Goodman: Alabamians big voice being heard by USMNT [Video]

This is an opinion column.

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Chris Richards spoke up and the United States Men’s National Team responded with one of its most encouraging results in years.

Richards is the Birmingham-area soccer player who starts at center-back for the USMNT and at left-back for Crystal Palace in the Premier League. I’ve written about the rise of his career over the past few years. Richards is the best Alabama-born soccer player since Catherine Reddick Whitehill of Briarwood Christian.

Richards brings leadership and a deep love of country to the US national team. He’s proud of being from Alabama and representing Alabama on the international stage. The Hoover native showcased his steady confidence on Wednesday night in the USMNT’s final international tune-up before the summer’s big international soccer tournament, Copa America.

With Richards and fellow Premier League center-back Tim Ream anchoring the defense, Team USA tied Brazil 1-1 in an electric, evenly played match that featured a flurry of wide-open attacks by …