ROODEPORT, South Africa -- Edson Buddle continued his prolific spring form for the U.S. National Team Saturday, striking for his first two goals in a red, white and blue uniform in the Americans' 3-1 World Cup warm-up win over Australia. The New Rochelle, N.Y. native and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association ODP graduate tallied twice in the opening half and Herculez Gomez added a goal in stoppage time in the U.S.'s final match before next Saturday's confrontation with England in Rustenburg, South Africa.
Starting in place of the injured Jozy Altidore, who sat out due to a mild ankle sprain, Buddle made the most of his opportunity in his third international match. Buddle had but 55 minutes of international experience under his belt prior to the game. Real Salt Lake forward Robbie Findley, who started due to his speed, also acquitted himself well.
“Edson and Robbie have both played fantastic," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Everything Edson touches is a goal and Robbie creating so many chances, so those guys are exciting for us. In a three-game tournament like this in the first round you’re never going to play the same lineup twice, so it’s really important that everyone is clicking and those guys are.”
Even with Buddle's excellent performance, U.S. coach Bob Bradley wasn't about to annoit the one-time Long Island Rough Riders striker as a start. Buddle also played for FC Westchester in the Westchester Youth Soccer League and HBC in the Long Island Junior Soccer League.
“No decisions will be made on Edson starting, but Edson continues to get more comfortable within the group," Bradley said. "Today you saw really the things that have highlighted his MLS season so far – taking chances well, good finishing, scoring a goal off a direct, hard shot and scoring with his head, so good things.”
Buddle made the U.S. World Cup team on his excellent form with the Los Angeles Galaxy, having connected for an MLS high nine goals in eight appearances this season.
"It builds a lot of confidence for a forward and I am proud of myself, and I am pretty sure my dad is especially [proud]," Buddle said about his brace.
“Sometimes it’s like that and sometimes it’s not. And today it was on my side.”
Bradley made several changes from the lineup that defeated Turkey 2-1 on May 29 in the USA’s final domestic warm-up match, inserting veteran Steve Cherundolo at right back and using Buddle and Findley at forward while dropping Clint Dempsey back from striker to left midfield.
Buddle rewarded his coach’s confidence with a fine individual effort that led to a goal in the fourth minute. It came after he tracked back to pick the ball off the feet of an Aussie defender and then raced toward an off-balance defense. Buddle beat a defender with a nifty move to his right and stuck a dipping a shot inside the right post past diving goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for a 1-0 lead.
It was believed to be the first international goal scored by an ENY player since Chris Armas several years ago.
“The night before we noticed they play a lot with their defensive midfielders and we wanted to put a little bit of pressure on them," Buddle said. "I think that he had a mis-touch and I was able to get on the end of it and, like I said, Robbie has pace. My first option was to go to him and I think everyone overcommitted, so it freed me up and I got a good strike on goal.”
Australia’s Tim Cahill leveled the score in the 19th minute on a corner kick, finding space inside the penalty box to volley the cross through traffic and into the lower left corner.
The Americans regained the lead in the 31st minute when Cherundolo got past his defender with a burst down the right wing and played a teasing cross to the far post where Buddle got in front his mark and headed home from close range past Schwarzer.
The U.S. had a goal disallowed in 51st minute after a wild sequence that started when Landon Donovan put Buddle through into the left side of the penalty area. Buddle’s cross found the sliding Findley at the back post, but his shot hit the crossbar. It bounced in the box before it was poorly cleared by Australia to midfielder Michael Bradley, who dribbled at goal and unleashed a blast that Schwarzer could only bat into the air. Dempsey came flying through to send a diving header into the net, but it was waved off for offside.
The final goal came after a crisp series of passes by the Americans near the top of the penalty box in the third minute of stoppage time. Donovan got possession on the right side and rewarded a good run from Gomez, skipping a cross into the middle for the forward to first-time a shot into the left corner of the net from seven yards.
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