DUSSELDORF, Germany — United States males’s nationwide group supervisor Gregg Berhalter conceded that his aspect has “work to do” forward of the World Cup following a 2-0 pleasant defeat to Japan wherein the Individuals struggled towards the Samurai Blue’s press.
Japan utilized strain all through the opening 45 minutes, limiting the U.S. to only 5 touches within the opposition penalty space. U.S. keeper Matt Turner was compelled to make a number of saves, together with a one-on-one duel with Daichi Kamada within the thirteenth minute.
– O’Hanlon: Time to fret about USMNT’s World Cup prospects? (ESPN+)
– Carlisle: USMNT has no reply for Japan
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, extra (U.S.)
However the Eintracht Frankfurt striker made a deserved breakthrough within the twenty fourth minute. Japan broke rapidly following a U.S. turnover, and Kamada’s first time shot from Hidemasa Morita‘s go cleanly beat Turner for Japan’s first purpose.
The U.S. seemed a bit higher within the second half following a quartet of substitutes, however by no means actually threatened Japan’s purpose aside from a late effort from Brenden Aaronson that went huge. Japan substitute Kaoru Mitoma sealed a deserved victory with an 88th-minute tally.
“We have work to do. We clearly want to enhance, however total actually good expertise for this group,” Berhalter stated at his postgame press convention.
“Give Japan numerous credit score. I believe they performed a very good sport they usually gave us a tough time. I believe at occasions we had been properly within the match and performing properly, however total, over 90 minutes, we may have been higher. [It] wasn’t adequate.”
The style of the defeat, with the U.S. responsible of quite a few turnovers in its personal half, will give Berhalter pause. So will the truth that Japan was faster to 50/50 balls and extra aggressive total, as evidenced by it committing 16 fouls to only three for the U.S.
“I do not know if the proximity of the World Cup has something to do with it, however the guys did not look recent, and from a bodily output we simply seemed a step behind,” stated Berhalter. “After which it is tough, a group like Japan will punish you.
“The adjustment within the second half helped give us extra management of the sport, gave us extra passes between the strains. However within the first half, I believe it was simply the dearth of consolation on the ball, foolish giveaways.
“We constructed the opponent up after a good begin, however then it began snowballing and giving some balls away and it wasn’t what we envisioned.”
The U.S. was with out a number of first alternative gamers, together with Chelsea attacker Christian Pulisic, who suffered a minor harm earlier within the week in coaching, and was stored out of the match as a precaution.
Berhalter stated Pulisic’s standing can be monitored. The U.S. performs towards Saudi Arabia in Murcia, Spain, on Tuesday.
“Christian, his standing is day after day,” Berhalter stated. “It was knock, and, we’ll see [at Saturday’s practice] if he can get on the sector.”
U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams insisted that Japan’s press was a tactic that different groups had used towards his aspect, however on this occasion, it took too lengthy to for the Individuals to make changes.
“I believe that a number of the groups in CONCACAF, you recognize, the Mexicos and the Hondurases, they’ve pressed us, and we discovered options,” he stated.
“We simply wanted to seek out options earlier on. I believe that we had a match plan and I believe it could’ve been efficient if we caught to the sport plan. However generally I simply felt that perhaps we simply began to seek for particular person options as an alternative of sticking collectively, sticking to the match plan, staying disciplined in our sport plan.
“And also you noticed Japan, they did that properly. They’d one sport plan and it was efficient.”
