by Greg Seltzer for Soccer365

There was a lot of both good and bad as the U.S. Olympic team battled the Netherlands to a spirited 2-2 draw on Sunday - and these marks will reflect that.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time an American side has avoided to defeat to Oranje at any age level, cause enough for celebration if true. The draw, though a disappointment in aftermath context, would have almost certainly been viewed a great result by U.S. players, coaches and fans before kickoff.

After a slow start, the Red, White & Blue confidently carried much of the play over the final hour, only to suffer a chain of stoppage time breakdowns that saw Gerald Sibon rifle a free kick under the wall and past Brad Guzan for the share.

Those who know me personally realize this match-up is always special for me. Oranje were my first soccer love, and it was a good decade later before I even knew my home country had such a squad. I will have but one club my entire life, but there are two national teams I "live and die with" (and yes, I pull for the U.S. when they play the Netherlands).

In that light, this was for me the most entertaining game I've seen the two countries play and the first time I saw a USMNT outplay the favorite. That being said, each team made its share of miscues and each went to their hotel room knowing they still have not reached top gear.

A quick note for those not familiar with reading my U.S. Player Ratings yet: the scale is based on an average of "6" and in my view being "average" means having a solid impact on the game. Additionally, sub's marks are relative to the amount of time played.

U.S. Player Ratings

Brad Guzan (5) - He was generally commanding per usual, but sloppy on each goal. The first came when he stopped a Ryan Babel header, only to serve the rebound directly back up to the striker. On the second, any amount of scouting on Sibon would tell you that he A) led the Eredivisie with five free kick goals last season & B) loves to hit them through the wall low. Michael Bradley, his teammate at Heerenveen, surely had to mention this stuff to the keeper. Neither goal was entirely his fault, but then again, they rarely are and that's not the point.

Marvell Wynne (6.5) - The Toronto FC right back looks on the verge of really coming into his own. He did a little of everything a typical wingback does in this game, and his back side help hustle was much better than against Japan. That gangbusters scamper down the flank near the hour should have his agents' phone ringing from European area codes all by itself. If that doesn't do it, perhaps the repeated thefts of Real Madrid scatterbug Royston Drenthe will.

Maurice Edu (5) - I know he's playing out of position, and that Ryan Babel is a massive handful from a size/speed/quickness standpoint, but this Toronto FC player went the other way from game one form-wise compared to Wynne. Most importantly, he lost Babel twice consecutively on the first goal sequence. And besides... you can't make a daring run forward from central defense just to clip the goalie and saddle yourself with a silly card taken 100 meters from your own end.

Michael Parkhurst (5.5) - It was another mixed bag for the New England Rev star, who seems spaciously uncomfortable out of his club's three-man backline. He also needs to be quicker in moving the ball from the back, though he did hit some lovely long diagonal balls to the left side. This Dutch attack has actually been sputtering, something that cannot be said for Nigeria, whose only problem has been finishing chances.

Michael Orozco (5.5) - The San Luis converted center back looked early like he was again going to be a weak link, but rallied as the game went on and eventually got involved going forward as well, including a driven assist on Altidore's go-ahead goal. His flank coverage improved over the Japan game, but we will still need better the rest of the way.

Michael Bradley (6) - Like the team at large, Bradley played well for most of the game, only to lose points due to a few incidents. While he served as a wonderful outlet man through much of the game, he was let off the hook by a wasteful Hedwiges Maduro after losing the Oranje midfielder at the back post on a set piece and became unavailable for the Nigeria match thanks to a late and unnecessary booking for excessive time wasting. I did grant him a bonus half-point for the understanding and leadership he provided as the one guy on the team who knew exactly what to expect from the Dutch.

Sacha Kljestan (5.5) - The Chivas USA was the antithesis to Bradley in that he disappointed often, yet came up with some big impact plays. He routinely helped start Oranje rushes with errors and usually failed to play a precise ball after getting into good playmaking positions. Of course, he got the Americans on the board with a nifty dash-and-finish, as much an emotional lift as one on the scoreboard... but he also bailed out big-time as a wall man on the equalizer.

Stuart Holden (5.5) - At halftime, the game one hero could arguably have been tabbed as the best U.S. player on the field to that point, due to plenty of fine link play, a rocket shot and some active set piece serves. That changed quite a bit as the game wore down, and a couple of late mistakes cost his team. The Dynamo ace should have passed to a wide open Kljestan for what would have been an 89th minute dagger, and then recklessly clattered into a player moving away from goal in a dangerous spot to set up the Dutch free kick equalizer.

Robbie Rogers (5) - The former Heerenveen reserve teamer certainly looked comfortable playing against Young Oranje as one might expect, but as with the first game, a lot of smart running was wasted by poor crosses. If an editor showed clips only made up of his work on and off the ball, you'd be impressed by how he stretched the defense to his corner. How satisfied would the viewer when the second cut arrived showing only what he did to cap the plays? Not so much. Nevertheless, I say he's still not getting the ball on the sprint enough - another negative benefit of these tactics, which keeps those flank passing triangles too far apart to compel an opposing wing back to regularly cede space at their back by pinching forward.

Freddy Adu (6) - The Monaco newbie was again able to deal the U.S. some wild card moments, including the nifty touch pass to spring Kljestan. Even if some were unsuccessful, it is still very important to have that X-factor on the field trying things. Of course, like Bradley, he also took a foolish yellow which will see him miss the Nigeria match. Freddy, my man, when already carrying a card it's best not to comb the keeper's hair with your studs.

Brian McBride (6) - The captain/father figure (sorry, Brian!) once again did all the dirty work like a pro and once again needed some tasty crosses to feast on that rarely arrived. I did deduct a half-point for his part in leaping over the Sibon leveler. I still find it stunning that we are essentially using him as an attack fulcrum, and not as a third class lever. The guy is a hammer inside the eighteen, and the more we see him swinging, the more we're gonna ring the bell.

Subs:

Josmer Altidore (7) - The power forward was everything he was as a sub in the Japan game: fresh, fast and eager. This time, he added some end result and even came back for a couple of tackles in his own end. I think it would be best to get him more minutes pronto.
 
Benny Feilhaber (6) - Benny made a couple of nice plays, but will need more than 10 minutes per game to enhance his club options (and in my mind, USMNT Olympic medal hopes). As with Jozy, it seems to me he should be playing more than he is.

Greg Seltzer blogs daily over at No Short Corners. You can send him your comments and questions, kudos and criticisms at greg@noshortcorners.com.

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