The middle portion of November was fairly busy from the standpoint of the international calendar. Between Euro 2016 qualifying, national team friendlies (including the United States’ not-so-happy tandem of matches in Europe), and some less publicized regional and non-senior level tournaments, there was plenty of action the world over.
Four players on the Columbus Crew’s 2014 roster found themselves taking part in international competition of some sort during this time. Midfielders Kevan George and Justin Meram represented their national sides in regional tournaments on practically opposite ends of the globe, Romain Gall joined the United States Under-20 men’s national team, while talented back line stalwart Waylon Francis was part of a friendly down in South America with World Cup quarterfinalists Costa Rica.
In analyzing each player’s performance, particularly Meram and George, I’ll first give a quick background of the tournament their team was participating in and then break down their respective contributions. After all, it’s always nice to broaden your horizons and familiarize yourself with those off-the-beaten path events that don’t get the hype the World Cup, Euros or even Copa America and the Gold Cup receive. I’ll also take a look at how each team actually finished in the final standings.
Columbus Crew International Duty Wrap-Up
Justin Meram
Meram made history by becoming the first ever player from Major League Soccer to receive a call-up to the Iraqi national team for their appearance in the 2014 Gulf Cup of Nations. This is a biannual tournament involving eight nations from the Persian Gulf region that was held in Saudi Arabia this year between November 13th and 26th. Iraq had won the tournament three times before but hadn’t done so since 1988.
The 26-year-old was listed as a striker on the website for the tournament even though he normally plays down the wing in the attacking midfield for the Crew. He started all three group matches for the Lions of Mesopotamia and played the entire 90 minutes in each game. Unfortunately, the Iraqis finished last in Group B with only a single point obtained from a 1-1 draw with eventual group winner Oman in the team’s second match. They would lose to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates 1-0 and 2-0 respectively in their other two group stage contests before bowing out.
Kevan George
The Trinidad & Tobago side of which George was a part of for the 2014 Caribbean Cup had a bit more success than his teammate Meram’s Iraqis had in Saudi Arabia. Held at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Jamaica between November 11th-18th, the top four teams qualified for the 2015 Gold Cup. For the tournament champion, an even greater prize awaits a little less than two years from now as they will represent the region in the Copa America Centenario which the United States will host in 2016.
George saw limited action in the group stage, which saw the Soca Warriors win Group A with seven points including two wins over Curaçao and French Guiana and a tie with Cuba. The tournament proceeded right to a third place match and final from the group stage, with T&T taking on Jamaica in the championship match. George would come on as a substitute in the 115th minute of a scoreless match that went to penalty kicks, with the Reggae Boys triumphing in a 4-3 shootout.
Waylon Francis
Very few friendlies have the unpredictability and drama that took place in Montevideo when Francis’ Costa Rican side took on host Uruguay. Having already defeated the Uruguayans in the group stage of the World Cup earlier this year, the Ticos were looking to extend their 12 match unbeaten streak, which they did in scintillating fashion. Francis was on the bench and did not see any action, but witnessed a 3-2 Uruguay 2nd half stoppage time lead get erased by a Johan Venegas goal. I’m not used to seeing friendlies go to penalty shootouts, but they ended it that way here and Costa Rica would eventually win it in the eighth round, 7-6.
Romain Gall
The 19-year-old showed in Marbella, Spain that he’s on his way to becoming a future weapon in the Crew’s already formidable attacking midfield which includes Meram, Federico Higuaín and Ethan Finlay. Playing for the US Under-20s in the Football Impact U-21 Tournament that also included Russia, Ireland and Canada, he exploded onto the scene in their first match with the Russians. Gall netted two goals, including the game winner in stoppage time that broke an action-packed 3-3 tie and occurred with the U.S. down to ten men.
The teenager with dual French/American citizenship came on as a substitute in their second match, a 1-0 win over Ireland, where he would replace goalscorer Dembakwi Yomba in the 56th minute. Gall would play the entirety of Team USA’s final game in Spain where they would fall to border rival Canada 1-0. All in all, the Crew coaching staff had to have been mightily impressed with what they observed from afar as regard’s this young prospect’s play.
Looking forward, these four players as well as others in the Crew system should continue to make contributions to their respective national teams over the years to come, especially in World Cup qualifying and in Gall’s case, potentially with the U.S. Under-23 team as the 2016 Olympics approach and his 20th birthday falling this coming January. The Crew also recently signed 17-year-old Ben Swanson to a Homegrown contract in October, a player who’s made 26 appearances so far for U.S. youth sides in many different age groups. Wil Trapp and even Ethan Finlay should begin to appear on the radar of the full U.S. men’s national team as Jurgen Klinsmann begins to build his side in preparation for the red, white and blue’s march to World Cup 2018.
As you can see, many of Berhalter’s boys continue to make strides at the international level.
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Main Photo by AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko
