Jozy Altidore breaks through after dry spell

WASHINGTON — Jozy Altidore's long awaited return to form couldn't have come at a better time for the Americans, who survived a late scare against Germany on Sunday, just four days after wilting against Belgium in the first of two international friendlies.

A 23-year-old striker for Holland's AZ Alkmaar, Altidore topped Clint Dempsey's record for most goals scored by an American playing in Europe when he tallied his 24th in March. But Altidore hadn't found the back of the net for the national team since November 2011. Against Germany, that finally changed in the United States' 4-3 victory at RFK Stadium.

Expertly settling deep vertical passes and making himself a force in the air on crosses, Altidore's presence in the opening minutes helped shift the game's early momentum towards the U.S. Strong and surprisingly nimble, the lone American striker nearly sent the sold-out crowd into a frenzy by taking a shot that dribbled just wide of German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen's net. The fans didn't have to wait much longer as Altidore ended his scoring drought on a beautiful one-time volley on a feed from Graham Zusi in the 13th minute.

"The ball makes the goal," said Altidore, who had shown his potential in 2009 by scoring a goal in an upset victory against Spain in the Confederations Cup. "The ball from Graham Zusi was fantastic. I just had to be there."

Germany gifted the Americans a second goal moments later when high pressing from Altidore and the midfield caused ter Stegen to lose his concentration on a pass. But after the visitors cut the deficit in half and threatened to equalize in the second half, Altidore struck again.

This time, he was on the giving end. Fighting for a pass deep and carrying possession towards the end line, Altidore drew defenders towards him. When he spotted Clint Dempsey on the top of the 18-yard box, Altidore lofted a pass that bounced once before the unmarked American captain blasted it into the net.

"It was a great ball in from Jozy," Dempsey said. "I just wanted to take my time with it and make sure I kept it hard and low."

While winning an international friendly means little on paper, Altidore's breakthrough could be crucial for the U.S. as it heads into World Cup qualifying games in the coming weeks. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann says the young striker still needs some time to adjust to the speed of the international game but he'll make sure Altidore gets more opportunities to score.

"We want him to have chances," Klinsmann said. "A lot of the games where he didn't score, he didn't have chances. … He's strong in the air and technically very, very gifted."