Three months after a dismal 2024 Copa América group stage exit, the United States males’s nationwide soccer crew returned to motion for the September worldwide window beneath totally different administration and a renewed need from crew members to show themselves.
However the promise of change and development lasted mere minutes on Saturday as Canada uncovered the People’ ongoing weaknesses and lack of concord with a 2-1 victory in Kansas Metropolis, Kansas.
In what might have been the proper alternative to dispel considerations of a downward spiral and instill hope to an apprehensive fan base, Saturday’s limp efficiency emphasised the immense work that have to be achieved by the U.S. crew on the trail to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Stars and Stripes entered the pleasant in opposition to Canada carrying the burden of the adverse Copa América outcomes from a event by which they made historical past by turning into the primary host nation to not advance to the knockout rounds for the reason that group stage was launched in 1975. The U.S. additionally had by no means been eradicated from the group stage in 19 earlier worldwide tournaments performed on American soil, together with the 1994 World Cup.
U.S. Soccer underwent a 10-day evaluate course of to investigate the crew’s unsatisfactory efficiency on the Copa earlier than sporting director Matt Crocker introduced the firing of coach Gregg Berhalter, for a second time.
With interim supervisor Mikey Varas on the helm, nonetheless, the crew’s listlessness was laid naked for all to see on Saturday. The recurring errors started within the first half, because the People insisted on taking part in from the again in opposition to a high-pressing Canada beneath coach Jesse Marsch. Like Uruguay and Panama on the Copa América, the Canadians knew they may stress the People into making errors in their very own half. It got here as no shock, then, that the opening aim from Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg adopted precisely that protocol. After U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte initiated the play, the People’ protection coughed up possession after simply three passes, turned the ball over and allowed the Canadians to take the lead.
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Past defensive struggles, the People additionally didn’t create any offensive alternatives as the dearth of connection impressed only one shot in 45 minutes. For the primary time since dealing with Qatar within the 2021 Gold Cup — 52 video games in whole — the U.S. was outshot by 10. It is not as shocking contemplating it had a go completion price of 75.4% in three Copa América group stage matches, which ranked 14th out of 16 groups on the event. The crew noticed a go completion price of 75.5% within the attacking third, the third-worst proportion of the primary spherical of the Copa América. Berhalter tried to impose a possession-based recreation that did not go well with the gamers out there. The directions typically translated to a confused midfield and an offensive benefit for the opponent.
The identical may very well be seen in opposition to Canada beneath Varas, who even admitted to transmitting confusion to the gamers.
“The interpretation of the concepts weren’t clear sufficient since you should not be static and also you should not go the ball simply to go the ball,” Varas mentioned after the match. “You are attempting to speed up play as rapidly as you’ll be able to.”
Saturday’s second half noticed an enchancment and a slight enhance of depth by america. Regardless of the aim by Canada within the 58th minute that exposed defensive errors by Tim Ream and Chris Richards, the USMNT managed to chop the deficit by half with a aim by Luca de la Torre. Substitute Aidan Morris performed an integral function within the construct of the play, working exactly within the closing third whereas de La Torre did effectively to search out area. However like three months in the past, a 25-minute spurt of power and slight moments of offensive brilliance was by no means going to be sufficient to safe a win in opposition to a robust opponent.
Ultimately, Saturday’s loss broke much more undesirable data for the People, dropping to Canada on residence turf for the primary time in 67 years. The defeat additionally snaps a 23-game unbeaten streak in opposition to their northern rivals, the longest U.S. streak versus any opponent in crew historical past, in line with Opta.
What is obvious is that with slightly below two years till the nation co-hosts the World Cup, the U.S. should rapidly get to work on growing a robust fashion of play and identification on the pitch. Sources have confirmed to ESPN that Mauricio Pochettino is ready to be named the brand new supervisor within the coming days, offering a glimmer of hope for the crew’s future. The previous Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss — labeled by Ream as a “high-quality, high-level supervisor” — has his work minimize out for him. Pochettino — or any new supervisor of the American crew — might want to untap the potential of the deemed “golden era” with a schedule that does not provide any actual exams till the beginning of the World Cup.
Will the mix of friendlies, the Concacaf Nations League and the Gold Cup permit the USMNT’s new boss to forge a aggressive unit? The appropriate mixture of gamers is maybe there, however the loss to Canada proved there are a litany of weaknesses that have to be addressed if the 2026 World Cup co-hosts need to keep away from plunging to much more historic lows.
