Mix Diskerud & Aron Johannsson's Late Goals Proved the U.S. National Team's Superiority Over Azerbaijan

Mix Diskerud inherited the United States’ No. 10 shirt from Landon Donovan on Tuesday. The Norwegian-American came off the bench and made the most of it in a pre-World Cup tune-up vs. Azerbaijan, scoring a late, scrappy goal to help spare the U.S. from a semi-embarrassing result against the No. 85-ranked team in the world. Diskerud tapped in a rebound off a shot by Michael Bradley on a sequence that started on a free kick from outside the penalty area, breaking the ~~thrilling~~ scoreless deadlock after 75 minutes.

Another U.S. sub, Aron Jóhannsson, made it 2-0 on a completely unmarked header from a Brad Davis (yes, another sub) corner. Something says Ghana, Portugal and/or Germany will mark tighter on set pieces next month.

Jóhannsson somehow scored AND tweeted at approximately the same time. Incredible, right?

Booooom!
— Aron Jóhannsson (@aronjo20) May 28, 2014

Overall it wasn’t a game or performance to remember by Jurgen Klinsmann’s team — barely two weeks away from the start of the World Cup in Brazil — but as the saying goes, it’s on to the next one Sunday vs. Turkey. Clint Dempsey was a late scratch before kickoff due to what was described as “groin soreness” on the broadcast. Chris Wondolowski started in his place and had two early headers saved.

At the very least, the first game in the post-Donovan era began with a victory, however the discussion over his exclusion from Klinsmann’s roster isn’t going to die down based off the 90 minutes vs. Azerbaijan at windswept Candlestick Park.