Walker Zimmerman did everything short of scoring a goal to earn an invitation to the next U.S. men’s national team soccer camp.
Zimmerman, making his first start for the team, anchored a U.S. defense that shut out Jamaica in a 1-0 win Chattanooga, Tenn. on Friday.
“I know he’s from Atlanta,” manager Bruce Arena said. “Everyone should be proud of him.”
Arena said a few times in his post-game press conference how impressed he was by the play in camp and in the game of the 23-year-old native of Lawrenceville.
“It was a good performance,” said Zimmerman, whose parents, brother and his wife, college and high school friends, and a coach from his youth soccer team were on hand to watch. “Anytime you get a clean sheet that means you are doing something right defensively. We grew into the game and our organization and communication got better from minute 1 to minute 90.”
Zimmerman was slotted into a defense on Friday that was very inexperienced. Graham Zusi, normally a midfielder with more than 40 starts for the team, was making his second start as a right fullback and Jorge Villafana his first in his second appearance at left fullback. Steve Birnbaum, the other centerhalf, was the veteran and it was just his 11th appearance. Goalkeeper Luis Robles was making just his third appearance.
But the group held Jamaica to just four shots, none on goal.
Summing up Zimmerman’s play:
- His first bit of contact came in the third minute when he muscled Cory Burke off the ball for a U.S. throw in.
- He won a one-on-one battle with Atlanta United forward Romario Williams in the 13th minute about 40 yards from goal.
- He won a header in 18th minute on a long free kick.
- He intercepted a through pass in the 28th minute to keep Williams from a possible one-on-one opportunity.
- He sprinted across the penalty box to make a crunching tackle of Burke in 34th minute as the Jamaican forward outsprinted Graham Zusi toward the end line. Burke got off the cross, but Zimmerman made him pay.
- He picked a defender on a corner kick, which opened an opportunity for Sebastian Lletget, whose left-footed curler just missed in the 39th minute.
- He blocked a shot taken outside the penalty box in the 49th minute.
- He blocked a cross from the right in the 54th minute.
- He tried to carry the ball out of the back and was fouled in Jamaica's half in the 56th minute.
- He tackled Burke again in the 71st minute.
- He blocked another cross in the 84th minute.
His only criticism of his play:
“I think in the first half I can do a good job playing forward quicker,” Zimmerman said.
It seems that much may not have been expected.
After Zimmerman reported to camp in Carson, Calif. almost four weeks ago, he experienced tendinitis that sidelined him for a few days. Matt Hedges, his teammate at Dallas and how was named the MLS Defender of the Year last season, started to impress in camp. But Hedges left with an injury. Zimmerman returned to training and Arena said kept getting better and better because he wants to make the squad for the crucial World Cup qualifiers that re-start in March. The U.S. earned no points in its first two games. The U.S. will play Honduras on March 24 and Panama on March 28.
To make the team, much less play, Zimmerman will have to rise to the top of a deep pool of centerbacks that may include Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Hedges, Matt Besler and John Brooks.
“For me coming in, it was ‘why not me? Why can’t I try and make a push on this roster in March?’ “ Zimmerman said.
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