The United States national team needed a result against Guadeloupe to advance to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup, and they got one — a 1-0 victory over the tiny Caribbean archipelago.  Congratulations aren’t necessarily in order.  Despite advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament, nobody in the American camp will be particularly proud of Tuesday night’s performance. Guadeloupe offered little resistance from start to finish, and yet somehow the Americans looked hapless in front of goal. Yes, they created ample scoring opportunities, but the United States missed so many easy chances it became comical after a while. All told, the Americans took 19 shots and put 10 on frame, but they only managed to push one past goalkeeper Franck Grandel.  Next up for the U.S.: a 3 p.m. Sunday match against Jamaica, a team that dominated its Gold Cup group, outscored its opponents 7-0, and will no doubt provide a much stiffer challenge than Guadeloupe did.  Between now and then, the United States will have to figure out how to finish. Otherwise, they’ll be finished.  Final Score: United States 1, Guadeloupe 0  The Ratings (on a scale of 1, diabolical; to 10, world class):  Tim Howard: Guadeloupe mustered a total of four shots, and none of them were on target. So Howard could have watched from the stands and it wouldn’t have made much difference. That said, Howard was his usual active self, intercepting lazy crosses, barking orders and distributing the ball with gusto. Rating: 6  Eric Lichaj: The Aston Villa player was a revelation at left back, a position the U.S. has struggled to fill for years, and his strong showing most likely earned him another start on Sunday. Perhaps targeting his inexperience, Guadeloupe challenged Lichaj early and often, attacking his side on multiple occasions. But Lichaj stood his ground and turned back every attempt. Steely in defense, the speedy Lichaj also showed enterprise with the ball at his feet. He pushed forward into the attack on multiple occasions, setting up Landon Donovan with a great chance in the 21st minute that went just wide. Rating: 7.5  Carlos Bocanegra: Bocanegra spent the first two games of this tournament playing left back, and the U.S. captain didn’t distinguish himself in either match. Last night, however, Coach Bob Bradley shifted Bocanegra to central defense and he looked very much at home. Bocanegra positioned himself well, anticipated Guadeloupe’s movements smartly and broke up a number of attacks before they could take shape. Expect to see Bocanegra in the center of the defense for the rest of the Gold Cup. Rating: 7  Clarence Goodson: Goodson had little to do, but he seemed reinvigorated playing alongside Bocanegra. It remains to be seen how this pairing will perform against Jamaica’s potent offense, but both players looked solid against a weak opponent. Rating: 6  Steve Cherundolo: The veteran right back rebounded well from a shoddy performance against Panama on Saturday. Looking aggressive and sharp from the get-go, Cherundolo linked up nicely with Donovan and easily quashed the runs that came his way. Most importantly, Cherundolo rediscovered his crossing touch. Against Panama, he couldn’t deliver a cross to save his life, but on Tuesday he sent in a series of dangerous passes that put Guadeloupe on its heels. Rating: 7  Clint Dempsey: Dempsey could have had a night to remember, but given all of the opportunities he squandered, the winger will probably try to block the night from his memory. In addition to his usual long-range/low-percentage attempts on goal, Dempsey scuffed some of the easiest chances he will ever have. The first was a point-blank header in the 24th minute that skipped wide; the last, a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area during stoppage time. In between these two sequences, however, Dempsey tried a little showboating that backfired on him. Standing on the edge of the Guadeloupe goal with the ball at his feet, Dempsey opted not to slam the ball into the net but rather to take his time and score a few style points along the way. A Guadeloupe defender picked Dempsey’s pocket right on the goal line, embarrassing the winger and keeping Guadeloupe within striking distance. It was a terrible mistake, and Dempsey will have a hard time living it down. Rating: 5  Jermaine Jones: Jones’s ability to send pinpoint passes 50 yards downfield is both his greatest strength and his biggest weakness. Even though it can be an effective weapon, Jones occasionally relies too heavily on this tactic; sometimes a short, simple pass is all that is needed. Tuesday was more of the same for Jones: he maintained a fiery energy and determination while defending but occasionally tried to do too much with the ball at his feet. Rating: 6  Michael Bradley: Bradley played hard during his 85 minutes, but didn’t display his usual commanding presence. He and Dempsey engaged in some impressive one-two passing — they have developed a great understanding of one another — but always seemed on the periphery of the action. Rating: 6  Landon Donovan: Like Dempsey, Donovan missed some unbelievably easy scoring chances. He put himself in great scoring positions and created wonderful opportunities for his teammates, but everything Donovan touched Tuesday night seemed cursed. On a positive note, Donovan ran at defenders at every opportunity, something he failed to do against Panama. Bob Bradley will be hoping that Donovan brings this marauding mentality against Jamaica on Sunday. Rating: 6.5  Jozy Altidore: Altidore’s 10th-minute strike was an absolute laser beam, a true golazo, but the 21-year-old striker didn’t look the least bit happy after the ball screamed into the back of the net. No, he looked angry. Perhaps fed up with critics questioning his determination, Altidore seemed to scowl at the world as his teammates came over to congratulate him. Hey, whatever it takes to get the job done, Jozy. If you have to play angry to deliver goals like that, by all means, play angry. Rating: 7  Chris Wondolowski: True to form, Wondolowski worked hard and maneuvered himself into good striking positions. He even put the ball on frame when given the opportunity. He just couldn’t sneak one past the goalkeeper. If he continues this slow, steady progress in a national team uniform, Wondo should find himself on the score sheet in the very near future: Rating: 6  Alejandro Bedoya: A tightly wound bundle of manic energy, Bedoya came on in the 64th minute and zoomed nonstop all over the field. He nearly scored on a point-blank opportunity in the 69th minute and nearly connected on a header in the 80th, but like so many other U.S. players, his efforts fell just short or a bit wide. Rating: 6  Sacha Kljestan: Kljestan’s 12-minute appearance was mostly uneventful. Rating: Incomplete  Maurice Edu: Edu, who now appears to be the third option in the two-man central midfield, didn’t have an impact on the game. Rating: Incomplete  Corner kick: Relieved the United States made it out of the group stage? Concerned about the threat that Jamaica poses? Share your thoughts in the comments.  John Godfrey obsessively tracks the progress of far-flung American soccer players and is a regular contributor to the Goal blog. Follow him on Twitter: @jhGodfrey.
Rating the performance of U.S. players in the Concacaf Gold Cup first-round match against Guadeloupe on June 14.