There wasn’t much going on in the early going of the USMNT third group game against Paraguay. Both teams got some early chances but nothing really too threatening.
But then Gyasi Zardes got some open field on the left flank and Michael Bradley played a perfectly weighted through ball to him. Zardes, who had been getting criticized by many throughout the tournament for very poor play, especially on the ball, drove down towards the left touchline before playing in a terrific low cross into the middle of the box.
The ball caught many Paraguay defenders flat footed, and as they were left ball watching, Clint Dempsey took advantage by meeting the cross and firing in his 51st international goal for the US. Dempsey needs just six more goals to catch Landon Donovan as the US’s all time leading scorer.
