USMNT: Altidore on course for record scoring year

by Paul Kennedy

In another season interrupted by hamstring problems, Jozy Altidoreis on course to set a season record for the highest scoring average by a men's national team player in the program's modern era.

He enters Friday's game at Cuba with six goals in six games.

No player has ever averaged a goal a game or more (minimum of five games). U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann is crossing his fingers that a new training program will keep him healthy.

U.S. Most Goals-Per Game (1991-2016):
GPG (GP/G) PLAYER (YEAR)
1.00 (6/6) Jozy Altidore (2016)
0.90 (10/9) Clint Dempsey (2015)
0.80 (10/8) Landon Donovan (2013)
0.75 (12/9) Landon Donovan (2007)
0.71 (7/5) Eric Wynalda (1992)
0.69 (13/9) Eric Wynalda (1996)
0.67 (9/6) Clint Dempsey (2012)
0.67 (9/6) Chris Wondolowski (2013)
0.67 (6/4) Taylor Twellman (2006)
Note:Minimum of five games.

Altidore had an excellent January camp, scoring in both wins over Iceland and Canada, but he was then injured in the MLS preseason with Toronto FC, limiting to appearances off the bench in the March World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala.

Another hamstring injury kept him out of the Copa Centenario, but he had three goals in the two wins over St. Vincent & The Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago in September that clinched first place for the USA in its qualifying group and a berth in the Hexagonal. It has coincided with his return to form in MLS, where he has scored nine goals in his last 12 games, putting Toronto FC in contention for the Eastern Conference title.

Klinsmann said the national team has gone so far as to have Altidore do the same routine that he does at Toronto and bring in his trainer from Toronto.

“The biggest part there is that [Jozy] trusts himself," Klinsmann told reporters at the U.S. camp in Miami Shores, Florida, on Tuesday, "that he trusts his own body, his own situation because over the years when you have those issues they’re kind of implemented in the back of your mind. Hopefully, he can have the ability to delete all these thoughts and then become just a very consistent performer for his club team, but also does well for the national team.”