JURGEN KLINSMANN didn’t waste much time.

Per CONCACAF Gold Cup rules, Klinsmann had 24 hours from the conclusion of last night’s final group stage game to make any changes to the United States' 23-man roster. Klinsmann needed about half that. 

Early this afternoon U.S. Soccer announced three changes to a roster that will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent Saturday in Baltimore. Out are forward Jozy Altidore, midfielder Alfredo Morales, and defender Greg Garza. 

In their stead are national team icon DaMarcus Beasley, Mexican league veteran Joe Corona, and popular-but-internationally-inexperienced target forward Alan Gordon.

Of the three, Altidore's removal is the biggest news. The powerful forward pulled a hamstring in late May that was expected to cost him four-to-six weeks, leaving his availability for the Gold Cup in question. However, he returned to the field for Toronto FC sooner than expected and showed some of his potential in a handful of MLS games. 

But that didn’t carry over to the international level, as Altidore seemed a step slow and lacking rhythm. After two ineffective starts he watched yesterday’s tie with Panama from the bench. 

“We believe that Jozy is just not there yet,” Klinsmann said through a U.S. Soccer release. “Jozy never really kind of got into this tournament. He never kind of picked up the rhythm. He's just simply not in the shape right now to help us.”

Still, Altidore seemed to think he was close to returning to form.

“It’s getting there,” he said after the Panama game. “I feel like I’m making a lot of progress and that every day I’m making progress. I’m much better now than I was a week ago.”

Klinsmann apparently disagreed and replaced Altidore, who has 27 goals for the U.S. in 83 games, with Gordon, a 33-year-old with all of one cap to his name.

But the six-foot-three Gordon, who was an unused reserve on the 2013 Gold Cup roster, is playing the best soccer of his career in his 30s. He’s hit double-figures in goals the past three seasons and this year has six goals and four assists in 20 games.

It’s not just that he scores goals, but how and when. The Oregon State University product has a knack for late-game heroics and scoring ugly goals, the kind that a team like the U.S. could use in a tight, win-or-go-home match in the group stages.

“That's why Alan Gordon from the beginning was on the standby roster,” Klinsmann said. “That's why we're bringing in Alan because he's fully fit. He's so full of energy. He scores his goals with the Galaxy but he fits right away. He's a pure giver with the group.

"He might be a player who can make a difference in any second when you bring him in.”

Garza wasn’t originally on the 23-man roster but was added as a replacement days before the Gold Cup began after Houston midfielder Brad Davis was dropped under mysterious circumstances. U.S. Soccer claimed Davis was injured but the day after he was dropped he started for the Houston Dynamo.

“With Greg Garza, it's tough and it hurts when you have to tell a player you're not part of the final stages of the tournament,” Klinsmann said. “He's an emerging player and Greg Garza is there for the future. Greg is only getting better and he's done tremendously well these two-and-a-half weeks. He knows he has to grow more and get more experience. It's as simple as that and that is why we made the switch.”

In the group stage, Garza started against Haiti and helped the U.S. get a shutout while providing a secondary assist on the game-winning goal in a match that permanently cap-tied him to the U.S. However, Klinsmann wanted more experience and Beasley certainly fits the bill. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native announced last month he was ending his hiatus from the national team, which he’d announced after last summer’s World Cup.

At 33, he is still fit as ever; has played for clubs around the world; has 121 caps; and is the only American to have played in four World Cups. More importantly, he can be inserted into the starting lineup at left back, a move that would free the versatile Fabian Johnson to move to the midfield or to play right back in place of the frustratingly erratic Timothy Chandler.

“Having DaMarcus coming into the team is huge because of his character, his giving nature, his spirit he brings, but also the high quality he brings,” Klinsmann said. “He brings a lot of experience into the group… He’s still as hungry as Day One of his career.

"That's big for us having him back in with the group and now he gives us a couple of different options as to how to put the pieces together.”

Like Garza, Morales became cap-tied in the Gold Cup when he played the first half last night against Panama. Normally a defensive midfielder who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work, he was instead used as the left midfielder in the U.S.’ diamond formation. He offered little to help the attack.

Morales “is still kind of in a process to become real part of our team in a fine-tuning element," Klinsmann said. "There are certain things still that don't click yet and it will just take a little time. Right now in the tournament, we don't have that time. In the tournament now we need to produce results and get things done.”

By contrast, Corona, who was on the team that won the Gold Cup two years ago, offers the ability to play either centrally or on the flank and offers more creativity going forward. He is also better at helping keep possession—something the U.S. has struggled with so far at the Gold Cup.

Corona “is a player also that can help us here and there to hold the ball better and take care of the ball with his great technique, with his one-two touch passing. He makes things very easy and simple,” said Klinsmann. “I think it's a great opportunity to have Joe now back even if it hurts now a little bit for Alfredo.

"But that is just part of the game.”

Under CONCACAF rules, Klinsmann could only call-up reinforcements from a 35-man provisional Gold Cup roster (that included the original 23 who played in the group stage). Of the other nine players on the provisional roster, several, including Stanford forward Jordan Morris and D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, are injured.

The other choices were Kansas City’s Matt Besler, D.C.’s Perry Kitchen, Lee Nguyen and Juan Agudelo of New England, Mexico-based Michael Orozco and Orlando’s Brek Shea.

Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.