Steve Birnbaum scores, assists in USA’s 3-2 victory over Iceland

The U.S. national team, now three weeks into its annual January camp, opened its 2016 slate on Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 victory over an Iceland junior varsity squad that yielded to the Americans for most of the match but still had enough quality to make things interesting. The US had a bit of swagger to them as their more youthful players who were looking for playing time at the senior and U-23 levels did a great job at running the wings and distributing centrally for goal scoring opportunities.

In the end, however, both Birnbaum and USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann will likely be pleased with the up-and-down showing. However, the bulk of the players who contributed to that historic achievement will not feature on Sunday, having remained with their club teams in Europe. Substitute Steve Birnbaum scored a 90th-minute header to give the USA the win, its first of the 2016 campaign in as many games. Jozy Altidore responded by rounding off a neat American sequence after 20 minutes. Among those available are World Cup veterans Matt Besler, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. The 2 goals that he conceded were not really his fault, they were the outcomes of some shoddy defending by the U.S. He also had an important save when an Icelandic player torched through the defense and fired it straight into the arms of awaiting Robles.

Finlay got off to a bright start, showing plenty of speed, ambition, and confidence on the right side. It began with a controversial foul call that several US players, including Michael Bradley, tried to dispute with the official. June sees the U.S.as host for June’s Copa America Centanario, in which South American teams meet the best of North America. Quick one-touch passes, overlapping runs, and a pervasive positivity permeated the play. Kristinn Steindorsson of Iceland scored this goal 13 minutes in for the 1-0 lead. It was a fluky goal, absolutely against the run of play, and it silenced the sparse crowd at the StubHub Center.

In Sunday’s 3-2 friendly win over Iceland, the Yanks put themselves in a hole with two erroneous defensive errors. It was a golden chance and a bad miss. The U.S. captain found Altidore with a lovely ball just behind the Iceland defense. But the Copa America Centenario this summer will again provide a test of whether Klinsmann has truly got the team any closer to being able to compete with the world’s best. Brad Evans was lively, pushing into the attack and cracking a powerful header that flew over the crossbar. Kiesewetter took over the right flank and numerous times burst past defenders to serve balls into the goalmouth.

At this point, Iceland had two shots on goal, and both went in.

CHELSEA ROLLS: Oscar scored a first-half hat trick as Chelsea cruised to a 5-1 victory at second-tier MK Dons to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup. The 29-year-old defender from Orange, Calif., nodded the ball home for his fourth worldwide strike. Will Luis Robles get a shot in net?

For anyone who has followed the U.S. U-23 team over the past year, Jerome Kiesewetter’s performance against Iceland isn’t at all surprising. The Americans evened it off a set piece, with Orozco – another late addition to the USA roster – finishing work by Altidore and Birnbaum.

The decisive play came in the 90th minute when an in-form Bradley provided a flawless cross to Birnbaum, who was unattended in the center of the Iceland penalty area.

Sunday’s match may be too small of a sample size to rush to judgement about how the USMNT center-backs will perform in 2016, but it was an eye-opener of sorts as two veterans made simple errors. Share your take below.