USA vs. Bolivia, International Friendly: Final Score 3-0 as Three Yanks Score Their First Goals

Walker Zimmerman, Tim Weah, and Josh Sargent all scored their first international goals as a youthful United States roster dominated a young Bolivian side at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, PA. While this was by no mean Bolivia’s top team, it was a solid night for the Americans and they were in full control the entire match.

Alex Bono, Erik Palmer-Brown, Antonee Robinson and Josh Sargent all made their international debuts, and interim head coach Dave Sarachan put out a starting XI with an average age of just 22.

The first big chance for the U.S. came in the 10th minute. After a creative through ball from Rubio Rubin, Weah was one-on-one with goalkeeper Guillermo Vizcarra. Weah took the shot from too far out and could have taken an extra touch in the box. 

The U.S. had another golden chance in the 15th. Weah played Sargent out wide, who found Weston McKennie, but McKennie whiffed. After the play, Weah went down but play continued. The ball ended up coming to him but he played a poor ball and had to momentarily come out. Fortunately he was able to return and continued to be a thorn in the Bolivia defense.

In the 33rd minute, Sargent nearly found the back of the net. He had a few bad touches but was able to regain control. He played a one-two with Weah before taking the shot and it was deflected out for a corner, narrowly missing. 

The opening goal game from Zimmerman, his first for the U.S. Joe Corona put an out-swinging corner into the box and Zimmerman powered it into the net. 

Weah had another chance before halftime but he was unable to make good contact on the ball. The half ended with the U.S. up 1-0 but the story was the Yanks’ inability to convert chances. They finished with 56% possession, 15 crosses, seven corners, and 13 shots, but the lone goal came from a corner.

To start the second half the U.S. kept all the pressure on but it was a goalkeeper mistake that led to Sargent with the easiest goal he could have asked for. Second-half goalkeeper Carlos Lampe took a back pass and tried to return it out to his right, but his chip didn’t have enough on it. Sargent brought it down with good hustle and a deft touch, then turned and fired it through Lampe to open his USMNT account.

Weah got rewarded for his hard work in the 60th minute. Robinson used some fancy footwork get some space and then put the ball on a platter for Weah, who only had to redirect the ball into the back of the net.

In the 75th minute, the U.S. nearly added a fourth goal. Julian Green took a corner that went to the back post. Multiple Yanks were there but could not get on the end of it and the ball went out for a goal kick. Five minutes later, Bolivia came close to getting on the board. A shot from distance got deflected and caught Bono on the wrong foot, but the ball went wide of the post. 

The U.S. finished with 22 shots, seven on target, 12 corners, and Bono did not have to make a single save. While it was clear that this team is young and has not played together before — there were still a few missed chances and the U.S. was slow moving forward — it could not have gone better for the Yanks who now look forward to playing Ireland and France in the coming weeks.