U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann came to the defense of 24-year-old defender Tim Ream, a late sub in Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Ecuador who let Jaime Ayovi head home the game-winning goal.

“It’s kind of a split-second play,” Klinsmann said. “He has to be in front of his man and unbalance him.”

"I didn’t see him back off. He is one of the promising center backs, and he deserves to be on the squad. He learns from this. He needs to smell things at this level, how to anticipate, read the space. He shook it off. We tell our players to shake it off. You can’t change your mistakes.”

Klinsmann called it a learning moment -- and not just for the player, George Vecsey writes. Klinsmann made the point that young Americans need to spend their offseason working hard, perhaps training with a top European squad.