When Team USA do-it-all striker Charlie Davies nearly died in a car accident last fall, much of the country was left to wonder who would step up and accompany Jozy Altidore at the head of the USA World Cup attack.
Enter: Robbie Findley, the 24-year-old Oregon State U alum who scored 28 goals and earned All Pac-10 honors in each of his four seasons in Corvallis (2003-2006). Findley was selected to the USA 23-man roster on May 26, and on June 12, USA coach Bob Bradley anointed Findley, who competed with Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle for the spot, one of his two starting strikers in South Africa.
Findley went on to start against England, Slovenia and Ghana, but failed to impress. He was subbed out in each of the three contests, twice at halftime.
In the 1-1 draw against England, Findley found himself continually pushed around and simply overmatched by the Three Lions defense. Findley earned the start due to his ability to wreak havoc with his speed, but his speed didn’t provide any quality chances. The one chance Findley did get came on a one-on-one breakaway early in the second half, but the speedster was out-muscled by England’s Jamie Carragher and fell to the ground, losing control of the ball.
In the improbable, ultra-exciting 2-2 draw against Slovenia, Findley once again had little impact on the outcome. On one sequence, Findley played a beautiful ball into the box, setting up a brilliant chance for teammate Clint Dempsey, but Dempsey was unable to cash in. The only other thing Findley did was pick up a yellow card on a phantom handball in the 40th minute. It was Findley’s second yellow card of the tournament – he picked up one against England as well – which forced him, by rule, to miss the USA’s final group stage game against Algeria, a game that the U.S. won on a Landon Donovan goal in the 92nd minute. In the first United States knockout game, a round-of-16 contest against Ghana, Findley was once again called upon to start.
In soccer, a few seconds can change everything. In a matter of seconds in the game against Ghana, Findley almost went from a player who had done nothing in the tournament to a national hero. With Ghana leading 1-0 in the 35th minute, Findley was the recipient of a gift-wrapped chance. Following a Ghana turnover and a perfect through-ball, Findley found himself with the ball and nothing but a few yards of turf separating him and the goalie. But Findley scuffed the turf on his right-footed attempt, and grounded the ball right into the chest of the goalie. It was Findley’s only shot of the tournament, and easily the Americans’ best chance of the first half. Findley was once again subbed out at half, and the U.S. went on the lose 2-1 in extra time.
Findley, who will be 28 at the time of the next World Cup (2014 in Brazil), has a long road ahead of him if he wants another opportunity on the World Cup stage. The Phoenix, Ariz. native is currently a striker for Real Salt Lake of the MLS, but will need to exceed internationally as well as in the MLS if he wants to make a name for himself. Altidore, 20, and Davies, 24, figure to still be key contributors in 2014. Buddle, 29, and Gomez, 28, may have made their final World Cup appearances, but a new crop of talent should be ready to challenge Findley for a spot on the 2014 team.