Juan Agudelo Lifts US to 1-0 Win Over South Africa in National Team Debut

Two U.S. national team debutants, aged 20 and 17, combined on a brilliant late goal to lead a young, experimental American team to a 1-0 win over South Africa before more than 50,000 partisans at Cape Town Stadium.

An exhibition that featured very few clear-cut scoring chances was decided in the 85th minute by a composed and creative assist from midfielder Mikkel Diskerud, 20, and a brilliant finish from teenage forward Juan Agudelo (No. 17 in photo), who made his professional debut for the New York Red Bulls less than three weeks ago.

He turns 18 next Tuesday and is the youngest player ever to score for the senior national team.

Both players were second half substitutes. The U.S. had held its own against a South African starting lineup that was mostly World Cup veterans. The Americans featured two -- striker Robbie Findley and left back Jonathan Bornstein. But a couple of good saves from goalkeeper Brad Guzan and a resolute effort from several others kept the match scoreless.

Agudelo entered in the 60th minute for left midfielder Robbie Rogers, who'd enjoyed a few good moments in his return to the national team.

Diskerud, the son of an American mother and Norwegian father who recently switched his international allegiance from Norway to the U.S., entered the game in the 78th minute for Alejandro Bedoya. Up until then, the Örebro-based midfielder had been the Americans' best player. He'd started to tire, however, and Diskerud was given his first cap.
Those substitutions, among several others, seemed to leave the U.S. a bit disjointed, and South Africa enjoyed some momentum after a difficult start to the first half. In the 82nd minute, Bafana Bafana defender Siyabonga Sangweni smashed a shot just over the crossbar.

Then the game came from almost nowhere. Agudelo played a smart pass pass through to Diskerud on the left, and instead of playing a one-touch ball and trying to dribble straight through traffic, Diskerud calmly pulled it back and froze two defenders. The 20-year-old then chipped the ball back through to Agudelo, who had raced forward past Sangweni toward the left post.

Agudelo controlled the ball off his thigh, kept it front of him as he turned and poked it with his right foot over World Cup goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and into the roof of the net.

He raced toward the corner flag, kneeled and put his hands to his face, probably as shocked as everyone else who had just witnessed history.

"I just saw a through ball there and noticed the cutback, so I made the run directly toward the goal. That 's where goals come from. Luckily I took a good touch with my thigh and saw the 'keeper out and tried to hit it over him," Agudelo told ESPN immediately afterward.

"I'm speechless. I don't know what to say. As soon as I saw the ball went in, I didn't believe it. I thought it was going to get called back, like an offside or something."

Agudelo's goal certainly will dominate the conversation, but there were several other good performances from players who will enter 2011 on the fringes of Bob Bradley's plans for next summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Guzan's two saves in the first half, both of which required him to come out strong and block shots from close range, are yet another sign that he needs to be playing regularly and not sitting on the Aston Villa bench behind Brad Friedel.

Central defenders Clarence Goodson and Tim Ream, the Red Bulls' rookie of the year candidate, were composed and made few mistakes, while Goodson, who is set to join Denmark's Brøndby IF, was decent with the ball at his feet as well.

Aston Villa's Eric Lichaj got his first U.S. start at right back, and worked hard to contain Bafana World Cup star Siphiwe Tshabalala. He was beaten a few times, but never seemed overwhelmed and did his part going forward.

Bedoya was the man of the match in midfield, often the only U.S. player who was able to create and maintain some possession or attacking rhythm. The Columbus Crew trio of Rogers, Eddie Gaven and Brian Carroll were inconsistent, but did help create the Americans' best chance in the first half -- a well-hit, 23rd-minute shot from Rogers that was saved by Khune.

Chicago Fire workhorse Logan Pause was effective doing a lot of the less glamorous work in defensive midfield.

Findley struggled up front, as he did the last time he was in South Africa. His touch was rough and he had difficulty working himself into dangerous positions. His days in a U.S. shirt may be over, however. Teal Bunbury, making his debut, looked more settled in the second half and managed to put a shot on net.

The U.S. finally has a player development pipeline, and there's talent starting to come through it.

A replay of Agudelo's historic goal can be seen below;