SAN DIEGO — Jozy Altidore has become the second-youngest American men’s player to make 100 international appearances.
Altidore started Sunday’s exhibition against Serbia, the first game for the U.S. since Bruce Arena replaced coach Jurgen Klinsmann in November and took over the national team for the first time since 2006.
Altidore has 37 goals for the U.S. He is the 17th American male to reach 100 appearances and at 27 years, 84 days, trailing only Landon Donovan at 26 years, 96 days.
With Europe-based players not available, Nick Rimando started in goal and Arena used a 4-2-3-1 formation that had Graham Zusi at right back with Steve Birnbaum and Chad Marshall in the center and Greg Garza at left back.
Captain Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones were in defensive midfield, with Sacha Kljestan in an advance midfield role, Alejandro Bedoya on the right flank and Darlington Nagbe on the left flank. Altidore was the lone forward.
Arena coached the U.S. from 1998 to 2006, leading the Americans to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup — their best finish since 1930. He was fired after a 2-1 loss to Ghana in June 2006 that eliminated the U.S. in the group stage of that year’s tournament.
Marshall had not played for the U.S. since January 2010 against Honduras and the 37-year-old Rimando since April 2015 versus Mexico. Nagbe had not started since June 25 last year at Colombia at the Copa America.
Usually a midfielder, Zusi made his first international start at right back.
