season. White stands at 5’10” and is a clinical finisher to the highest degree. He is a solid header of the ball and is a classic poacher, often being in the right place at the right time (most of White’s goals are converted from short range). White is known for flick ons, one touch short passes and somehow, some way finding a way to put the ball in the net. Against Philadelphia, White scored a skillful chip, sprinting in between two defenders as the keeper stormed in. Judging the bounce and flight of the ball carefully, White launched the ball from the top of the box, high over the heads of all three Philly players. This creativity gives him an edge and has enabled him to become a key player for the Red Bulls.

White’s chip goal: