US Men Dominate Mexico 3-0, Pulisic scores Brace
Wow what a game – the US absolutely dominated Mexico as much as I have ever seen. Seriously we dominated possession and shots and goals. Pulisic was the BEST player on the field – this first goal a fantastic bit of footwork before his 2nd goal where he just outhustled the defense (much like the World Cup) and tucked it in again. Finally Pepi did a great job on this goal – putting El Tri away at tres a cero!! Sad to see that Mexico took it dirty after falling behind and they just absolutey lost control – McKinney certainly rubbed it in as he drew a Red Card for trying to defend his teammate while his shirt was ripped off of him – creating this iconic moment. I thought the front line of Balo with Weah on the right and Pulisic on the left was deadly – especially with Gio Reyna unlocking the door at the 10. McKinney and especially Yanus Musah dominated the midfield – with Musah showing HE is our best D mid behind Adams – heck lets be real – he looked as good as Adam’s has looked in that slot last night. In the back Chris Richards slid right in and showed his worth with fantastic passes from the back and timely saves. Miles looked a little rusty but showed no reason not to trust him vs Canada. Jedi and especially Dest were outstanding on the edges. The subs De La Torre especially did a fine job and finally what about that line-up by Interim Mgr – Asst to the Asst BJ __ coached his but off and made the right decisions in the starting line-up, the continuation of the attack and the subs he made when. Full Highlights
The Mexican soccer program is as low as I can remember in a long time. Seriously until Berhalter and the US beat them in the Nation’s League Final 2 years ago – they had not lost under Tata Martinez in like 10 games – now they were eliminated in 3 games in the World Cup – and they just got flat Embarrased by a FAR SUPERIOR US Squad. Folks may question Berhalter – but this change took place under his watch – this domination took place with his players – basically playing his system. I will have more on Berhalter being named the New/Continuing Coach of the US – but overall I am ok with it. I honestly don’t know who else is out there who is better right now.
USA vs Canada Nations League Final 8:30 pm on Univision & Para+.
This promises to be one heck of a game – Canada has finally turned the corner and is looking to show their dominance in North America after finishing first in World Cup Qualifing. They have to go thru our Defending Champs however. Of course the US will have to play without Serginio Dest and Weston McKinney. It will be interesting to see if they plug in De La Tore in the middle or flip things and get Brendan Aaronson in there. On the right back I assume Joe Scally will get his chance to prove he’s up to facing a world class player in Bayern Munisch’s Alphonso Davies – who scored last night. I think the rest of the line-up remains unchanged – though I expect to see Pepe come in earlier for Bolagun especially if he doesn’t score.
Shane’s Starters for Sunday 8:30 pm Para+, Univision
Turner
A Robinson, Chris Richards, M. Robinson, Joe Scally
Musah, De La Tore
(Full US Roster)
GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 12/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 26/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 24/2), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 8/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 34/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 21/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 39/3)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 14/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 43/11), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 25/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 18/4), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez/MEX; 2/0),
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 30/7), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims/FRA; 0/0), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 14/6), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 58/23), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 3/1)
Notes
The latest FIFA Women’s rankings came out before the World Cup this summer and the US is of course #1 followed by Germany, Sweden and England. There are some cool commercials starting to hit the airwaves in what promises to be a ratings bonanza this summer – oh and 1 million tickets have already been sold for the World Cup down-under. . The US Women’s World Cup roster should drop some time next week as the send off series starts July 9th but it sad to see Becky Sauerbrunn our Centerback and captain at 38 will miss because of injury. (Lots of stories below). On the men’s side looking to watch the game Sunday night and don’t have Paramount Plus – Try it Free here. Love this commercial from Champions League – this is definitely me. Oh and this one. Wonder what kind of difference Messi to Miami makes? Inter Miami is now the 5th most popular team on Instagram in the US – tickets for games Messi might play in have gone from $30 a ticket to over $450 on average. I am looking for games in Chicago or Cincy or Nashville if you have any 😊
Full Weekend of Europa Action
Europa Nations League Finals are this weekend on Sunday on Fox at 3 pm – Spain vs Croatia!
Spain strike late against Italy to reach Nations League final
Spain morale is sky high after Italy win: coach
Happy Father’s Day to you Coaches and Refs out there !!
Huge congrats to our Carmel FC Indiana ODP State GoalKeepers in St Louis this weekend for the Midwest Olympic Development Tourney. Olivia Aft 2012 and Emme Bukovac 2010. #carmelfcGKU
Speaking of Goalkeeping Coach Shane will start low cost GK training for those interested next week and thru the summer – U12 groups of no more than 8, Older aged groups of no more than 6. EMail: shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if interested.
Carmel FC Jersey Reveal for 23/24 season
GAMES ON TV
Sat, June 17
9 am FS1 Lithuania vs Bulgaria Euro Quals
12 pm FS1 Norway vs Scotland Euro Quals
2:45 pm FS 2 Iceland vs Slovakia Euro Quals
4 pm CBS San Diego (Morgan, Girma, Korniack) vs Angel City (Ertz, Thompson)
7 pm Para+ NC Courage (Fox, Murphy) vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL
7:30 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Birmingham City
8:30 pm Apple Nashville vs St Louis City
10:30 pm Apple San Jose vs Portland Timbers
Sun, June 18
9 am FS1 Netherlands vs Italy Nations League 3rd place
2:45 pm FOX Spain vs Croatia Nations League Final
4 pm CBS Racing Louisville vs NY Gothem (Williams, Ohara, Mewis) NWSL
6 pm Para+ Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL
6 pm Para+, TUDN Mexico vs Panama CONCACAF Nations League 3rd Place
8:30 pm Para+, TUDN Canada vs USA CONCACAF Nations League Final
Sat, June 24
9:30 pm Fox USMNT vs Jamaica (Soldier Field) Gold Cup
Wed, June 28
9:30 pm FS1 USMNT vs ?? St Louis Gold Cup
Sun, July 9
4 pm Fox? USWNT vs Wales Send-off
5/7 pm Fox Sports? USMNT Gold Cup QuarterFinals vs Mexico in Cincy
Fri, July 21 USWNT vs Vietnam Women’s World Cup
Soccer Saturday’s are every Sat 9-10 am on 93.5 and 107.5 FM with Greg Rakestraw
US Men
Chaos overshadows dominant U.S. win vs. Mexico as Pulisic shines ESPN FC Jeff Carlisle
Full Highlights Player Ratings
Dominant 3-0 Win over Mexico – marred by Cowardly Fights and pathetic Mexico Fans
USA vs Mexico: Four red cards, beer thrown and homophobic chanting
Fiery soccer game between US and Mexico ends early amid homophobic chants
‘It was a mess’: Ugly U.S.-Mexico match halted after 4 ejections, brawls and anti-gay chant
Chaotic USMNT-Mexico Concacaf semifinal makes Twitter erupt
U.S. beats Mexico during Nations League semifinal halted early due to homophobic chants
CONCACAF Nations League: USMNT bosses Mexico yet again in fractious game that ends 9 v 9
‘I’m never a part of games like this. And then I come here’
US Soccer plays it safe by reappointing Gregg Berhalter as USMNT coach
Gregg Berhalter rehired as USMNT head coach after months of drama, limbo
Gregg Berhalter is returning as U.S. men’s national team soccer coach
US Soccer brings Gregg Berhalter back as USMNT coach through 2026 World Cup
Like it or not, bringing Gregg Berhalter back makes sense for U.S. men’s soccer team
Folarin Balogun: What to expect from the 21-year-old who outscored Lionel Messi last season ahead of his USMNT debut
Mexico’s rock bottom? It felt like it after big loss to USA esar Hernandez
USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn will miss World Cup with injury, per report
Sources: U.S. captain Sauerbrunn to miss WWC ESPN
WORLD
Spain strike late against Italy to reach Nations League final
Spain morale is sky high after Italy win: coach
England, France ease to Euro qualifying wins as Wales stunned
Trent Alexander-Arnold has ended the debate – his England future lies in midfield
Germany lose to Poland as pressure mounts on Flick
MATCHDAY: Haaland back for Norway, Ronaldo’s Portugal plays in Euro qualifiers
Lionel Messi scores fastest goal of his career with stunning effort after 79 seconds
Inter Miami-bound Lionel Messi uncorks wicked goal for Argentina
Reffing
Become a Licensed High School Ref
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13
Goalkeeping
great saves from the Champion League final
Gigi Button Great Saves This year at Parma
CNL Preview: Canada – USA
David Smith20 hours ago
The United States will be aiming to extend their reign as CONCACAF Nations League champions, when they face fellow finalists Canada in a first-ever title-crowning game between these two North American neighbors.Interim head coch BJ Callaghan will be aiming for an impressive feat of claiming his first trophy after less than three weeks in charge, which would give the coach momentum before he turns his attention towards the Gold Cup beginning several days later.The former assistant’s first game at the helm – Thursday’s commanding 3-0 humiliation of Mexico in the semifinal – was overshadowed by emerging rumors of Gregg Berhalter’s return as permanent head coach, which was finally confirmed the following day.While this does make Callaghan’s short run in the coming weeks seem a bit of a lame duck session with the coach-in-waiting looking on, success in either or both of the hurdles will certainly give a boost to his CV should he have developed a taste for being the man in charge.On the surface, the relative ease of Thursday’s win might give a false air of confidence heading into Sunday’s final against Canada, however the recent trajectory of the opposition combined with several notable disadvantages faced by the USMNT should ensure that there is no clear favorite.
The United States and Canada have never met in the final of any CONCACAF competition prior to Sunday. The Canadians’ two winning campaigns in the Gold Cup and its predecessor the CONCACAF Championship came back in 2000 and 1985, where they respectively defeated Colombia and Honduras in the final game.In recent years, however, they have had the Americans’ number in an increasing number of games in official competitions. They did provide the lone blemish on the team’s record in their run to the inaugural Nations League crown in 2019, with John Herdman leading the team to a 2-0 win over Berhalter’s squad in their first group-stage meeting.This was followed by Canada’s impressive run to end up first-place in CONCACAF World Cup qualification, where Herdman again gave his team the edge with a 1-1 draw and 2-0 home win in their two meetings.While this did not portend any success for the team in their eventual failed, three-loss World Cup campaign, they have picked up right where they left off with a strong showing to reach Sunday’s final.
They defeated Panama in a relatively straightforward 2-0 semifinal, with star attacker Jonathan David being the main catalyst through a goal and assist, and were also able to come through the game completely unscathed in terms of injuries and suspensions.Herdman arguably has superior attacking firepower than the Americans’ last opponent Mexico, led by Lille’s in-demand forward David, who will once again be a major summer target of top European clubs after scoring 24 goals in the recently competed Ligue 1 season.Forward Cyle Larin also had an impressive run with La Liga’s Real Valladolid in his half-season loan, scoring eight and setting up another three in 19 league games, while Brügge’s Tajon Buchanan and FC Bayern wing attacker Alphonso Davies will also wreak havoc on Callaghan’s back line.
Davies is still returning to full health after suffering an injury with Bayern in late-April and only played the last half-hour against Panama. However, he did make the most of his time by scoring the team’s insurance goal, and could be given the nod by Herdman on the left to take advantage of stand-in US right-back Joe Scally.Compared to their significant attacking pedigree, the rest of the likely Canadian starting XI is a step down, although not without some degree of quality. The pair of Portuguese-Canadian players based in the Primeira Liga, defender Steven Vitória and midfielder Stephen Eustáquio were also standout performers on Thursday night, and Herdman has generally set up the team to absorb the pressure of their opponents just long enough to exploit any momentary openings that might appear amidst the frustration.Still, it would be difficult to expect the Canadians to have their way in controlling the flow of the game and having as many opportunities for ruthlessness as they did against Panama on Thursday.Even with both Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest out of the final due to red card suspensions, Callaghan still has enough quality, in particularly in the back line and main attack, to exploit any talent imbalances on the field.With neither McKennie nor the injured Tyler Adams available to provide a disruptive presence in the midfield, Callaghan will have to rely on either Luca de la Torre or Johnny Cardoso to line up alongside Yunus Musah in the middle.However, once again going with two defensive-minded midfielders for a second straight game, this time out of necessity, Callaghan will be able to field a deadly front four. Placing the trio of Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah behind front-man Folarin Balogun worked like magic against Mexico, however Brenden Aaronson, Ricardo Pepi or Alejandro Zendejas could also slot into the formation without too much of a loss in quality.
Dest will most likely be replaced on the right side of the defense by the young Scally, if a direct swap is deemed the best course of action. However, Callaghan could take a cue from Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca and shift Weah into the more wingback role. This would free up another of the front attacking spots for one of the aforementioned options, and would arguably be one of the more aggressive lineups that American fans have seen in several decades.Regardless that side of the defense will surely be a target point for the likes of Davies and David on the Canadian side, all the more so because the rest of the American back line is as rock-solid as they come.Barring any unexpected, and ill-advised twists, Miles Robinson will start in central defense, alongside either Chris Richards, who was adequate versus Mexico, or the more, experienced but less mobile Walker Zimmerman. This leaves Antonee Robinson in his traditional left-back role, and Arsenal understudy Matt Turner in goal.The game will kick off at 5:30pm local west-cost time, 8:30pm eastern US time, at the Allegiant Stadium near Las Vegas.
Pulisic shines, Balogun debuts in chaotic U.S. win vs Mexico
- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentJun 16, 2023, 05:00 AM ET
LAS VEGAS — Thursday’s Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semifinal against Mexico was the U.S. men’s national team’s version of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” in that there were enough deviations from perceived reality to fill a feature-length movie.
There was the news that emerged just before kickoff that Gregg Berhalter will be making an unexpected return as U.S. manager. This after the U.S. Soccer Federation let his contract expire last December, investigated him for a domestic violence incident that was made public by the family of midfielder Gio Reyna, and then concluded it was satisfied with his explanation and maintained he was still eligible to return. In the meantime, the USSF employed not one but two interim coaches: Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan. It then used a search firm to hire a sporting director, Matt Crocker, who simply led the USSF back to where it was in December — handing Berhalter what is technically his second stint as U.S. manager. The game against Mexico was chaos, and not just because the U.S. prevailed 3-0 instead of its usual 2-0 scoreline. There were two goals from Christian Pulisic, a third from substitute Ricardo Pepi and four red cards — two for each side.The lopsided scoreline brought out the usual anti-gay chant from El Tri fans, and with Step 1 of Concacaf’s anti-discrimination protocol already enacted, referee Iván Barton blew his whistle with only seven of the 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time played. Concacaf insisted that the game was not abandoned and that it was stopped at Barton’s discretion. It later issued a statement that it “strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting” and that “the Confederation is in the process of urgently establishing further details and reports from security and match officials and will make a further statement in short order.”That didn’t change the U.S. team’s thoughts on the crowd’s behavior.”[The chant] goes against everything that we stand for on our side,” said U.S. keeper Matt Turner. “We’ve been very open and vocal about the strength of our team being our diversity, the strength of our nation being its diversity. So to use something so divisive during a spirited game … it has no place in the game.”
Oh, and the U.S. was led on the sideline by Callaghan, who was serving as a head coach for the first time at the professional level. No problem. While Callaghan led his side to its most lopsided scoreline against Mexico in official competition, he will probably be in charge for only one more game: Sunday’s final against Canada. That said, his postmatch comments had him sounding as if he’d been in the role for ages.
“We were confident in the game plan that we were able to put together, and I think the performance from our side speaks for itself,” he said. “We couldn’t be more happy with the performance, but at the same time we also understand that we need to turn the page and already start the recovery and preparation process to play versus Canada.”
Everything that transpired served to overshadow the biggest pregame talking point: the debut of Arsenal forward (and designated savior) Folarin Balogun. The U.S. has been looking for a dependable No. 9 for years, though historically there have been some good ones. Eric Wynalda was at one time the leading U.S. scorer with 34 career goals, and Brian McBride spearheaded the U.S. attack for a considerable period as well. (Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey spent much of their international careers as midfielders.)But recent years have seen the U.S. struggle to get much, if any, production out of the spot. So when Balogun scored 22 times in 39 league and cup appearances on loan at French side Stade de Reims this season, and then declared for the U.S. at the expense of England and Nigeria, U.S. fans began to dream big.Fulfilling such sky-high expectations will have to wait a bit. Balogun had some bright moments, including a layoff to Pulisic that sparked an attack that ended with the U.S. captain shooting over the bar from just 10 yards. But overall he was somewhat subdued. He had the fewest touches of any U.S. starter and rarely threatened in the attacking half. Some of that was down to his lack of familiarity with teammates, who rarely gave Balogun the kind of passes into the channels that allowed him to use his speed.”I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t my best game,” Balogun said. “I think it’s important; at the same time I have to be realistic coming into a new environment with new teammates. And of course I’m playing in a semifinal, so it’s never going to be an easy game of football, but at the end of the day, I’m just happy we got a result.”Yet Balogun still managed to endear himself to teammates and fans when, in the 69th minute, he chased down Mexico defender César Montes, dispossessed him and drew a foul that resulted in a red card to Montes. It also sparked a melee that saw U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie get ejected as well.The chippiness didn’t end there, as U.S. defender Sergiño Dest was sent off after a scrap with Mexico substitute Gerardo Arteaga, leaving both teams to finish the game with nine players each. As much as Callaghan tried to back his men publicly, it did take some luster off the win. McKennie and Dest will be suspended for Sunday’s win, a reality that wasn’t lost on Pulisic.”It’s crazy. All year round, I’m never a part of games like this. And then I come here and it’s like, suddenly, everyone is just … it was a mess,” he said. “But I was disappointed in the end. I really wish some of our guys kept their heads a little bit better. It just turned into something that wasn’t this beautiful game. We did enough to show off on the field with our play that we deserve to be winning that game and a dominant performance, and now that all this, this stuff happened, it just takes away from the way we played.”
Gomez slams ’embarrassing’ anti-gay chants during USMNT vs. Mexico
Herculez Gomez speaks after USMNT vs. Mexico was ended early by the referee due to anti-gay chants.Pulisic was at the heart of that dominant performance, putting the U.S. ahead in the 37th minute by pounding on a Mexico turnover and finishing past Memo Ochoa. Then he doubled the advantage just seconds into the second half by redirecting Tim Weah‘s pinpoint cross after he was played into space by McKennie.It was as complete a team performance as the U.S. has had against Mexico since the turn of the century. The defense was barely noticed, in a good way. The U.S. was superior in its chance creation and its finishing. And Pulisic’s performance drove home an undeniable fact: Balogun might be the shiny new toy, but this is still Pulisic’s team, as evidenced by his goals and leadership.
It’s Berhalter’s team again too. There were several reasons for Berhalter not to return. The domestic violence incident remains tough to get past. So does his handling of Gio Reyna after the World Cup when he all but outed the midfielder for having a bad attitude and nearly sent him home. A second cycle, when messages can get stale, was yet another reason to move on to a different manager.The reasons the USSF’s leadership brought back Berhalter will be revealed in the coming days. But the vast majority of players, at least those who spoke publicly, backed him in recent weeks. Pulisic was among those who gave Berhalter strong support, and he reiterated that after the match.”You can see, today is a testament of the work that [Berhalter] put into this team,” he said. “B.J. picked up right where he left off, and it’s a testament to him, a testament to this team, the way that we just continued and just put on performances like that. So if that’s not enough evidence [to support Berhalter], that’s all right. People are going to hate.” As satisfying as the victory was, the U.S. still has one more game to win to repeat as CNL champion. Canada’s skill and speed on the wings will be tough to get past, especially without McKennie and Dest. But the U.S. is determined to do whatever it takes to prevail, no matter how much chaos it might encounter.
Analysis: Epic Thursday sees the USMNT pound Mexico 3-0 amid news of Berhalter’s return
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta wrote a lot to cover a wild Thursday full of USMNT news. It started with a fantastic performance from the USMNT in a 3-0 win over Mexico that devolved into chaos for the final 20 minutes. Then it ended with the return of Gregg Berhalter – after the Gold Cup. Here are Sciaretta’s thoughts on it all.
BY BRIAN SCIARETTAPOSTEDv JUNE 16, 2023 1:00 PM
THURSDAY NIGHT WAS one of the most surreal days for the United States men’s national team because of dramatic series of events that few expected. First, there was the performance of the team, then there was the opponent, and this was wrapped into an ugly but unforgettable final 20 minutes that will be one of the most iconic chapters in a fierce rivalry. Somehow, that was all overshadowed by significant coaching news off the field. All this happened in the span of about three hours.
It’s tough to put into words and you almost don’t know where to start.
Might as well start with the game along with some thoughts on it. The overall performance from the U.S. team was excellent in a 3-0 win.
TRES A CERO
Interim manager B.J. Callaghan opted to go with a very offensive lineup. Without Tyler Adams, Callaghan opted to not even play with a No. 6 defensive midfield and instead attack relentlessly. It worked. The game was not as close as the score indicated.
The United States struck first in the 36th minute when it was Christian Pulisic pouncing on poor Mexican defending. Jorge Sánchez couldn’t handle a short pass inside his own box from Edson Álvarez and Pulisic was there for a quick finish. This came just minutes after Pulisic missed a golden chance after a dazzling run.
Then just a minute into the second half, it was the U.S. team again finding plenty of room to attack from out wide. Weston McKennie played Tim Weah up the right side. Weah then slid the ball across the goal to set up a streaking Pulisic for a close finish.
Say it with us…
????? DOS
????? A
????? CERO
???? » @CBSSportsGolazo pic.twitter.com/WIBHMV2ABu— U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) June 16, 2023Then finally in the 78th minute, substitute Ricardo Pepi struck just three minutes after coming into the game. Sergino Dest swerved through a dispirited Mexican midfield before playing Pepi in a lone on Guillermo Ochoa. Mexico protested for an offside call, but VAR correctly upheld the goal.
The final 20 minutes of the game, however, will be the defining story of the game. It was ugly and heated. McKennie and Dest were sent off and will miss the final vs. Canada. The game finished 9 vs. 9 and El Salvadorian referee, Ivan Barton, blew the final whistle seven minutes into a scheduled 11 minutes of extra time given the heated nature of the game.The United States will now face Canada in Sunday’s final.
NO RUST
It was fair to wonder about the level of rust and confidence for several players. Matt Turner, Chris Richards and Sergino Dest hadn’t played much for six months. McKennie, Musah, Pulisic, and even Tim Weah had tough seasons.
The players all talked about it being a relief to be with the USMNT on the heels of tough seasons. But could the players stop their club issues from spilling into the U.S. team? The players did that far better than I expected. It was a clean break. There was no sign that Pulisic and Chelsea had a nightmare of a season or that Dest was simply not wanted on loan at AC Milan.
It’s not ideal to have to do this all the time. But it is interesting to see the change in mentality the players can make when quickly changing teams.
Will the team be able to continue this against Canada? You have to like their chances after the Mexico game.
PULISIC IS A GAMER
Pulisic was easily the MOTM. It wasn’t even just the two goals. He was completely throwing Mexico off their game with his dangerous runs. Even when his finishing let him down, Mexico was frustrated trying to stop him – often. It’s very important to note that Pulisic drew four fouls in this game because it was the only chance Mexico had to stop him.
Like Landon Donovan, Pulisic is a different player when he puts on the USMNT jersey. Regardless of what is going on in his club career, he makes things happen and other teams take note.
It’s also effort. Pulisic might have only completed nine passes in this game, but he was 7/7 in his ground duels, and he had five shots. When he has the ball, he knows it is his time. Even after being criticized this season at Chelsea, Pulisic knows that when he has the ball for the USMNT that it is his time to deliver.
ROBINSON VS. MEXICO
Miles Robinson had another big game for the U.S. team. To date, most of his biggest tasks have come against Mexico and he has thrived in the rivalry game. Aside from one friendly early in his career, he has played Mexico in four competitive games – each time he has started the game.
In those four competitive games, he has played 380 minutes and Mexico has yet to score. He even scored the winning goal against Mexico in the 2021 Gold Cup final. His athleticism, speed, and physical nature in the box has been an ideal fit.
Performances like this will have him continue to be in the top four central defenders selected for call-ups.
It looks like he will be heading abroad after this season as he will soon be a free agent. He needs to get that decision right and select a team that wants him. If he isn’t a starter, it will set back a lot of the progress he has made.
PEPI STAKES HIS CLAIM
The big story in the lead-up to this game was, of course, Folarin Balogun. The Arsenal striker scored 21 goals for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 and was going to be the national team’s long-awaited answer at forward. He still might be.
But the real story in this game is Pepi’s reaction. The former FC Dallas forward is coming off a strong season in the Eredivisie on loan at Groningen. Despite playing for a poor relegated team, Pepi still scored 12 goals.
Balogun played well enough in his debut. He drew fouls and connected effectively with his teammates during some dangerous moments. But Pepi came into the game with a purpose, almost to emphasize that he is not conceding the starting forward job to Balogun. He had a clear chip on his shoulder and a point to prove to fans, coaches, and his team.
It’s all good. Competition makes everyone better and makes everyone always have to be on top of their game. This includes Balogun. He’s not going to walk into the starting lineup. He is going to have to produce to be there.
This also relates back to last year with Pepi not making the World Cup team. Was he a controversial cut? Sure. But people are trying to compare the Pepi we see right now as the one that got cut. That wasn’t the case. Pepi went 51 weeks without scoring a goal for club or country (October 2021 through October 2022). He especially struggled in the team’s final friendlies before Qatar.
Pepi right now is in a much, much better place. He’s finishing and he’s putting himself in great positions. At Gronginen he never got many opportunities because of the team’s lack of quality, but he still scored regularly. With the USMNT on Thursday, he scored three minutes after coming on in his first chance.
Pepi has responded to a wave of adversity the past year – getting cut from the World Cup team, not producing after he was Augsburg’s most expensive ever signing, getting sent to a terrible Eredivisie team amid fans whose poor behavior suspended play four times, getting “recruited over” at the USMNT with Balogun, etc.
He’s a better player for it all.
MEANINGFUL FINAL 20 MINUTES
Breaking down the final 20 minutes of the USMNT – Mexico game is almost worthy of a book. But it had been brewing from early in the game as referee Ivan Barton lost control. He failed to card players early to settle things down.
Then when the U.S. team turned the game into a rout and Mexico couldn’t get anything going, frustration from El Tri took over. Their players baited the U.S. team into physical altercations because the result wasn’t going to change.
Yes, U.S. players lost their cool. The U.S. team should have known better because they were the team with more to lose and a final to play. Mexico could afford to bait and play dirty because their tournament (apologies to the third-place game) was over. The U.S. players – namely McKennie and Dest – needed to understand they had more to lose by getting sent off.
That being said. The ugliness of the final 20 minutes could be enormously beneficial in the long-term even if they hurt the team’s chances in the final. It is these types of games that give meaning to the “brotherhood” concept the team says they have. These types of incidents have a way of galvanizing teams and proving that players have each other’s backs.
As for CONCACAF, it is their own fault that this type of soccer gives a negative reputation to the region. Their lack of a real penalty for Mexican chants is the reason why it still happens.
César Montes kicks out at Folarin Balogun and gets a red card. Things escalate and Weston McKennie is sent off too. ????
10 vs. 10 for the remainder of the match. pic.twitter.com/zkZe8nKDUe— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
Also, the final 20 minutes were also a cumulation of unpunished Mexican history. How many times can McKennie take hands to the face, neck, or head over the years before he responds? CONCACAF has to protect U.S. players or eventually they are going to protect themselves.
The U.S. players not keeping their cool almost becomes a necessity when players such as these below are completely unpunished (not even yellow cards).
Just remember a few years ago.. this wasn’t even a card pic.twitter.com/T34tWJ085p— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 16, 2023
Also this in the last nations league pic.twitter.com/KhgvIkvJjB— Jordan (@NatFan9) June 16, 2023
The final 20 minutes were the result of CONCACAF simply lacking the will to get control over situations and letting them spill out of control.
USMNT PLAYER RATINGS
STARTERS
Matt Turner: The New Jersey keeper made the saves he had too, which weren’t many. Rating: 6
Antonee Robinson: The Fulham left back was his steady self and defensively shut down his side but wasn’t involved in too many attacks: Rating: 6
Chris Richards: Looked sharp despite limited minutes this season. Mexico struggled to get things by him. Rating: 7
Miles Robinson: His athleticism and physicality helped him dominate the box defensively. The Atlanta United centerback was also effective passing out of the back. Rating: 7
Sergino Dest: The right back has had a tough season, but his dribbling and quality on the ball gave Mexico fits. He assisted on the third goal and was part of the first. But he shouldn’t have lost his cool and been sent off. That puts the U.S. in a bad position for the final. Rating: 6.5
Yunus Musah: The Valencia midfielder’s dribbling in the midfield helped the U.S. team dictate the pace of the game. He made a nice pass in the buildup to the opening goal. Rating: 6.5
Weston McKennie: A red card marred what would have been a nice game. His pass broke open the play for the second goal. Defensively, he was frequently in great positions to help fill the gap left by Tyler Adams’ absence. Rating: 6
Gio Reyna: The Borussia Dortmund midfielder grew in strength as the game progressed. He kept Mexico on their heels and his passing helped keep the pressure on. He nearly assisted on dangerous Pulisic header. Rating: 7
Christian Pulisic: The Chelsea winger was the best player on the field by a large margin – and he could have scored more than his two goals. It wasn’t just his goals, he threw Mexico completely off their game. Rating: 9
Tim Weah: A very solid outing for Weah, who was the U.S. team’s second most dangerous player over the entire game. He assisted on the second goal, was in the buildup to the first goal, and he created gaps of space on the right side of the field. Rating: 8
Folarin Balogun: the anticipated debut of the talented forward was a little muted. Eight completed passes, one shot, and 17 touches over 75 minutes isn’t a sign of heavy involvement. But he had some nice moments of hold-up play and he drew three fouls. Rating: 6
SUBSTITUTES
Ricardo Pepi: He came off the bench with a purpose and delivered a big goal. Rating: 7.5
Luca de la Torre: The Celta Vigo midfielder helped the U.S. team with possession as it got ugly. Rating: 6
Walker Zimmerman: The veteran defender brought some maturity to the game once it became a mess. He made some nice defensive players late as Mexico pressed – including three clearances. Rating: 6.5
Brenden Aaronson: Eight touches, 3/3 passing, in nine minutes of work. Rating: NR
LOOKING AHEAD TO CANADA
So how does B.J. Callaghan handle Canada on Sunday now without McKennie and Dest? It is going to be tricky because Canada is better than Mexico right now. There should be enormous concern over the U.S. right side because it will have to defend Alphonso Davies, who is one of the best left-sided players in the world.
Callaghan is going to want to keep as much of his core together after a dazzling display against Mexico. But there are legitimate questions as to how to deal with the absences.
Callaghan can opt to do straight swaps and keep everything the same. The likely means Joe Scally in for Dest and de la Torre in for McKennie. But are these like-for-like swaps enough defensively.
De la Torre, in particular, is a very different player than McKennie. Is Johnny Cardoso a better option?
Then you have Scally and the responsibility of going up against Davies. The problem is that central defense is also going to have to deal with Jonathan David.
Another potential option could be a 3-4-3 with Weah and Robinson has wingbacks, de la Torre and Musah in the middle. Then an attacking trio with Pulsic and Reyna outside with a forward. The three central defenders could then provide cover for the wings. That formation could be best, but only if the U.S. team has been practicing with it.
The loss of McKennie and Dest are certainly complicating how the U.S. team can play for the final.
There is also the question of starting either Pepi or Balogun for the final. It’s hard to argue against Pepi.
Callaghan has tough decisions. It’s not going to be an easy game to manage.
BERHALTER TO RETURN
The big news of the day came shortly before kickoff when multiple reports indicated Gregg Berhalter was rehired to manage the USMNT for the 2026 World Cup cycle. This will cumulate with the first World Cup on U.S. soil since 1994.
Opinions on this are wide ranging. On the broadcast of the game, Clint Dempsey acknowledged that Berhalter did a good job but asked why they needed these past six months just to rehire the same coach. Charlie Davies, meanwhile, questioned who was available in the current budget and rules over how much they can pay the men’s coach compared with the women’s coach.
There are fans who don’t like Berhalter. There are fans that do. There are fans who liked Berhalter’s performance but who question the wisdom of giving a second cycle to a manager after it didn’t work with Bruce Arena, Bob Bradley, or Jurgen Klinsmann. There are others who say this cycle is different given the youth of the player pool and the need for continuity. There are others that believe the Reyna situation should have disqualified him.
Obviously a lot has changed at U.S. Soccer since Qatar. Earnie Stewart is out as the Sporting Director. Brian McBride is out as the general manager. Will Wilson is out as the CEO. Matt Crocker is in as the Sporting Director. J.T. Batson is in as the CEO. Oguchi Onyewu is in as the VP of Sporting. Sportsology was retained as an outside consulting firm during the process.
An entirely new group was brought into the front office, took their time, and decided to bring back Berhalter.
But cutting through all that, the one constant has been the players. We don’t yet know how much the players were interviewed or considered in this process. But the press release included this paragraph.
“Crocker outlined the ideal competencies for the head coach, which included building lasting relationships with staff and players, [emphasis mine] planning and effectively driving a vision-led identity, pushing innovation and boundaries, and being a decisive decision-maker. Within these categories, he utilized advanced data analytics, sophisticated metrics, and cutting-edge hiring methods to profile and rank each candidate. During the course of several weeks, candidates were evaluated through all of these filters and went through a battery of practical and psychological testing.”
During this camp leading up to the Nations League, the players started speaking up for Berhalter. This includes several of the team’s most important players. Tim Weah said he hopes Berhalter would come back.
“I think [Berhalter] should be considered,’ Pulisic said. ‘I think he did a great job with the team. He brought us a long way. I think a lot of people and a lot of guys in the team especially would agree with that [emphasis mine].”
The last sentence is key. It wasn’t just Pulisic and Weah. Outside of the Reyna debacle at the World Cup, the bond on this team is strong. If Pulisic is saying that a lot of people agree with him that Berhalter did a great job with the team, it’s probably true that many of the team feels the same way.
The feelings among the players shouldn’t dictate the big-picture direction of the program. That is why there is a line between the front office, the coaches, and then the players. But my guess is that it played a big role here. There is not going to be a lot of player turnover this cycle compared with the previous cycle when most of the core was quickly ushered out. There will be new players making their way into the team, but the core is largely known.
On top of that, Crocker said in his U.S. Soccer introduction that when he watched the World Cup, he liked how the team played and he liked the confidence/attitude of the players. It’s not hard to see that as a compliment to Berhalter.
It’s also questionable to state that this team lost a lot of time by not going back to Berhalter immediately. Since the 2022 World Cup, the team has been run by Berhalter’s staff. Things have not been taking a radical departure under Anthony Hudson and Callaghan. Plus, some useful steps were taken. Reyna was brought quickly back into the team so that it wasn’t a lingering issue. Folarin Balogun was also signed into the team to bring a potentially big scoring option.
The money question is whether Berhalter is the right person for the job? We saw reports Patrick Vieira, was a candidate, but we don’t know the complete list of candidates. Berhalter indeed grew and developed as a manager during the last cycle. By the end, he had a strong comradery among the players and they all played hard for him. There are, of course, legitimate questions. Could he have rotated his squad better in the World Cup? Should Pepi have been there despite a tough year?
But what is Berhalter’s ceiling as a coach? If he improved during the last cycle, does that mean he will continue to improve? What are his future visions for the team and how realistic are they?
The good news is that the Copa America next year will be an excellent measuring stick as to how much further along this team is from Qatar. With Berhalter’s rehire and the core now in their prime, the expectations should be that the team will be much better since U.S. Soccer has elected to stay on the same path. But how much further down that path will they be?
Meanwhile, Callaghan will coach the team through the Gold Cup.
“B.J. will continue to lead through the Nations League Final and the Gold Cup tournament this summer while I work collectively with Gregg on some of the big-picture items away from the team,” Crocker said.
National Writer: Charles Boehm MLS.com
A surreal Concacaf night: Berhalter reports shade heated USA-Mexico rivalry
Charles Boehm Friday, Jun 16, 2023, 03:07 AM MLS.com
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, we’re often told.This was most definitely not the case at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday night, as Christian Pulisic donned his hero’s cape once again to lead the US men’s national team to a 3-0 trouncing of their bitter rivals Mexico to book their spot in Sunday’s Concacaf Nations League final – and neither the scoreline nor the dominant performance were the biggest story of the evening.Pulisic, El Tri’s chief tormentor for much of the unbeaten run the Yanks have now extended to six matches, bagged a brace on either side of halftime, this time truly fulfilling the “Captain America” sobriquet by donning the armband vacated by Tyler Adams’ injury absence. Paralyzed by an increasingly toxic relationship with their supporters and the awkward generational transition happening in their player pool, Mexico once again were simply unable to match the pace and intensity of the reigning CNL champs.
“I can speak all day about Christian,” gushed interim coach B.J. Callaghan postgame. “The level of maturity that he has, the leadership that he displays, it’s not always the most vocal, maybe it’s not always the most public, but when you see him step on the field tonight and put in that level of performance, and set the standard for our group, you can only have a ton of respect for him.“It’s why he wore the captain armband tonight, because that’s the type of performance he expects out of itself, and that’s the type of performance that we have come to expect from him.”
Berhalter: Back soon?
But what really won the night was the surreal interweaving of live television, real-time reporting and rancorous on-field antagonism as news broke during the run of play – first from The Athletic and later confirmed by multiple media outlets – that Gregg Berhalter is set to be restored to the USMNT’s head coaching post after more than half a year in limbo, with an official announcement expected on Friday.As fans and pundits absorbed this head-turning development, flooding social media with the full gamut of reactions to a coach who has polarized opinions around the program, the game itself devolved into farce. Mexico’s flaring frustrations led them to foul the US with escalating violence and bile, with large numbers of their fans in the stands regressing to loud renditions of the homophobic chant that has gotten their team in so much trouble with FIFA and Concacaf in recent years.The simmering anger sparked into an outright melee when César Montes petulantly hacked Folarin Balogun to the turf after the USMNT debutant tracked back to dispossess him of the ball.Salvadoran referee Iván Barton red-carded Montes, then brandished the same color to Weston McKennie as Balogun’s new teammates rushed to his defense. Control of the proceedings was long gone, though, and Barton later had to send off Sergiño Dest and Gerardo Arteaga as well. The match finished with nine yellow cards, four ejections and 17 fouls committed on each side, a nasty spiral of misbehavior that will inevitably hurt the United States more, because they’re now without two key starters for Sunday’s final vs. Canada, who dispatched Panama with ease in Thursday’s early game.And yet…“In no way am I embarrassed,” Callaghan declared afterwards.These are rivalry games, these are derby games, things like this happen across the world,” he said. “We have a strong culture in our team and what happens is, it comes from a good place. They care about each other so much in that locker room that they’re standing up for each other. Sometimes does it have an issue where we take a red card? Yeah, but when you know where it comes from, you can accept it. And it’s a learning lesson for us all.”
Performance vs. discourse
Like kittens watching a tennis match, the audience could only snap its collective head back and forth as the discourse processed so much happening at once.U.S. Soccer and new sporting director Matt Crocker evidently spent six-plus months and significant sums of money and effort to interview somewhere around 10 candidates for USMNT head coach, only to decide that the old coach would be the new one again. Even after the soap-opera drama that erupted around Berhalter, Gio Reyna and his parents during and after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Then word of that decision made its way into the public domain DURING the team’s biggest game of the year to date.“We’re taking away from the performance that these boys had tonight. That we should be what we’re talking about: beating Mexico 3-0,” declared USMNT legend Clint Dempsey, who described himself as “confused” by the federation’s decision on CBS’s postgame show. “It’s great to get the news, but I still feel like it ruined the night in terms of, we’re not talking about the performance of these players. It was a big victory and good to see.”
It surely wasn’t anyone’s ideal way of learning who would steer the program towards the massive opportunity of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. But if the rival that once towered over the North American region can be dispatched this easily with an interim coach at the helm, perhaps the identity of the coach matters less than the superlative young talent of the USMNT’s burgeoning player pool.
Have Mexico really become this much of an afterthought?
“The performance from our side speaks for itself; we couldn’t be more happy with the performance,” said Callaghan. “But at the same time, we also understand that we need to turn the page and already start the recovery and preparation process to play vs. Canada.“We don’t look at ourselves as the kings of Concacaf,” he later added. “We’re constantly trying to improve and grow as a team, to compete against the highest levels of international football. And for us, this is just a continuation of putting good performances together, learning from those performances and continuing to try and grow and grow and grow as we continue now to look towards the 2026 World Cup.”
USMNT Player Ratings: Christian Pulisic powers chaotic Nations League win vs. Mexico
Ari Liljenwall
Friday, Jun 16, 2023, 01:17 AM
The US men’s national team are on the verge of winning a second straight Concacaf Nations League title, earning that opportunity with a 3-0 demolition of arch-rival Mexico on Thursday evening.
But the job’s not completed, and the Yanks must now navigate past a Canadian side that beat Panama, 2-0, earlier Thursday. The bordering nations meet Sunday with silverware on the line (8:30 pm ET | Paramount+, Univision).
As the temperature cools from a match that included four red cards, a Christian Pulisic brace, a Ricardo Pepi goal and plenty of drama, here’s who stood out.
7.0
Goalkeeper · USA
The Arsenal backstop didn’t have much to do on a night where his defense held El Tri to one shot on goal. But he did make a highlight-reel save on a late opportunity that was ruled offside, showcasing his elite shot-stopping ability.
6.5
Defender · USA
Jedi was sound in defense along with the rest of the backline, but the nitpick would be he didn’t make as much use of the attacking gifts in this one that make him such a valuable asset.
7.5
Defender · USA
The former FC Dallas homegrown hardly put a foot wrong, helping marshal a backline that entirely neutralized Mexico’s attack.
7.5
Defender · USA
The same could be said for the Atlanta United man, who was also up for the task on the rare occasions Mexico did pose an attacking threat.
6.5
Defender · USA
The talented right back had a stellar all-around shift, then capped it off with a gorgeous run and assist on Ricardo Pepi’s capping goal. His rating is only knocked because of his late red card, a preventable moment even in the chaotic context of the match.
6.5
Midfielder · USA
Another rating that could have been higher if not for an unfortunate red card. McKennie was having a vintage performance before his sending-off followed the first of two wild second-half fracases.
8.0
Midfielder · USA
If not for the heroics of Christian Pulisic, Musah had a case of the man of the match, doing all the dirty work in midfield and in ball progression that makes him so valuable to this group.
7.5
Midfielder · USA
Reyna’s raw gifts remain evident every time he’s on the ball, and he was in his groove throughout this contest, also helping spearhead the sequence that led to Pulisic’s first goal.
8.5
Forward · USA
The USMNT captain was electric throughout the match, and was rewarded with a crucial brace that powered this result. When Pulisic is cooking like this, it takes this team’s ceiling to a whole new level.
7.0
Forward · USA
The most-anticipated USMNT debut in recent memory didn’t net Balogun a goal, but it’s probably no coincidence that the three-goal outburst coincided with his arrival to the lineup given the attention he’s bound to draw from opposing defenses.
8.0
Forward · USA
A menace on the right side, Weah was one of the team’s most dangerous players and put the ball on an absolute platter for Pulisic on the USMNT’s second goal for a delightful assist.
7.5
B.J. Callaghan
Head coach
With news dropping from The Athletic right before the match that Gregg Berhalter is set to return to the USMNT sidelines, Callaghan’s first match as interim coach couldn’t have gone much better on the scoreboard, even if the nature of the result was arguably somewhat overshadowed by the chaotic, ejection-riddled second half.
Substitutes
6.5
Midfielder · USA
Brought on with Ricardo Pepi in the immediate aftermath of the first red cards, de la Torre helped see out the wild finish, though the match was all but decided for the duration of his shift.
7.5
Forward · USA
Pepi couldn’t have had a much more effective substitute appearance, bagging the capping goal right after entering the match that put it out of reach.
6.5
Defender · USA
Zimmerman’s late cameo can be considered a successful one, as El Tri didn’t come particularly close to generating any late goals that could’ve made it interesting after his entrance.
6.5
Midfielder · USA
Spelling Tim Weah as a late entrant, the lopsided scoreline didn’t really call for Aaronson’s usual calling cards of lung-busting runs and all-out energy.
N/A
Defender · USA
Scally didn’t come on until the 89th minute with the match well decided, which didn’t leave him enough time to show much of the type of impact he can make.
Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT return comes with newfound momentum, and a to-do list
Paul TenorioJun 16, 2023
In the tunnel inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, asked about the news that could shape the next three years of their international soccer careers, most U.S. players seemed unsure of how to respond. Yes, Gregg Berhalter, who led the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup before his contract expired amid a complex scandal that garnered worldwide attention, would return as coach of the U.S. men’s national But no official announcement had been made. Important conversations still needed to be had behind the scenes.
“I didn’t hear anything yet,” said winger Tim Weah, who earlier this week publicly voiced support for bringing Berhalter back. “So you guys are ahead of me.”
Star winger Christian Pulisic, however, essentially said he would let what just happened on the field in Las Vegas do the talking: a resounding and occasionally chaotic 3-0 victory over Mexico in an ill-tempered CONCACAF Nations League semifinal in which both teams finished with nine men.
“If you can see, today is a testament of the work that (Berhalter)’s put into this team,” Pulisic said. “And (interim manager B.J. Callaghan) picked up right where he left off, and it’s a testament to him and testament to this team the way that we just continued and put on performances like that. So if that’s not enough evidence, then that’s all right. People are gonna hate no matter what.”
The match featured ample examples of the type of intensity we have come to expect from games between the regional rivals: Weston McKennie’s ripped jersey, tussles breaking out between both teams, four red cards and lovely goals from Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi.
Weston McKennie walks away from a scuffle. (Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
After all that chaos, the message was a clear one from Pulisic, one of the players who had come out in support of Berhalter returning to the national team. After six months of uncertainty and two interim managers, there is momentum to build upon. Players are ready to get the 2026 World Cup cycle started in earnest. The win over Mexico was a good start.
There are plenty of questions now as to how this U.S. team will move forward after Berhalter officially returns to his previous position. There are some obvious issues that must be addressed, namely his relationship with one of this team’s star players, Gio Reyna. The well-documented off-field issues between Berhalter, Reyna and Reyna’s parents, Claudio and Danielle Reyna, led to an investigation into the coach around a 30-year-old incident in which he was found to have kicked his then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosalind Berhalter.
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One of the first things Berhalter will have to do after he is officially re-hired is sit with Gio Reyna, one of the top young talents in the U.S. team, and figure out a way to move forward.
Gio Reyna played centrally against Mexico on Thursday. (Candice Ward/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
On the field, the U.S. will look to improve in some areas, especially on the attacking end. The U.S. showed in Qatar that it was able to get into good spots in the attack, especially through transition play. But the players often weren’t able to convert those movements into goals — or even into scoring opportunities.
Some of those problems could be aided by the arrival of more competition at the No. 9 spot. Folarin Balogun made his debut for the U.S. against Mexico, starting and playing 75 minutes. Pepi, who did not make the World Cup squad, entered the game as a substitute and scored. Consistent production at that position would be a welcome development.
More importantly, the U.S. attack looked fluid. The players looked comfortable together. Berhalter has to find ways to continue to foster that, and Reyna once again will factor in. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder appeared in a central role on Thursday, which he did not do in the last cycle under Berhalter — though it should be noted that injuries severely limited his playing time in the 2022 cycle. It will be interesting to see if Berhalter continues playing Reyna in that position, or returns him to the wing where the vast majority of his U.S. appearances have come.
The chemistry on Thursday night was a sign of the growth that can happen on the attacking end of the field — and is already happening, Weah said.
“I think everyone was pretty sad about losing at the World Cup because it’s one of the biggest stages, if not the biggest stage,” Weah said. “But I feel like we’re also young. It was definitely a learning curve for us. I think we learned from it. And now we’re trying our best to bounce back and refocus. … We just have to continue step by step. We just have to stick together as a family.”
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Weah pointed to the second goal as a sign of that potential.
“We work on a lot of things, but this one was just natural,” he said. “I know once Weston (McKennie) gets the ball, (Dest) gets the ball, I know that I have to make that movement…Everyone’s in tune with the mechanics. So I think it’s super dope that we have that movement. I mean, as you see if Gio (Reyna) goes outside, I come in. If Serge goes in, (I move out). It’s just, it’s beautiful to watch. I think training plays a huge, huge part in what we do.”
Players in this team believe their chemistry, and the culture within the group, are the key to its trajectory. Some of them said that Berhalter was a key part in building it, but all believed that no matter who the coach was, that culture was going to sustain.Now, Berhalter must maintain and grow that culture as he re-enters the picture. He’ll have to do so with the outside noise that has long surrounded his tenure as coach, noise that only amplified around Thursday’s news. Berhalter is a polarizing figure, and the negativity is most visible on social media. Finding ways to win back those fans, or at least to guide the team through that negativity, will be another important task.
In the end, it seems there was a belief that Berhalter would be able to tap into something more with this group than any other candidate considered by new U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker – a list that included Jesse Marsch and Patrick Vieira, according to sources briefed on the search process. He’ll get a big chance to prove his new bosses at his old workplace right — or wrong — next summer in the Copa America.The last World Cup cycle was about helping the U.S. men’s program find its way out of the gut punch of missing the 2018 World Cup, and doing so with a new generation of players that filled the fan base with hope.Now those players will have real expectations on their shoulders, and will be facing their own questions about growth. Several key players have uncertain club futures, from Pulisic to McKennie, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Dest, Pepi and Balogun. Their next steps could have major implications for their careers, and for the USMNT’s trajectory by extension.
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https://48e9a91bcf7c52aef382638ef3a54e91.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlFor Berhalter, shepherding the group through that maturation process will be the biggest challenge he has faced on the job. These next few months and years will be about navigating this key period of growth and turning a team from potential and hope into something more.(Top photo: Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com. Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulTenorio
Gregg Berhalter: ‘Work to do’ in rebuilding relationship with Gio Reyna as coach returns to USMNTBy The Athletic Staff2h ago49
Gregg Berhalter said there is “work to do” in “trying to rebuild” his relationship with Gio Reyna during his first news conference since the U.S. men’s national team announced the coach’s return to his previous position Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Berhalter confirmed he hasn’t met with or spoken to Reyna since the World Cup. He also said he hasn’t spoken with Zack Steffen or Ricardo Pepi, two players who were shocking omissions from the 2022 World Cup roster.
- Berhalter will not be coaching the CONCACAF Gold Cup in an effort to avoid creating “the environment of Gregg puts his boats straight back on, slides back into the environment and it’s very much business as usual,” U.S. Soccer Federation’s sporting director Matt Crocker said.
- Crocker added that there are “some real big ticket items around some real strategic stuff over the next couple of seasons we need to map out first.”
- U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson confirmed that the board of directors’ vote to bring back Berhalter was not unanimous. There was one individual who “did not vote in the affirmative,” Batson said.
Support from USMNT players
Multiple star players, including Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah publicly voiced their support for Berhalter in the lead up to his return, and Crocker was asked how much input the athletes had in the search for a coach.
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“I kept them up to speed throughout the process. I was also keen to tap into their skills because I don’t have context. I haven’t been in a camp with them yet. Asking them questions around, ‘What are the key skills that you want in a head coach?’ That enabled me to develop a really comprehensive coaching framework or competency framework, so the players are actually a part of this process al the way though,” Crocker said.
How big was the search?
Crocker said there were “zero restrictions” on who he spoke to for filling the role, “whether they’re in contract, out contract, what leagues they’ve come from. It’s been a world-wide search, so I made sure from the beginning that I wanted to bring the best candidates to the table.”
What else was said about Reyna?
“Gio is an important player to this team. He’s an extremely talented individual and I have the obligation and the commitment to coach him like I coach every other player. I want to get the best out of him. We want to get the best out of him, and we know that if we can unlock his talents, he’s going to be a game-changer for this program,” Berhalter said.
When asked when he’d speak to Reyna, Berhalter said “the most important thing for (Reyna) right now is to focus on playing in a final and winning a final. I can imagine after that he’d want some vacation, and meeting with me is not the priority. It’s for him to get rest and prepare for the upcoming season. We’ll have time to do that — it is a priority — but we’ll have time to do that before the September window.”
Backstory
As the U.S. coach from 2019-22, Berhalter won the 2021 Nations League and Gold Cup trophies, qualified for the 2022 World Cup with the youngest team in the world and then got out of group play at the World Cup with strong performances against Wales, Iran and England. The Americans’ five points were tied with the 2010 team for most in a group stage by any USMNT at a World Cup.Berhalter, 49, currently has the highest win percentage of any USMNT coach with a 37-11-12 record.
USMNT defender Auston Trusty finding his place after successful loan with Birmingham City
By Elias Burke
Jun 14, 2023
23
Auston Trusty sits comfortably in a Manhattan Beach hotel lobby, onlooking a cloudy Westdrift golf course where he has spent much of his downtime since arriving at U.S. men’s national team camp. Just in from a training session in preparation for the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, the former Philadelphia Union homegrown smiles as he recounts his favorite moment from the recent English Championship season — a breakthrough year for him at Birmingham City on loan from Arsenal.
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“There’s been a lot of really cool moments this year, but I think my favorite moment was my first game against Luton (Town). I had no idea what to expect,” he said. “It was my first experience of English football. The fans and the craziness in that unique stadium, it was all super, super cool.”
On the opening day of the 2022-23 season, Trusty lined up at left center back, helping his side keep a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw. During one of Luton’s attacks, Carlton Morris made a diagonal run into the box, crossing into Trusty’s zone. The defender slid in an attempt to stop Morris’ momentum, but the striker cut back, evading Trusty. Despite the slide taking him out of play, he recovered quickly to block Morris’ attempt on target from close range.
“That’s when the first USA chant started,” Trusty described. “I don’t know who started it, but they were right behind me. They started chanting ‘USA, USA.’ Thinking back now, I’m getting chills.”
For Trusty, to be instantly embraced by the Birmingham supporters — having moved to the Championship on loan after completing a transfer from the Colorado Rapids to Arsenal — was a comforting surprise.
“For some reason, I thought I had more to prove being American, and maybe you think other people think the same too,” he said. “I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder. But when I heard them cheer ‘USA’, I was like, ‘Okay, these guys have my back.’”
The 24-year-old has a message for Americans in the sport who may feel inferior among the grandeur of English football: Don’t. Since the 1994 World Cup, which helped spur the creation of Major League Soccer, countless Americans have traveled to Europe and succeeded as players and coaches. After spells in England and Germany, Landon Donovan remains as much a household name across the Atlantic as he does in his home state of California. And Brian McBride, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and Christian Pulisic, among notable others, have proven American internationals have what it takes to carve long careers in the Premier League. While England has a proud heritage, boasting the world’s most popular league and claiming the tag “the home of football”, Trusty did not feel an ounce of prejudice from supporters, teammates or coaches regarding his nationality.
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“The Birmingham supporters latched on me. It helped me tremendously; it really, really did. The British like banter, and it’s a little different than American – it’s kind of more ruthless and brutal, but it’s love,” he said. “When you first see that, you take it personally, but once you get into the atmosphere and learn the culture, you see it’s actually like a show of love.”
Trusty leaving MLS and making an immediate impression in the Championship was, by his own admission, quite an accomplishment. England’s second tier is unlike football he had previously experienced, describing it as, “nothing you can explain unless you actually go through it. It’s no joke. Like 100% a grind every single moment: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.” Four goals and 44 league appearances later, he left as the Birmingham supporters’ player of the season.
Before the World Cup break, Birmingham had started to put together a run of positive results and sat within reach of the play-off places. But, amidst several failed takeover attempts and a fire at their Wast Hills training ground in early March, forcing them to train at a facility outside of the city previously used for rugby, the wheels fell off their season and they were drawn into a relegation fight. Still, Trusty remembers his first campaign in English football with a beaming grin on his face.
“I look back at it smiling; I was just so happy. You go through ups and downs; truly, there were so many ups and downs for the team this year, and we grew closer together. It’s been a really good opportunity for me and the best place to go alone. It was just really beneficial for me,” said Trusty. “The staff, coaches and teammates accepted me right from the bat. I didn’t feel any type of way towards anybody – everyone just wanted to win.”
While at Birmingham, Trusty was asked to play several roles across the backline under head coach John Eustace. Though he sees himself as a center back moving forward, Trusty primarily played as the left central defender in a back three or as a left fullback when Eustace switched from his favored wing-back formation to four in defense. Having grown up as a striker and filled almost every role from back to front, he sees gaining experience across various roles as an attribute that sets him apart.
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“When guys are hurt, and we need people to step up, I’m not gonna say no to my coach. I’m going to go and do the best job I can,” said Trusty. “I thought I did fairly well in the games and stepped up when I could. You just gotta do what’s best for the team. If I can show that I can play left back, that shows my versatility, and it helps grow my game as I can see it differently: how to time tackles, your timing of making runs and getting the whip (on crosses). There are so many aspects to left-back, and then playing LCB is a mixture of both roles.
“Playing in these positions, your touch and the way you receive the ball gets better and also helps you think about how other positions receive the ball. How am I playing the ball to my teammate? What does it look like for him? This picture is so different when playing in different positions. There’s no downside to it. It’s just helping you break through, gain and grow in your mindset and gain further appreciation for your teammates.”
His performances at St. Andrews, Birmingham’s home ground, helped earn him a selection to the USMNT’s camp in March. Though he’d been called up before, with a strong season in England’s second tier under his belt, then-interim head coach Anthony Hudson gave Trusty his first senior cap in a 7-1 win against Grenada in a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier. In his view, that call-up, over three years after his first, was the perfect time to pull on the stars and stripes for the first time at the senior level. Though a goal from Grenada’s Myles Hippolyte took the glean off a convincing team performance where Trusty assisted Weston McKennie’s second goal, the center back showed the promise necessary to remain firmly in the national team’s plans
“It was a huge accomplishment for me and really cool to win in that fashion. It was like it couldn’t have gone better,” he said. “I felt confident, I felt like a leader on the team, I felt like a leader on the field and I felt like I’d been there before. I had opportunities when I was 19 or 20, and I was on the bench, but I think it was the best thing for me because, with more experience, I came onto the field with a different mindset than I would have when I was younger.”
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, with a combination of athleticism and speed, the left-footed center back is a physically imposing presence. Paired with his technical ability, ranking in the 95th percentile or better in progressive passes (1.16), tackles (2.21) and blocks (1.80) per 90 among center backs across Opta’s “Next Eight” competitions (MLS, Championship, Brazilian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, Liga MX, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Conference League), Trusty belongs among the USMNT’s young and talented players.
And with B.J. Callaghan, the U.S. national team’s interim head coach, he has plenty of history from his youth football days in Philadelphia.
“B.J.’s a great coach,” said the Media, Pennsylvania native. “I’ve known him since I was probably eight or seven. He has worked his way up from Villanova assistant coach and Union Juniors coach to now the national head coach, which is sick; that’s so cool. I’m just really happy for him. He’s had this opportunity, and I’m happy that I made the camp and can help show the world that he’s a good coach.
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“I have nothing but good things to say about B.J. He’s helped me out so much. He’s spent countless hours with me one-on-one, working on my game. He’s brutally honest, and whether it’s in a good way, he’ll tell you how it is. He’s a good guy to have around this organization, whether as a coach or a head coach.”
But Trusty isn’t resting on a long-term friendship with the coach as a route into the national squad; he’s earned the opportunity through hard work and quality performances. With a place in the final of the Nations League on the line in Thursday’s match against Mexico, the group is motivated to continue on its path towards success, particularly with the prospect of playing in the 2024 Copa América and 2026 World Cup on home soil on the agenda. With just one cap to his name, he is not firmly a member of the core of the squad yet, so through demonstrating his skill in training, making on and off-field relationships with his teammates and staying dedicated and present, his eyes are firmly on becoming an established part of the senior setup.
“My only focus is just to keep proving myself and showing my teammates that I can do the job and be that guy,” he said. “That will also show the coach that I am that guy and can be that solid core that I’ve proven I can be in the past different teams I’ve been on, especially now after playing in the Championship, where (my performances) have to be respected. My only focus is showing my teammates what I can do and being reliable at center back.”
Trusty has stayed out of contact with his agent since the end of the season to focus on the national team and spending quality time with his family — who he has missed greatly since moving to the United Kingdom — despite the prospect of a move this summer. Contracted to Arsenal, who he stayed in regular contact with throughout his period on loan in Birmingham, Rangers are interested in a transfer, though they could face competition for his signature given his age, quality and experience in England’s second tier.
It’s a common theme among the current USMNT call-ups. Like Trusty, the newest U.S. international Folarin Balogun is returning to Arsenal after a stellar season on loan in France’s Ligue 1. Teammates Pulisic, McKennie, Yunus Musah and several others could also be on the move this summer.
“I definitely speak to the other players (about potential moves) because we’ve all been in these environments. The football world is very small, so if you’re in a situation a lot of guys have been in, it’s good to talk to people here because not too many people, at least around me, other than my agent and the team, are going to understand the ins and outs fully,” Trusty said. “We all talk about it all day, all different scenarios and situations, which is good and helps me figure things out. But my mind really is focused on the national team right now. It’s hard for me to focus on (the transfer window) because it’s almost like I’m doing a discredit to the national team because it’s such an honor and privilege to be here.”
Whether it’s by prompting the Birmingham City supporters to chant ‘USA’ after a last-ditch tackle or earning his first cap for the national team in a dominant win, Trusty has a knack for making a lasting first impression.
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The next step is translating that into a consistent spot in the heart of the defense for country and club, wherever that may be.
Why Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi deal isn’t done yet; MLS, Apple pushing for All-Star involvement
By Paul Tenorio, Pablo Maurer, Tom BogertJun 14, 202359
Lionel Messi’s announcement on Wednesday that he intends to come to Major League Soccer to play for Inter Miami was one of the most important moments in the history of MLS and American soccer.
It was also one for which the league was not prepared.
Multiple league and team sources confirmed that MLS and commissioner Don Garber were not ready for any public announcement about Messi coming to MLS, as first reported by Fox Sports. The league indicated as much in their own public statement, in which they wrote they were “pleased” that Messi had stated his intent to join Inter but, “work remains to finalize a formal agreement.”
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One week later, that final agreement is still a work in progress.
No contract between Messi and MLS has been signed, or even finalized, and the lack of an agreement has had a ripple effect on how the league and Inter Miami promote Messi’s arrival. It has also impacted the timeline of multiple deals being negotiated in tandem with Messi’s contract, from a new coach to the players set to join Messi in the summer transfer window.
‘He’s like a god here’: What Lionel Messi will get in Miami
Part of the reason for that is the complicated nature of the deal.
The proposed contract includes the option to purchase an equity stake in Inter Miami, and part of the deal also necessitates discussions with Apple regarding revenue share on new subscriptions for the MLS Season Pass service. A source briefed on the current negotiations said the Apple deal will be based on revenue driven by new international subscribers. There is also the structure of the compensation itself, the tax implications of how the contract is drawn up, as well as things like marketing and image rights. Those negotiations go down to granular levels, like which entities own rights to Messi’s name and the No. 10 for use on different products, for example.
Due to MLS’s single-entity structure, players sign contracts with the league, not individual teams. As such, Garber has been keeping other team owners abreast of the negotiations with Messi.
The summer transfer window opens in MLS on July 5. After that point, Messi (and new signings across the league) can be added to rosters and eligible for selection in official competitions. Messi is currently in China with the Argentina national team, but it has been reported that he is expected to depart before the team goes to Indonesia on June 19th in order to go on vacation. When he joins Inter Miami is very much still a part of negotiations.
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Sources say there are discussions with the league about Messi taking part in the MLS All-Star Game in some way.
The Athletic reported Messi’s potential debut will be on July 21. But sources close to the league and D.C. United, who are hosting the event on July 19 at their home stadium, Audi Field, said the hope is that Messi might play a part in those festivities.
One source close to the league’s broadcast operations at Apple said that the tech giant is understandably keen to get Messi involved in some way. The All-Star Game is part of MLS Season Pass, the league’s streaming service on Apple TV+. Sources elsewhere around the league describe that desire as a “no brainer”.
A source familiar with D.C. United’s All-Star plans say that the club has been told that whether Messi participates in those festivities in any way is largely up to the player himself; the club, that source said, has been told that Messi wants to make a decision on his involvement after taking some time off
MLS Weekly: Messi is coming, and roster rules need a change
What remains unclear is what exactly Messi’s involvement in the All-Star Game, which would presumably come before he plays a competitive minute for Inter Miami, would entail. One source at D.C. United, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, said the idea of having Messi take part in the league’s skills competition, typically held the day before the All-Star match itself, has been considered. Another source suggested he might play in the game itself, going on to say that they’d assume Messi would be a coach or commissioner’s pick.
Another option would simply be for Messi to make an appearance at the game or the festivities surrounding it, which feels most likely, should he be involved.
Inter Miami faces its own logistical challenges. Multiple sources familiar with the club’s preparations for Messi say that many facets of the team’s travel — hotels, charter flights and the like — are being reevaluated. MLS teams currently use charter flights to get to away matches but the level of comfort on the airplanes they use isn’t much greater than the public, commercial flights they used before going to an all-charter setup post-COVID-19.
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Everything else is secondary to Messi officially putting pen to paper on a contract. Meetings between Miami and the league are consuming time that could be dispensed towards the coaching search, roster upgrades and more, but none of it matters until this intended deal is signed.
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