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Jozy Altidore goes from goat to hero in USMNT's 1-0 win over Canada

Jozy Altidore goes from goat to hero in USMNT's 1-0 win over Canada

CARSON, Calif. – The United States men's national team failed to capitalize on scoring chance after scoring chance against Canada on Friday night at the StubHub Center.

Or, to be more precise, Jozy Altidore didn't capitalize on scoring chance after scoring chance.

The veteran striker was unlucky in the first half when he had a shot hit the post twice, and in the second half, he had two free headers go awry. Altidore didn't hide his disappointment as he hung his head with the game approaching the final whistle after sending a free kick well wide.

"There were a few chances where I just made the wrong decision," Altidore said. "I was just mad at myself. I should've been better."

But in the 89th minute, Altidore gained redemption. His cracking header off a cross from Ethan Finlay beat Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau to give the U.S. a 1-0 victory to cap a successful January training camp and send the crowd of 9,274 home happy.

"It was one of those games where you felt you were always there on the doorstep," Altidore said. "That bit of sharpness still wasn't there. Last pass, last cross. To win the game, it was kind of fitting to end the camp on a real postiive vibe."

The U.S. also needed some last-minute heroics five days before in its season opener. Steve Birnbaum's 90th-minute goal allowed the Americans to cap a 3-2 comeback win over Euro 2016 finals qualifier Iceland at the StubHub.

Altidore also scored in that victory. Now, with two goals in two games, the 26-year-old appears to be headed for a big 2016 after a challenging 2015.

"Doing whatever he can to help the team – that's what he's always been about," Michael Bradley said of Altidore, his Toronto FC teammate. "On more days than not, he's able to help us in terms of goals."

Starting up top with Altidore was Jordan Morris, the 21-year-old from Stanford. The two showed some chemistry working off one another, including a first-half sequence in which Altidore's chip over a defender found Morris, whose own chip over the goalkeeper bounced just wide of the far post.

"We could have four or five goals," Morris said. "Just the final finish wasn't quite there. But you saw us connect pretty well. It was great – he was talking with me the whole game."

Next time head coach Jurgen Klinsmann gathers the senior team together, the games will be for real. The U.S. faces Guatemala in a home-and-home series in World Cup qualifying on March 25 and March 29.

"It's nice to get a result," Klinsmann said. "We had plenty of chances to score that goal. But it will all come. Sometimes the last pass is missing, the last touch is missing. That's normal. It's preseason.

"Overall, what we take with us is we got to know a lot of new players, new faces," Klinsmann said of the January camp. "And, hopefully, it all pays off a couple of weeks down the road."