LANDOVER, Md. — It has now been a yr and a half since the USA males’s nationwide crew crashed out of the World Cup in Qatar by the hands of the Netherlands, 3-1 within the spherical of 16. Dealing with high opposition forward of Copa America, related questions stay. Throughout a 5-1 drubbing by the hands of Colombia, the USMNT paid for his or her errors and supervisor Gregg Berhalter referred to as out his crew for an absence of respect towards not solely their opposition but additionally to the sport of soccer.
With lower than two weeks remaining earlier than Copa America, the one main match that the USMNT will probably be taking part in in earlier than the 2026 World Cup, that is precisely the alternative of what you’d wish to see. Some difficulties have been anticipated with the absence of Sergino Dest, however actually, proper again wasn’t one of many high 5 points in falling to Colombia. Underneath Berhalter, the USMNT is 35-5-8 towards Concacaf opponents however solely 8-7-7 towards the remainder of the world. Whereas alternatives for friendlies towards high nations could be arduous to return by, to this point, the USMNT have not confirmed to be prepared for these alternatives as they nonetheless search a signature win and proceed to make foolish errors, as they did towards the Dutch a yr and a half in the past.
Talking forward of the Colombia match, Berhalter talked about how these friendlies might help construct confidence forward of Copa America however now the end result has been chalked up as a actuality test earlier than dealing with Brazil in Orlando on Wednesday. Not a lot time stays earlier than dealing with Bolivia on June 21 to kick off the Copa America group levels however Berhalter and the crew might want to discover a solution to pull collectively and do what is required to not solely get out of a bunch containing Uruguay but additionally win a knockout stage match as nicely.
“For certain, that is what it’s. We have been nowhere close to the extent that we have to play at to win video games coming into Copa America,” Christian Pulisic mentioned in reference to Berhalter’s actuality test remark. “Completely, yeah for certain. It is higher that it occurred now however we will not be anyplace close to taking part in like that and anticipate to win video games.”
Diving deeper into taking a look at the way it acquired so far, all Pulisic may say was, “I have no solutions for you proper now. I’ve acquired to go watch a bit little bit of video.”
Pulisic’s views are shared by different members of the crew and nobody regarded for excuses for the efficiency however they have been carved aside by Colombia on the counter assault. It was a pro-Colombia crowd, certain, however that is one thing that ought to solely drive the crew to do higher as a way to give their supporters one thing to cheer about as an alternative of the opposition.
“A number of negatives. I imply, that is what occurs in life. You simply should bounce again,” Tim Weah mentioned following the match. “I believe we’re a strong-minded crew and, I take full accountability for what occurred on the market, however we simply should get again into coaching and bounce again. Enjoying towards a high-quality crew like that’s all the time troublesome. Clearly, once I scored, I believed we had a little bit of momentum. I believed we have been going to get again into it. It simply occurred to not be our day. We simply should bounce again for the subsequent sport It is gonna be a troublesome one towards Brazil.”
The accountability issue that each Pulisic and Weah present are going to be issues that assist the USMNT transfer previous this end result however perception cannot be the one factor that this crew runs on. It’s going to solely get them to this point, and once they come up towards tactically, well-drilled groups, it will not be sufficient alone to show to be the distinction. Ways and ability are wanted to topple high 20 groups on the earth and on Saturday, the USMNT have been missing in each identical to towards the Netherlands 1.5 years in the past.
Louis Van Gaal, the Netherlands coach on the final World Cup, was capable of get his gamers into house with ease as a result of even when the USA knew what they have been going to do, nobody was stopping the Netherlands from doing it.
“I am nonetheless making an attempt to determine it out I haven’t got a lot to say proper now,” Pulisic mentioned when requested what he would say to the crew as captain. “I want to hang around a bit, I want to observe some movie however for certain I believe we have to begin proper now and maintain one another accountable as a result of, like, I might say, it simply needs to be higher.”
Reflection is required on this end result in addition to reflection on tips on how to keep away from it once more sooner or later as a result of even when the USA can get out of their group at Copa America until that comes with a victory over Uruguay, it will not have finished a lot to indicate that they will win massive video games. There’s one other likelihood to dispel that narrative on Wednesday towards Brazil however being tentative with the ball will result in being picked aside once more. Dropping to Colombia was a lesson but it surely’s on the USMNT to dictate the place they go from right here. And not using a change in fact, the one play they’re headed is for an early exit at Copa America.
