USMNT player ratings: Wood saves the day, Gonzalez struggles vs. Honduras

Thomas Floyd

USMNT player ratings: Wood saves the day, Gonzalez struggles vs. Honduras image

Bobby Wood may have been reduced to a role off the bench Tuesday in Honduras, but it turned out to be exactly where the U.S. national team needed him.

The Hamburg striker came on in the second half, with the U.S. teetering on the edge of a devastating blow to its World Cup qualification hopes, and brought the Americans level with a composed 85th-minute equalizer in San Pedro Sula.

The likes of Jordan Morris, Kellyn Acosta and Matt Besler joined Wood in stepping up to salvage the point — saving face for Omar Gonzalez, whose first-half miscue ramped up the tension for Bruce Arena's side.

Here are Goal 's full player ratings from the Americans' 1-1 draw with Honduras:

GK BRAD GUZAN, 6: Made the saves he needed to make, and there wasn't much he could do about Romell Quioto's strike.

D GRAHAM ZUSI, 4: Wasn't much of a presence going forward and was at times exposed for a lack of pace defensively before coming off in the second half.

D OMAR GONZALEZ, 3: Made a brutal mistake on the opener, misreading the situation and failing to clear when he had the opportunity.

D MATT BESLER, 6: Was solid defensively, avoiding any notable miscues, and played a key role in keeping the opportunity alive on Bobby Wood's equalizer.

D DAMARCUS BEASLEY, 5: Largely did well to contain his Houston teammate Alberth Elis, though he didn't offer much on the overlap. Exited early in the second half.

M CHRISTIAN PULISIC, 5: Had his moments creating danger but again drifted in and out of the match, unable to make that game-changing play.

M MICHAEL BRADLEY, 6: Hit some decent set pieces and worked hard on the defensive side, even if he wasn't overly influential in possession.

M KELLYN ACOSTA, 6: Didn't find as much time on the ball as he would've liked in central midfield, but he showed his versatility with a move to the left side and hit the blistering free kick that led to Wood's tally.

M DARLINGTON NAGBE, 4: His smooth style of play seemed particularly stifled by the rough field conditions, with some touches and services getting away from him.

F CLINT DEMPSEY, 4: Had a couple clever touches but was invisible for most of the match, squandering one golden opportunity in the second half.

F JORDAN MORRIS, 7: Worked hard to carve out a couple opportunities with his pace and energy, including a nice combination with Pulisic before halftime, and had the flicked header to assist Wood.

Substitutes

M PAUL ARRIOLA, 5: Brought a burst of energy on the flank but couldn't create much in the final third.

D GEOFF CAMERON, 6: Added some stability to the back line, winning his individual battles.

F BOBBY WOOD, 7: Drew the U.S. level with an opportunistic — and crucial — equalizer, showing composure and awareness to bring the ball down with his chest before finishing.

Thomas Floyd