US Bombed by Belgium 1-5 Portugal Tues 7 pm TNT

Ok I am going to be honest I did not see this coming. Yes I predicted a loss — 2-1 but 5-1. I can’t remember the last time the US conceded 5 goals in a game. Five goals? For those questioning my questioning of this defense – there it is. Lets start with the back 4 – not a bad idea to start with line-up against a superior team like Belgium – but Timmy Weah was way out of his league vs Doku – one of the best wingers in the world. I also thought Mark Mckensie was turned a # of times and did not have the best game as 3 of the goal attacks came down the left hand side. Tim Ream continued to show he is TOO OLD to play in the middle against Top 10 competition. Listen I love Tim Ream – have his Fulham jersey in my closet – but at 40 his foot speed is simply too far behind to play good teams. I would say he was involved on 3 of the goals – places where a good centerback makes the play. The lone bright spot was Jedi Robinson in an attacking role though his D could have been better. I know Chris Richards and Tim Robinson were hurt – but this might have showed we are a 3-5-2 team now. We needed 5 on defense vs Belgium and whatever that was needs to end.

Turning to Goalkeeper – unlike most – I was actually ok with the change – I thought Matt Turner might still sneak into the starting slot for the World Cup – ah that’s over now. Sad part is he made some fantastic saves on the day – hell it could have /should have been 8-1 if Turner doesn’t make some saves – but to give up 5 to anyone much less Belgium without Lukaku is a sign you are not the guy. Lets see if Matt Freese can handle the pressure that Portugal is sure to bring tonight.

Offensively we had our moments – Pulisic was still clearly not quite on – his 2 goal chances- blown completely. Balogun had little service but I don’t think I heard his name called once. Pepi and Agyemang coming on late and stealing one goal was impressive and might get Pepi an earlier call to come in during the World Cup. I am still not sure how Poch is going to get his 3 or 4 best mids on the field. I did not work to have Tillman behind the front 2 of Bola & Pulisic – unfortunately – I would like to see Reyna get a start vs Portugal in that spot to see if works. Also what to do with McKennie – he has to be on the field – he scored our goal on the Cornerkick, he probably was the best field player besides Antonee Robinson. The dmid line-up of Cardoso & Tessman actually held their own in the first half of a 1-1 game. Cardoso showed he deserves a spot on the bus for the WC. I thought Tessman had some moments – especially in the 1st half – but when Cristian Roldan came on in the 2nd for Cardoso – the duo was exposed during the 4 goal blasting. Late subs by Berhalter merely showed his MLS self is not ready for this level of play.

So now what? We HAVE to have a good showing vs Portugal, who is without Ronaldo but still tied Mexico 0-0 on Saturday.
The Great New is it appears our best Centerback – the only one starting in the EPL Chris Richards is back in the mix for tonight, I would guess he will start with Trusty who is a left sided Centerback for Celtic. Will be interesting to see if he puts Trusty in the middle and Ream on the left (I hope not) or does he go Joe Scally on the right with Richards in the middle. (my preference). I would also love to see Alex Freeman get a run at right outside back. Of course Freese is back in goal. In the middle trying to replace Adams (who we desperately miss) and the injured Cardoso – I would go with Aidan Morris. The biggest thing is the US Team must show some grit some passion – we just got blasted 5-1 at home with 65K Atlanta – a place we might play in the World Cup – we must show better vs Portugal. With Richards back IF he doesn’t play Tim Ream I think we tie this game 1-1. If he starts Ream – its 3-1 Portugal.

US MEN DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire FC; 0/0), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 13/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 52/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 16/1), Alex Freeman (Villareal/ESP; 13/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 25/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; INJURED 79/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 35/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG;50/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 38/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 22/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 9/1), Johnny Cardoso (INJURED Atlético Madrid/ESP; 22/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 62/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 13/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 34/9), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 43/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 12/1); Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 26/3)
FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 56/9); Patrick Agyemang (Derby County/ENG; 12/5), Folarin Balogun ( AS Monaco/FRA; 23/8), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 34/13), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 82/32), Timothy Weah (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 47/7)

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING the Last 6 Teams Will Be Decided Tuesday

So its put up or shut up time for 6 teams to make the World Cup – my Italy again has their backs to the Wall and must win in a hostile stadium vs an old Bosnia team at 2:45 pm on FS1. Of most interest for the US is Kosovo basically hosting Turkey with the winner advancing to the US group as the 3rd game vs the US. Turkey looked good – and 86th ranked Kosovo needed penalties to advance but look out on this one. The US REALLY NEEDS KOSOVO to Win. (I can’t believe this game isn’t on TV – SCREW FOX for not having this game on FS2 at least) If I can find online – I will post the location here. Full reviews of the games below.

Indy 11 Plays Tonite 7 pm and Sat 7 pm vs Pittsburgh

Indy Eleven came back from a halftime deficit with two second-half goals to earn a 2-2 draw at USL Championship Eastern Conference opponent Hartford Athletic. Indy Eleven has two home games at Carroll Stadium this week–Tue. Mar. 31 for a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round match vs. Union Omaha at 7 p.m., and Sat. Apr. 4 against the defending USL champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs, pro-rated Season Tickets, and Flex Mini-Plans. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and it can be purchased online only.  Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.

Congrats to the 2010 Carmel FC Boys for winning the River City Classic in Cincy for a 2nd time in 3 years

TV Schedule – Games on TV

Tues, Mar 31
2:30 pm FS1 Italy vs Bosnia WC Qualifier
2:30 pm FS2 Kosovo vs Turkiye WC Qualifier
2:45 pm Fubu Sweden vs Poland WC Qualifier
2:45 pm Fubu Czechia vs Denmark WC Qualifier
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal
7 pm Para+ Indy 11 vs Union Omaha US Open Cup
9 pm FS1. Peacock Congo DR vs Jamaica WCQ 1
11 pm FS1, Peacock Iraq vs Bolivia WCQ2
Weds, Apr 1
7:30 pm CBS Galazo Michigan Bucks vs Detroit City US open Cup
8 pm CBS Sports Net Colorado Springs vs Spokane Wash US Open Cup
Thur, Apr 2
12:45 pm CBSSN Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Women’s UCL
3 pm CBSSN OL Lyon vs Wolfsburg – Women’s UCL
Fri, Apr 2
10 am Para+ West Brom vs Wrexham
3 pm PAra+ Coventry City vs Derby County (Agyemang)
8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride vs Angel City NWSL
Sat, Apr 4
7:30 am ESPN Man City vs Liverpool FA Cup
9:30 am ESPN+ Freiburg vs Bayern Munich
9:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Bayern Leverkusen (Tilman)
12:!5 pm ESPN+ Chelsea vs Port Vale FA Cup
3 pm ESPN+ Southampton vs Arsenal FA Cup
3 pm ESPN+, ESPND Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona
4 pm CBS KC Current vs NY/NJ Gotham NWSL
6:30 pm Tubi TV NC Courage vs Portland Thorns NWSL
7 pm TV 8? Indy 11 vs
7 pm Uni Monterrey vs Athletico Liga MX
7:30 pm Apple Free Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew
7:30 pm Apple free Miami vs Austin
7:30 pm Apple Free NY Red Bulls vs Cincy
8:30 pm Apple free Houston vs Seattle Sounders
8:30 pm Apple free Chicago Fire vs Nashville
8:45 pm Tubi TV Seattle Reign vs Denver Summit NWSL
9:30 pm Apple Free LAFC vs Orlando
10:30 pm Apple Free LA Galaxy vs Minn
Sun Apr 5
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs St Pauli
10:30 am ESPN+ Valencia vs Celta Vigo
11:30 am ESPN 2 West Ham vs Leeds United (Aaronson) FA CUP
2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Roma Italy
2:45 pm beIN Sport Monaco (Balogun) vs Marseille (Weah)
5 pm ESPN2 Bay FC vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) NWSL

Sat, Apr 11
7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan
Tues, Apr 12
7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan
Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal
Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK
Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK
Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
Complete 2026 World Cup schedule featuring match dates and start times
NWSL Schedule

US Players on Duty — Friday

• PSG vs Toulouse, 2:45p on beIN Sports, Fubo (free trial): Mark McKenzie and Toulouse have a big task on their hands defending PSG in this Ligue 1 match.
• Coventry vs Derby, 3p on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City host Patrick Agyemang and Derby County in the EFL Championship.

Also in action:

• Middlesbrough vs Millwall, 7:30a on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Millwall in the EFL Championship.
• Charlton vs Bristol City, 10a: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic host Bristol City in the EFL Championship.
• West Brom vs Wrexham, 10a on Paramount+: George Campbell, Daryl Dike, and West Brom host Wrexham in the EFL Championship.
• Vitória Guimarães vs Tondela, 1p: Jordan Pefok and Tondela visit Vitória de Guimarães in Liga Portugal.

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USA

U.S. considering tactic shift to get Pulisic on track
Chris Richards Available for USMNT vs. Portugal
Pulisic, U.S. ‘shocked’ by Belgium jersey clash
How has USMNT player pool evolved since 2022, and what does it mean for World Cup?
USMNT handed reality check by Doku, Belgium ahead of World Cup
Player ratings: Weah poor as USMNT suffer heavy Belgium defeat
A good USMNT start becomes a disastrous finish in Belgium loss
USA vs. Portugal, 2026 USMNT Friendly: Scouting Portugal
USA vs. Portugal, 2026 USMNT friendly: preview – the devil is in the big picture
Belgium dismantles USMNT 5-2 in nightmare friendly, raising World Cup alarms for Mauricio Pochettino
US looks to Maintain Intensity this Time vs Portugal
US vs Portugal

World Cup

Italy’s rich World Cup history includes plenty of playoff heartbreak
Gattuso: Italy would ‘give their lives’ for World Cup, but warns about Bosnia fouls and referee
Sandro Tonali SHINES as Italy wins World Cup Qualifying …
76 days to the World Cup: The headbutt that went down in history

GK

MLS: Best Saves of the Week
US Turner Struggles vs Belgium
USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner: “We can’t hide from it” 🇺🇸 A …

Reffing

High School Rule Changes for 2026 Season
How to Become a Travel Ref 

2026 World Cup playoffs: Who will claim the final six spots?

• Mark OgdenMar 31, 2026, 03:21 AM ET

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off on June 11 when co-hosts Mexico play South Africa in Mexico City, but six qualification places are still up for grabs in the European and intercontinental playoffs.

The final qualified teams will be confirmed Tuesday with four European nations and the winners of the two intercontinental playoff finals sealing their spot in the Canada, Mexico and the United America this summer.

Kosovo will host Türkiye attempting to reach their first World Cup, and four-time world champions Italy must win at Bosnia and Herzegovina to avoid missing out on the finals for the third successive tournament.

Iraq (1986), Congo DR (as Zaire in 1974), Bolivia (1994) and Türkiye (2002) are all looking to end lengthy absences from the World Cup, but who will be victorious in the six qualification finals?

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– World Cup: Who has qualified, and how the rest can make it
– USMNT handed reality check by Belgium ahead of World Cup
– Cost of the World Cup: The price tag to follow your team to glory

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EUROPE

PATH A
Winner enters World Cup Group B (Canada, Qatar, Switzerland)

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy (Zenica, Bosnia): Edin Dzeko‘s 86th-minute goal against Wales in Cardiff was the lifeline Bosnia needed to stay in the semifinal and take the game to penalties, which ended with a 4-2 shootout win for Sergej Barbarez’s team. At 40 years old, former Manchester City, AS Roma and Inter Milan striker Dzeko will become one of the oldest outfield players to appear at a World Cup if he can inspire Bosnia again in the final, but Italy will go into the game as strong favorites.

Gennaro Gattuso’s team overcame a nervous start to beat Northern Ireland 2-0 on Bergamo in Thursday’s semifinal and that victory has boosted morale in Italy following playoff heartbreak in 2018 and 2022. Bosnia have home advantage in Zenica at the hostile Stadium Bilino Polje, but Italy have the pedigree of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali and Manuel Locatelli, so they will have no excuses for another playoff failure.

Winners: Italy

Laurens: Italy face tougher test against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Julien Laurens breaks down Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic penalty win over Wales ahead of their World Cup showdown with Italy.

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PATH B
Winner enters World Cup Group F (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia)

Sweden vs. Poland (Stockholm, Sweden): Viktor Gyökeres almost single-handedly sealed Sweden’s place in the final with a hat trick in Thursday’s 3-1 semifinal win against Ukraine in Valencia. Sweden, now coached by former Chelsea and West Ham United boss Graham Potter, seriously underperformed during the qualifiers witha winless group campaign, but they now have a home game against Poland to book a place at the World Cup.

The Poles had to fight back from going a goal down against Albania in Warsaw before winning 2-1 with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski and they go into the Sweden game having run Netherlands close in their qualifying group. Recent form suggests that Poland will be favorites, but Sweden are at home and the confidence of a big win against Ukraine. It will be close, but Sweden will shade it — maybe even on penalties.

Winners: Sweden

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PATH C
Winner enters World Cup Group D (United States, Paraguay, Australia)

Kosovo vs. Türkiye (Pristina, Kosovo): Though Türkiye’s semifinal against Romania went as expected with Vincenzo Montella’s team winning 1-0 through Ferdi Kadioglu‘s goal, Kosovo upset the odds with a 4-3 win away to Slovakia. Kosovo went into the playoffs as the lowest-ranked European nation still alive in the competition, sitting in 78th position between Israel and Oman in the FIFA World Ranking, but they dominated in Bratislava to seal a deserved victory.

Franco Foda’s team is young, bold and full of pace and energy, and they have the ability to shock a Türkiye team stacked with top talent including Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz. Türkiye have won the two previous meetings between the teams and will be favorites, but Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri will be rocking in Pristina on Tuesday, and a passionate atmosphere could tip the balance in Kosovo’s favor.

Winners: Kosovo

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PATH D
Winner enters World Cup Group A (Mexico, South Korea, South Africa)

Czechia vs. Denmark (Prague, Czechia): Czechia looked dead and buried against the Republic of Ireland after finding themselves 2-0 down in Prague after 23 minutes, but Miroslav Koubek’s team fought back to take the game to penalties before winning 4-3 from the spot kicks.

But the Czechs will face a Denmark side that showed its quality with a 4-0 win against North Macedonia in Copenhagen, so the Danes will be strong favorites heading into the final. The questions about Denmark have nothing to do with their quality — coach Brian Riemer has Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Højlund and Christian Norgaard on his roster — but whether they can handle the pressure of being favorites. A draw against Belarus and defeat against Scotland saw them blow their hopes of automatic qualification, so will they feel the heat against the Czechs? That’s the danger for Denmark, but perhaps beating North Macedonia has proved their mettle.

Winners: Denmark

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INTERCONTINENTAL PLAYOFFS

PATHWAY 1
Winner enters World Cup Group K (Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia)

Congo DR vs. Jamaica (Zapopan, Mexico): Jamaica toiled to a 1-0 win against rank outsiders New Caledonia in the semifinal, so they will have to step up several levels to have any hope of beating Congo DR.

Congo, nicknamed the “Warriors of the Equator,” have top-level European experience in their squad with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United), Arthur Masuaku (Lens), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United) and captain Chancel Mbemba (Lille), so they should be too strong for a Jamaica side led by interim coach Rudolph Speid. Wrexham’s Bailey Cadamarteri scored the match winner for Jamaica against New Caledonia, but repeating that effort will be tough against one of the strongest African teams.

Winners: Congo DR

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PATHWAY 2
Winner enters World Cup Group I (France, Senegal, Norway)

Iraq vs. Bolivia (Guadalupe, Mexico): Iraq’s preparations for their playoff have been thrown into disarray by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, forcing coach Graham Arnold to ask FIFA for the game to postponed due to the difficulties of his squad being about to travel from the region. But Tuesday’s match will go ahead and the Lions of Mesopotamia will have a full squad due to call on after being given the use of a private jet to travel to Mexico. Whether the disruption to their plans will affect Iraq’s chances remains to be seen, but Bolivia’s 2-1 semifinal win over Suriname, when they overturned a 1-0 deficit to claim victory, showed that the South American nation is match ready — the same cannot be said for Iraq. Having had no competitive games since December, Iraq might struggle to win this game and end a 40-year wait for a World Cup appearance.

Winners: Bolivia

USA vs. Portugal, 2026 USMNT friendly: preview – the devil is in the big picture

More questions ahead of the last friendly before the World Cup breakby Parker Cleveland Mar 30, 2026, 11:44 AM EDT Stars & Stripes

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 28: Weston McKennie #8 of the United States celebrates scoring during the first half against Belgium during an international friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)Getty Images

The USMNT will close out its March friendly window looking to bounce back after falling apart in the second half to Belgium on Saturday. In that match, Mauricio Pochettino put forward an attack minded lineup with four out and out attackers plus Tim Weah at right back. It seemed to pay off at first with the USA jumping out to an early lead thanks to a goal from Wes McKennie, that would be the high point for the USA as Belgium scored four goals in 23 minutes scoring the first right before the half and another in 82nd with the Americans pulling one back three minutes before the death.

The match itself was underscored by questions in defense and goalkeeper – mainly, what happens when the team doesn’t have Chris Richards and who should start between the sticks? The answer to the Richards dilemma is clearly, we don’t know while the keeper solution is probably anyone except for Matt Turner. The match also showed that Tim Ream is not at the level needed to take on a top 10 team in the world, the same for that matter can be said of Mark McKenzie. Aside from Ream’s handball, Belgium had no issue controlling the ball around the box and playing around the central defenders.

As far as taking on Portugal, Poch will need to come up with more effective defensive tactics with the European Nations League champs licking their chops at the prospect of taking on a team that struggled the way the USA did defensively. Adding to this issue is that Johnny Cardoso was OK at defensive midfield. That might have been acceptable if the game wasn’t asking him to do more to cover for the center backs but either he needs to step up or step aside for the team to find an effective replacement for Tyler Adams.

Portugal comes into the game having drawn 0-0 to Mexico at El Azteca over the weekend. The Iberians were the more attack minded of the teams but failed to find a goal despite dominating possession with 66% of the passing and an xG of 1.39. El Tri played in a 4-1-4-1 formation and held strong defensively with Portugal getting the better of the chances. For their part, Portugal played in their 4-2-3-1 and was attack minded as advertised.

For this match, the task for the Americans is pretty straight forward: find a defensive posture that works, keep Bruno Fernandes from dictating the tempo, stop Joao Felix or Pedro Neto from finding space to score or create for his teammates, and in attack keep the ball in the face of their opponent’s press.

It will be interesting to see how Poch addresses the situation in defense. The USA did very well with a three center back set up at the end of last year. Alex Freeman and Joe Scally are both capable of playing in that system but the team needs a central defender to fill the void left by Richards in anchoring the backline. If the team steps up and plays solid defense, gets a good match out of whoever starts at keeper, and finds a way to get through the Portugal backline, the Americans might be able to go into the World Cup with a promising performance against one of the best teams in the world. If not, it could be a long night and a longer few months with more questions following the team into the start of the tournament.

USMNT exposed with tactical approach to Belgium, makes for a World Cup warning

Mauricio Pochettino of the United States speaks with the team during the first half of Saturday’s friendly against Belgium. Andrew J. Clark / ISI Photos / USS

By Henry Bushnell and Charlie Davies March 30, 2026 The Athletic

ATLANTA — “Football,” Mauricio Pochettino said, “is in the details.” And it was in the details Saturday that the U.S. men’s national team faltered against Belgium.There was no one reason for the USMNT’s unraveling in a 5-2 loss. There was, instead, a succession of minor individual shortcomings that magnified one broader flaw in Pochettino’s tactical setup.“Pochettino should’ve never changed back to a back four,” says Charlie Davies, a former USMNT forward and columnist for The Athletic, “when he made so much progress with the back three this past fall.”Lineups with three center backs helped revive the USMNT last September. Players and Pochettino himself said the new formation helped “simplify things.” In October and November, they alternated between hybrid systems, but never returned to a back four with two fullbacks bombing up and down both wings.On Saturday, they did that — and they got burned.Belgium’s first three goals, plus a fourth that was disallowed for a handball, all originated on the left wing, with the ball at the feet of the game’s most dangerous player, Jérémy Doku. And three of the four happened after Tim Weah, the U.S. right back tasked with defending Doku, was caught higher up the field.He was higher up the field by design. In this more complicated 4-2-3-1 formation, when in possession, a central midfielder would drop between the center backs or to the left of them; an attacking midfielder would come deep; both fullbacks would advance.It was the opposite of the 3-4-3’s simplicity. And it came with tradeoffs.“There were a number of moments where the movement from Johnny Cardoso and Tanner Tessmann would ultimately help them in the buildup,” Davies says. “They found Weston McKennie in the pocket. He’d play it to Christian Pulisic, and then they’d get out. They would find ways to break down Belgium’s mid-block.” They would get Weah and Antonee Robinson, the fullbacks, on the ball in dangerous positions.“But in doing that,” Davies says, “multiple times, they also got exposed.”

Dealing with Doku

Pochettino, at his post-match news conference, brushed aside discussion of the formation switch. He also said that Weah, a converted winger, “defended really, really well.” The “problem,” Pochettino argued, “was that no one helped (Weah) in the last third, in the areas that are really important to help.”“The plan,” Weah confirmed, “was to double team” Doku. A midfielder would slide over to help. And for most of 45 minutes, Cardoso, Tessmann and McKennie did this reasonably well. They’d be responsible if Doku cut inside.If, on the other hand, Doku went toward the end line, Weah would be prepared to keep up and block the cross. When settled and with inside help, Weah did this reasonably well on all but one occasion.

In the 45th minute, though, the “help” was too passive. McKennie and Tessmann both retreated into the box… but never stepped up to confront Doku when the Belgian winger came inside.

Doku’s shot was palmed away by Turner, but in part because he’d drawn so much attention, the rebound found Zeno Debast in loads of space outside the box. Debast had time to line up a fizzing 25-yard drive. Multiple U.S. players were slow to close him down. Matt Turner was slow across his goal. And just like that, it was 1-1.That Belgian goal, however, was the outlier.

USMNT gets caught in transition

On the second Belgium goal and the sequence that led to the third, the root cause didn’t seem to be a lack of help; it was a lack of structure.Even in the first half, there were warning signs. In the 37th minute, the U.S. had taken up its in-possession shape, with Weah on the right wing. Turner mis-hit a pass, possession turned over, and suddenly, Doku was running at Cardoso one-v-one — with Weah trailing the play.

Then, in the 52nd minute, Weah was attacking deep in the final third. He helped set up a Pulisic chance. Moments later, he was racing back toward the defensive third, chasing Kevin De Bruyne. De Bruyne fed Doku, who ran at U.S. center back Mark McKenzie — with Weah once again trailing.

Seven U.S. players in total scrambled back into the penalty box to help. But that left Andre Onana free at the top of the box to put Belgium ahead — and remind U.S. fans of nightmares past.“What pisses me off is that the same weaknesses of younger U.S. squads still seem to be there,” Davies says. “They collapse into their own 18-yard box and defend. And it’s almost like a psychological thing: if you have numbers in the box, back, you feel like you’re defending, and you’ve got the numerical advantage in front of your goal. But ultimately, they leave the top of the box always open for late runs, for people who are just lurking at the top.”Three minutes later, the structural flaws emerged again.In the 55th minute, on one end, Weah advanced all the way into Belgium’s penalty box and sliced a volley off target.“He was almost like a right wingback on that play,” Davies says. The problem, of course, is that he’d been tasked with defending like a true fullback, with only two central defenders to cover for him.Weah lingered high up the field after that chance as the U.S. pressed Belgium.

When Belgium cycled the ball to the opposite side, easily evading the USMNT’s first line of confrontation, Weah began to retreat — but not quickly enough. His positioning allowed a Belgian defender to ping a 70-yard diagonal to Doku — a pass that should never be completeable.

Weah was suddenly scrambling and isolated. Tessmann hurried back to help but didn’t arrive in time. Doku beat Weah with a give-and-go. His shot was saved by Turner, but the follow-up earned Belgium a penalty. And the game, for all intents and purposes, was gone.

‘That’s what I don’t like about this fluid 4-2-3-1’

This is the peril of playing a shape-shifting 4-2-3-1 rather than a relatively simple 3-4-3.With the ball, the USMNT builds in a 3-2-5 shape. When set up in a 3-4-3, two of the “4” — the wingbacks — simply have to join the front three.To get to it from a 4-2-3-1 base, on the other hand, two of the back “4” — the fullbacks — were joining the front line on Saturday; one of the “2” holding midfielders had to fill for them; and one of the “3” had to fill for him.Back in September, when the U.S. switched to the 3-4-3, “we didn’t have guys moving from one position to another,” captain Tim Ream said. There were no convoluted rotations from defense to attack or vice versa. “We were already set in that structure.”In the 4-2-3-1, the movements provide attacking benefits, which is seemingly why Pochettino likes it.“This is his formation, this is where he feels most comfortable,” Davies says.“But in defensive transition — that’s what I don’t like about this fluid 4-2-3-1, with a center mid dropping deep,” Davies continues. “At least when you’re not typically a team that’s keeping possession. If you’re a team like Spain, go ahead. When you don’t do that consistently, and you have this type of formation, that’s when things get tough in transition.”

The ‘intensity’ dip

Pochettino’s main explanation for the collapse was a drop in “intensity.” On Belgium’s first goal, and again on the second, “we were not aggressive enough,” Pochettino said.Davies saw this too, especially after the second goal went in. “You could see heads drop,” Davies says. “And they’re like, ‘Oh s***, here we go again.’”That was perhaps most evident on Belgium’s fourth goal. When the ball switched from left to right, Pulisic simply let Belgian right back Thomas Meunier carry it from his defensive half into the final third. Cristian Roldan, therefore, was forced to step in, halt Meunier’s progress and track his run, leaving substitute fullback Max Arfsten one-v-one with Dodi Lukebakio. Arfsten got crossed, Lukebakio dipped inside, and multiple U.S. players just watched Lukebakio pick out the top corner.

Lukebakio dueling Arfsten also represented the gap in quality between the two squads. Belgium called upon substitutes from Benfica and Juventus. The U.S. brought in players from MLS. After those substitutions, the U.S. struggled to connect many progressive passes. Sebastian Berhalter, for example, looked out of his depth.The gap between the starting 11s was slimmer. And intensity can close some quality gaps.

“I feel pretty damn good about that first half,” Davies says. “It’s kind of what you would hope for when you’re talking about a competitive match against Belgium.”

But when focus and energy slipped, quality rose to the surface — just like it did when the U.S. lost to Germany in 2023 and the Netherlands in 2022.

All eyes will be on Tuesday’s response vs. Portugal.

Pochettino’s World Cup mandate for USMNT is clear: Intensity is not optional

Andrew J. Clark / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)

By Paul Tenorio

March 30, 2026Updated 6:42 pm EDT

MARIETTA, Ga. — On Sunday afternoon, a day after his team took a 5-2 loss to Belgium, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino watched Colombia and France battle it out in an exhibition in Landover, Md.The ferocity and pace of France’s 3-1 win made an impression on him. There was nothing in the game that made it feel like it was a no-stakes “friendly.”

“Do you think that the coach of Colombia, losing the game, is going to complain about some players?” Pochettino asked. “They played like this was the final of the World Cup. And France, when they saw the intensity and the aggression of Colombia said: ‘If we don’t play as intense, they will kill us.’ That is intensity.”

After Colombia-France, Pochettino caught highlights of Argentine club Racing’s Copa Argentina clash with third-division side San Martín de Formoso, which featured several hard tackles, a few scraps and a red card. Finally, he caught his former club Newell’s Old Boys’ 2-0 loss to Acassuso in the same tournament.

“In these games, if you don’t have aggression and intensity and everything, you can’t play there,” Pochettino said.

That it was the intensity level that stood out across Pochettino’s soccer viewing was the problem.

An equivalent vigor was lacking from the U.S. against Belgium. It felt inexcusable with the World Cup just two months away. And that wasn’t just perception. U.S. Soccer’s data showed that the Americans were not as aggressive defensively almost across the board compared to previous camps, Pochettino noted.

“One of the things that worried us most when we compared the last two matches — Uruguay and Paraguay — with Belgium (it) was what I mentioned before: the lack of intensity,” he said. “Where? In both boxes, box to box. The numbers — how much we dropped in our ability to be aggressive, in that intensity when recovering the ball, in not allowing the opponent to transition — if you compare it to Paraguay or Uruguay, we’re at about half. We’ve given the opponent far too much space.”

Pochettino praised his team’s ability to be dangerous in the attack. “We have good players,” he said. But it’s the defensive aggression that gives the team the balance and “solidity” it needs to compete, he added.

Asked what might have been lacking against Belgium, U.S. captain Tim Ream said that, “in some moments, it’s a decision.”

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“It’s just an overall effort,” he said. “It’s not that guys don’t want to do it; it’s sometimes, ‘Oh, we’ve just made an effort.’ And now it’s about making another one. It’s about making not just the first, (but) the second, the third, the fourth. And sometimes that doesn’t happen. And that’s just something that is a non-negotiable, really. And it’s something that we were doing really well in the fall, last year. And it’s something we have to get back to.”

I had a similar viewing experience to Pochettino on Sunday, only rather than the games the U.S. coach took in, I caught a preview of CBS’s new documentary series on former U.S. forward Clint Dempsey, You Don’t Know Where I’m From, Dawg.

The five-part series chronicles Dempsey’s rise out of Nacogdoches, Texas, to become a U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer who would score goals at three World Cups, tie for the USMNT’s all-time lead in goals and become Fulham’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer. It honed in, unsurprisingly, on Dempsey’s famous drive and his constant need to prove himself.

“Make them f***king play you,” Dempsey said on Sunday night, summing up the mentality that drove him to the top.

Clint Dempsey scored against the USA’s next opponent, Portugal, back at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.Elsa / Getty Images

Dempsey invented slights and enemies to push himself to the next level. He took every snub and used it as motivation. It’s what made him one of the greatest players in U.S. history. Coming out of the documentary, it felt like it should be required viewing for this U.S. team. Not just because of how much Dempsey’s story and path to success might remind them of the drive needed to achieve greatness, but because the clips of the U.S. team’s successes at previous World Cups were rooted in the very same qualities as Dempsey’s own story.The U.S. has always been a team that has to prove itself. This team too often feels like it lacks that mentality.As another U.S. great, Landon Donovan, told The Athletic on Monday: “It’s not that they don’t care, but maybe they don’t have enough pride,” he said. “Maybe that’s the way I need to say it. … I would have been mortified to be losing in a home game three months before the World Cup with 70,000 people there. I would have been unbelievably embarrassed losing 4-1 and 5-1, forget it. I probably would have got sent off.“I’m just trying to figure out why is nobody yelling at each other? Why is nobody getting a yellow card? Why is nobody stopping (Jérémy) Doku after he’s terrorized us for 70 minutes? Why is this not happening? I can’t figure it out. I don’t know if it’s generational or if it’s this team in particular, but that just doesn’t happen. And it blows my mind.”It’s why Pochettino said he wants his players to watch the types of games he took in on Sunday. To see the level of aggression, desire and drive that is necessary for teams to reach their best levels. Not for nine out of 10 recovery runs, or for 60 minutes out of 90, but for every single run and every single minute.

It was a long day in goal for Matt Turner, who conceded five against Belgium in Saturday’s friendly.David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

The Argentine coach knocked on the table in front of him at Monday’s press conference as he thought about how to describe why it’s such an important part of any team’s identity — and especially so for this team.

It’s clear that the U.S. still hasn’t developed the necessary habits, the ability to push constantly, that will be needed to beat the best teams in the world. And if the U.S. players don’t do it against Belgium and Portugal in this window, what makes them think it’ll come naturally once the World Cup kicks off?

“There’s still time to realize that we need to compete like the (Colombia) game against France,” Pochettino said.

Tuesday against Portugal will show whether they’ve taken on that lesson. Because as special as these players might – and still can – be, the key to success might be to show just how much they’re the same as the U.S. teams that came before them. To prove that while they might be able to play their way into bigger conversations, they can also fight their way to results.

Landon Donovan questions USMNT pride, says Belgium loss could do ‘psychological damage’

Dirk Waem / Belga Mag / AFP / Getty Images

By Adam Crafton March 30, 2026Updated 6:39 pm EDT

ATLANTA — U.S. men’s national team great Landon Donovan has warned that Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to Belgium has the potential to do “psychological damage” to Mauricio Pochettino’s team ahead of the World Cup, and he also questioned whether the current squad is showing enough “pride” in its performances.Donovan, who represented the U.S. at three World Cups and is tied with Clint Dempsey as the team’s all-time leading scorer, spoke to The Athletic on Monday, less than 48 hours after the team began the March international window with the heavy loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The U.S. will play Portugal at the same venue on Tuesday night. The Athletic asked Donovan whether pre-tournament warm-up games could have a serious impact on a team’s momentum and confidence ahead of a World Cup. Donovan, reflecting on his own period as a player, said: “No — but I’ll tell you why. We were very clear in our identity. We were never worried about conceding five goals – that would never, ever have happened. We might have lost games and we did. But that was never in the conversation — ever. For this team, I am concerned. There’s no question that conceding five goals at home three months before the World Cup is going to do psychological damage to the team and the players. “The good news is they have another chance to get rid of that result quickly. The bad news is they’re playing Portugal and so we’re going to learn a lot about this team. ” The U.S. actually took the lead against Belgium in the first half through Weston McKennie but was pegged back before the interval. Then, between the 53rd and 68th minutes, the U.S. performance deteriorated and the team went 4-1 down. What does it feel like for a player when a game spirals out of a team’s grasp?

“I will never forget we played an MLS game with the (LA) Galaxy away in Houston. It was one of those August days, 97 degrees, and after 23 minutes, they were up three goals. I pulled everybody into the field and nobody wanted to hear it.

“They’re all looking away and I said, ‘Look at me, if we lose today, we lose, but we’re not getting embarrassed, have some personal pride, care about what you do.’ We ended up losing 3-0. Tim Howard and I did our podcast (Unfiltered Soccer) this morning and the part we cannot figure out is why it seems like nobody cared. They’re running around and they’re trying. But there were no yellow cards. Nobody got kicked.”

Does he really believe the USMNT players do not care?

“Care’s not the right word,” he clarifies. “It’s not that they don’t care, but maybe they don’t have enough pride. Maybe that’s the way I need to say it. Fair point. But I would have been mortified to be losing a home game three months before the World Cup with 70,000 people there. I would have been unbelievably embarrassed losing 4-1 and 5-1, forget it. I probably would have got sent off. I’m just trying to figure out why is nobody yelling at each other? Why is nobody getting a yellow card? Why is nobody stopping (Jérémy) Doku after he’s terrorized us for 70 minutes? Why is this not happening? I can’t figure it out. I don’t know if it’s generational or if it’s this team in particular, but that just doesn’t happen. And it blows my mind.”

One of the more unexpected and bizarre storylines on Saturday emerged due to a uniform clash between the USMNT home kit and the new Belgian away kit, and neither side had a spare stock of their alternative kit at the venue. The jerseys were approved in advance by the match commissioner and the referee also did not appear to take umbrage. Afterwards, players including USMNT forward Christian Pulisic and Belgian pair Senne Lammens and Amadou Onana complained about the challenge it presented to those on the field.
Has Donovan ever experienced such a clash? “No,” he says, laughing. “In fact, one of the first things you’re taught when you’re a pro, and it only happened to me once, I didn’t have my studded cleats and it started to rain. The coach said if you ever show up without both pairs of cleats, then I would not play ever again. ‘I was like, OK!’“It is beyond my imagination how that is allowed to happen, the amount of people that had to get through and the amount of processes that had to happen. It just blows my mind. But in the end, the referee makes the final decision on all these things. At some point the referee had to say, or maybe they didn’t, that this is not OK. It was bizarre and probably fitting for the night.”

The U.S. was missing key players in central defense, with Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards a particular blow – though he said Monday he “is available” to face Portugal. Saturday’s goalkeeper, Matt Turner, is not expected to be the starter at the World Cup, where Matt Freese is thought to be in pole position. Yet it is clear that the U.S. has a weakness at the heart of the back line, and Donovan says it is only through making the team collectively harder to beat that this can be managed.

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“I’ve said all along that when we play real teams, this is an issue,” Donovan says. “It just is what it is.”

“We still don’t have a lot of answers on the back line. All of that can be solved with a spirit and a fight that helps you compete, making the sum of the parts way better than the individual. If you’re playing a team like Belgium, with real world class players on the field, you can get embarrassed. So at a minimum, forget about the formation or tactics or who is playing, if you can’t compete man to man against somebody, you have no chance. They’re just better players. So we have to get that part right first.”

Player ratings: Weah poor as USMNT suffers heavy Belgium defeat

• Cesar HernandezMar 28, 2026, 06:47 PM ET

The U.S. men’s national team stumbled to a 5-2 home loss against Belgium in a friendly at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.

Amid a competitive first half, the U.S. took the lead in the 39th minute thanks to Weston McKennie tapping in the ball from short range after a corner from Antonee Robinson. Belgium equalized with Zeno Debast‘s powerful shot from distance in the 45th minute that sneaked past American goalkeeper Matt Turner.

After the break, the visitors took full and dominant control. Rapid-fire goals from Amadou Onana (53rd minute), Charles De Ketelaere (penalty in 59th minute) and Dodi Lukebakio (goals in 68th minute, 82nd minutes) silenced the crowd as Belgium flexed their muscle against a lackluster U.S. side. After a total of eight substitutions, a consolation goal was then earned by the Americans after Ricardo Pepi halted a pass that led to a shot that found the back of the net from Patrick Agyemang in the 87th minute.

From here, U.S coach Mauricio Pochettino and his roster will now prepare for their second and final friendly of the March window against Portugal next Tuesday.

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– Carlisle: USMNT handed reality check by Belgium ahead of World Cup
– O’Hanlon: Does the USMNT have the depth required to compete?
– What is it like to play for Pochettino? USMNT players sound off

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Manager rating out of 10

Mauricio Pochettino, 3: To be fair to Pochettino, it’s difficult to put all the blame on the coach whose only real experiment was placing Turner in net. The U.S. were able to go toe-to-toe with Belgium in the first half, but also became outmatched in one-on-one situations that gradually worked in the favor of the visitors. All that said, the collective faltered and desperately needed additional motivation from the coach, who will have noticed his roster losing its composure with each passing minute.

Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best, 5 = average)

GK Matt Turner, 3 — How do you rate a player that had a handful of big saves, but also allowed five goals? Regardless of his shot-stopping, it wasn’t enough to stifle the volley of elite-level shots launched his way.

DF Tim Weah, 2 — Initially containing Jérémy Doku in the first 20-25 minutes, Weah was then constantly chasing when it came to keeping pace with the creative winger. Early on in the second half, and with Doku gaining a dangerous amount of momentum, he was withdrawn in the 64th minute.DF Mark McKenzie, 3 — Won a few duels and provided a handful of defensive contributions, but also failed to shut down Belgium’s attack that easily worked around his presence in the backline.

DF Tim Ream, 2 — Credit to the captain for his long-range distribution, but his decision-making was suspect in a couple of Belgium’s goals. A handball from the defender also provided Belgium with their third goal.

DF Antonee Robinson, 7 — The best USMNT player of the afternoon. Although he was fairly average defensively, he more than made up for it going forward with his active role on the left flank. The chance-creator earned a well-deserved assist off the first-half corner.

MF Tanner Tessmann, 4 — Created some crucial opportunities and provided a couple of vital tackles, he was also occasionally quiet in the heart of the XI. The USMNT needed a bigger presence in his position.

MF Johnny Cardoso, 4 — With something to prove after some underwhelming performances at the international level, Cardoso had brief moments of effectiveness thanks to his movement and highly accurate passing. Pochettino said after the match that pulling Cardoso at halftime was planned because of some discomfort the player felt earlier in the week.

AM Weston McKennie, 6 — Scored the first goal, took part in dangerous runs and build-ups, and connected well with the front line. One of the few bright spots.

AM Malik Tillman, 3 — Although he was the youngest member of the XI, more was expected. In a significant position behind the striker, the attacking midfielder was surprisingly invisible for long stretches of the game. He also could have done better to help prevent Belgium’s second goal.

AM Christian Pulisic, 3 — Credit to Pulisic for tracking back and helping defensively, there wasn’t much to say about his attacking influence aside from a brief positive start to the second half.

FW Folarin Balogun, 3 — A muffled game for a striker who had a shot on target in the first half and then didn’t do much afterward in the final third.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

MF Cristian Roldan, 4 (on for Cardoso, halftime) — The Seattle Sounders FC midfielder didn’t make much of a difference, although he should be given credit for a handful of defensive contributions.

MF Sebastian Berhalter, 3 (on for Tessmann, 64′) — Didn’t have a true impact and should have done better to prevent Belgium’s fifth goal.

DF Alex Freeman, 4 (on for Weah, 64′) — Didn’t have any successful dribbles going forward and lost possession a handful of times. A couple of ball recoveries and tackles were his low-key highlights.

DF Max Arfsten, 2 (on for Robinson, 64′) — A defensive weak point on the fourth and fifth goals for Belgium.

AM Gio Reyna, N/R (on for McKennie, 70′) — Aside from his passes in the opposition half, he didn’t truly alter the state of the game.

FW Ricardo Pepi, N/R (on for Balogun, 71′) — Provided the assist for Agyemang’s goal.

FW Patrick Agyemang, N/R (on for Tillman, 71′) — Earned the consolation prize and looked hungry for a second goal late into the game.

DF Joe Scally, N/R — (on for Pulisic, 71′) Limited time and influence for the defender, who lost both of his ground duels and got booked for a shirt pull.

Chris Richards ‘available’ for USMNT vs. Portugal, but Johnny Cardoso leaving camp

Shaun Clark / ISI Photos / Getty Images

By Paul Tenorio March 30, 2026Updated 4:03 pm EDT The Athletic has live coverage of the latest 2026 World Cup news.

MARIETTA, Ga. — U.S. men’s national team center back Chris Richards says he is available to play Tuesday against Portugal after missing Saturday’s loss 5-2 to Belgium. Richards was held out of the first game of this window due to discomfort in his knee that he started to experience after arriving in camp on Monday. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said Friday that he hoped it was “nothing important,” but expressed doubt that the Crystal Palace veteran would take part in either friendly. Richards, though, said he is good to go. “I’m fine,” Richards said. “I had a bad tackle in my last game with Palace, so just a little bit of knee pain, knee soreness, but I’ve been training individually all week and I’m available tomorrow.”Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, however, is being sent back to Atlético Madrid due to discomfort in his leg, Pochettino said. Cardoso arrived with some issues from Madrid, the coach said, so the plan was for him to play 45 minutes on Saturday.“ After 45 minutes, he feel again this type of uncomfortable things in some part of his leg,” Pochettino said. The team decided to shut him down, Pochettino said. Cardoso trained in the gym Monday, and will return to his club without playing on Tuesday. As for Richards, he trained Monday with a wrap just below his right knee and a bandage on the back of it. His presence in the starting lineup is critical at a very thin center back position. Ream started alongside Mark McKenzie against Belgium, but Richards’ experience is considered vital for the U.S. group. The 26-year-old, who was the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, has mostly been a starter for the U.S. since the last World Cup cycle, though he missed the Qatar World Cup due to a hamstring injury. He started every game of the Gold Cup for Pochettino, as well as friendlies in September and October, but missed the November window due to a calf injury. The U.S. went back to a more traditional 4-3-2-1 on Monday, rotating midfielder Tanner Tessmann into the back line in the build-up. In the fall, the Americans used a winger-wingback hybrid role and inserted an extra defender who served as more of a center back in the build-up, but moved into the traditional right back role defensively. It effectively looks like a 3-2-2-3 shape in possession. Richards’ absence may have limited some of the options Pochettino wanted to consider for the Belgium game. Richards has started 36 games across all competitions for Palace this season, including all 26 Premier League games in which he has appeared, plus seven UEFA Conference League games.