The U.S. Men’s National Team was far from perfect against Paraguay on Saturday night, and Jurgen Klinsmann and co. may have had their Copa America ended if not for the heroics of their young centerback.
John Brooks played like an elite defender on Saturday night, and his numerous bailouts of his backline led the way in a 1-0 win over Paraguay. In addition to aiding the 10-man USMNT’s push into the knockout stages, Brooks’ performance earned honors as SBI USMNT Man of the Match.
Brooks’ biggest play came in one of the game’s pivotal moments, as three Paraguayan attackers closed in an early three-on-one. Brooks tracked back remarkably before displaying a burst of speed to recover. A sliding tackle ended the sequence while preserving the USMNT shutout, but it was far from Brooks’ only significant effort. The centerback made numerous interceptions, while repeatedly cleaning up messes left by his teammates along the backline.
The defender’s play earned him SBI USMNT Man of the Match honors over Brad Guzan, Gyasi Zardes and Clint Dempsey.
What did you think of Brooks’ performance? Which player stood out to you on Saturday night?
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