Redemption Song

Last June in the Gold Cup Final versus Mexico, the United States men's soccer team came out of the gates looking like a team that WANTED to win... a team that knew how to distribute the ball and attack the pitch.

Before long, that energy dwindled, the American's blew a 2-0 lead and eventually lost the match to their arch rivals 4 to 2.  Something needed to change.

Then, with the blink of an eye, something changed.  The USMNT is under new leadership, having recently fired former manager Bob Bradley for German replacement Jurgen Klinsmann.  Klinsmann was hired in hopes of steering this club in a new direction with more emphasis on an attacking offense than in the past.  That style of play will definitely be tested tonight against the very aggressive and very talented Mexican squad.

Tonight marks a new page and a new chapter for this team.  In just three short hours, the United States will have an opportunity to salvage their dignity in an international friendly versus Mexico in Philadelphia, PA.

Sure, this is an exhibition match, so a loss technically means nothing in the grand scheme of things.  But in reality, this may be the biggest match that the United States has played this year.

The U.S. have something to prove if they want to even be recognized when it comes to the big names in soccer.  Qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil starts as early as next June, and the United States want to be finely tuned for those matches.  A win tonight would at the least show that Klinsmann's expectations for the future can be met.

The USMNT has the talent, they just need to put everything together when it counts the most.  With new management and a sour taste in their mouth, look for the U.S. to come out swinging.