Nick Lima was a surprise inclusion in Gregg Berhalter’s first January camp. The San Jose Earthquakes full-back is a neat and tidy footballer, but he was not really seen as an international level player.
But Berhalter wanted him there. And now, by the conclusion of it, it is easy to see why. Not only did Lima prove himself more than capable, but he played a very particular role that only someone of his versatile, positionally flexible skill set could perform.
Speaking after the U.S. Men’s National Team 2-0 win over Panama, Berhalter’s first match as manager, the former Columbus Crew head coach was keen to highlight his appreciation of the qualities of his new right-back:
“Nick, I’ve always admired his skill set and I like his competitive attitude.