In brief: Bobby Wood’s late goal pushes U.S. to first win over Germany
Soccer Five days after beating the Netherlands for the first time, the United States defeated Germany in Germany for the first time.
The Americans could not be more confident heading into next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“It makes us world champions, right?” goalkeeper Brad Guzan joked after Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over the Germans at Cologne, Germany.
Bobby Wood, whose 90th-minute goal Friday gave the U.S. a 4-3 win in Amsterdam, scored in the 87th minute for the improbable victory in an exhibition against the nation that won last year’s World Cup and tops the FIFA rankings.
U.S. captain Michael Bradley passed to Brad Evans, wide on the right flank, and Evans made a 25-yard diagonal pass to Wood, who had entered in the 74th minute. Wood trapped the ball just outside the arc, swiveled, took a touch and sent a 23-yard shot on a hop past goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.
“I think we did that like 20 times yesterday,” Wood said. “It’s kind of funny that it happened that exact way.”
It was just the second international goal for the 22-year-old from Hawaii, whose German club, Erzgebirge Auehas, was relegated to the third division during a season in which he was slowed by injury.
“Bobby Wood is a work in progress,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “He had a very difficult season.”
The U.S. had lost its previous two games against the Germans in Germany: 4-2 in 2002 and 4-1 in 2006. The Americans survived a scare in injury time, when Sami Khedira bounced a header off the crossbar.
“It’s such a monumental win for us as a country and a federation,” Guzan said. “It’s important that we build some momentum going into the Gold Cup.”
• U.S. Under-20 team reaches quarterfinals: Rubio Rubin scored early in the second half, Zack Steffen saved an 81st-minute penalty kick, and the United States beat Colombia 1-0 at Wellington, New Zealand, to reach the Under-20 World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2007.
The United States plays Serbia on Sunday in Auckland, New Zealand, and the winner advances to a semifinal against Germany, Nigeria or Mali.
Colombia outshot the Americans 24-8 and had 60 percent possession.
The knockout rounds opened with a major upset as Mali shocked Ghana 3-0, while Serbia beat Hungary 2-1 in extra time. Later, Senegal eliminated Ukraine in penalties.
• Beasley added to roster: Houston Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley is among 35 players on the Americans’ preliminary roster for next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup despite announcing his retirement from the U.S. national team in December.
Beasley, 33, last year became the first American to play in four World Cups.
Another 33-year-old, Los Angeles Galaxy forward Alan Gordon, was also a surprise inclusion on the roster.
Hinchcliffe recovering from crash
Auto racing: With his trademark self-deprecating humor, James Hinchcliffe jokes that he received “a complete oil change” after his accident during preparations for the Indianapolis 500.
All kidding aside, the IndyCar driver recognizes he’s very lucky to be alive.
Hinchcliffe suffered a life-threatening leg injury May 18 when a piece of his suspension broke during a crash and pierced his leg. IndyCar’s safety crew had to act quickly to extract him from the car and pump him with more than 14 pints of blood as they raced him in an ambulance to an Indianapolis hospital. Hinchcliffe was in critical condition when he was rushed into emergency surgery.
He said he has no memory of the race to save his life. He still needs one more surgery as part of his recovery process.
• Busch returns to Xfinity Series: Kyle Busch is returning to the Xfinity Series for the first time since he was injured in the season opener.
Busch broke his right leg and left foot in a February crash at Daytona. It sidelined him 11 races and although he resumed his Sprint Cup Series schedule last month, the race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway will be his first in NASCAR’s second-tier series.