Indy Home Sat Night @ the Mike 7 pm Kickoff on CBS Golazo Network
The Boys in Blue lost the home opener last Saturday night and look to rebound vs the North Carolina Courage at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium in its “Kick for a Cause” match with partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana live on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Indy Eleven scored first and last, but came up short in a 3-2 setback to defending USLC champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in front of 10,202 fans on a rainy night at Carroll Stadium. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. A reminder to our Carmel FC GKs Coach James Pilkington who is also the GK coach for Indy 11 – invites everyone to come early say 6:15 pm or so to watch the Indy 11 GKs warm-up.
Depleted US Women face Brazil tonight 8 pm and Tues night on TNT, Telemundo, Max -US Also Gets 2031 World Cup
The US Ladies will face Brazil tonight in LA with a depleted roster as both central defenders and 2/3 of the Trio will be missing with just Trinity Rodman returning up front. Should be interesting to see who coach rolls out and which youngsters get playing time in the this match-up against the Olympic 2nd place finishers. Huge to see the US will be getting the 2031 World Cup! More details on that below.
U.S. women’s national team roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals) – April matches vs. Brazil
7:30 am USA Everton vs Arsenal 9 am ESPN+ Freiburg vs Dortmund (Reyna) 10 am USA Ipswitch Town vs Wolverhampton 10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Brighton 10:!5 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Valencia 12 noon CBS Parma vs Inter 12:30 USA Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Florentina 4:30 pm Apple TV Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy 7 pm CBS Golazo Indy 11 vs NC 7:45 pm Apple TV Austin vs Portland Timbers 10:30 pm Apple TV San Diego vs Seattle Sounders
Sun, 4/6
9 am Peacock Fulham (robinson) vs Liverpool 9 am USA Chelsea vs Brentford 10 am ESPN+ Sevilla vs Athletico Madrid 11:30 am NBC Man United vs Man City
7 pm Apple TV Inter Miami vs Toronto FC Sunday Night Futbol
Races for more playing time next season as well as chances at promotion or avoiding relegation
Saturday
Coventry City v Burnley – 7:30a on Paramount+
Haji Wright started his third straight match last weekend as Coventry City fell to Sheffield United 3-1 but remained in fifth place, just two points ahead of West Brom, Middlesbrough, and Bristol City. They have another tough matchup this weekend as they face third place Burnley who are tied for second and automatic promotion with Leeds United.
Luton Town v Leeds United – 7:30a on Paramount+
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds drew again last weekend, this time with 16th place Swansea, and have won just once in the past five matches. With the run of results they have fallen out of the top spot and into a tie with Burnley for second place and that all important automatic promotion spot. Leeds travel to Luton Town this weekend where they face the 23rd place team that is currently in the relegation zone and three points back of safety but have managed points in each of their past three matches, including wins over fellow relegation candidates Hull City and Cardiff City.
Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna did not see the field last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s return from the international break, the third straight league match in which he has failed to appear. Dortmund picked up the win but remain in tenth place in the Bundesliga. The team does have the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final matchup with Barcelona on Wednesday so perhaps there will be a bit of rotation this weekend to keep legs fresh.
Mainz v Holstein Kiel – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Tolkin made a brief appearance in his return from injury just ahead of the international break but did not make the field for Holstein Kiel last weekend in their 3-0 loss to Werder Bremen. Holstein Kiel are dead last in the Bundesliga table and need to make up five points on Heidenheim over the last seven matches just to make the relegation playoff and avoid direct relegation to the 2 Bundesliga.
Crystal Palace v Brighton and Hove Albion – 10a on Peacock
Chris Richards went the full 90’ last weekend in Crystal Palace’s 3-0 win over Antonee Robinson and Fulham but Matt Turner was on the bench for the FA Cup matchup and looks like he is fully out of the Palace picture and in need of a summer transfer window move. However, Richards was not included in the midweek matchday squad as Palace drew with Southampton 1-1. Palace are in 12th place in the Premier League table and will face eighth place Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
West Ham United v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth fell 2-1 to Manchester City in FA Cup action last weekend and lost at home to relegation candidates Ipswich Town midweek 2-1. Bournemouth are winless in their past five matches and have fallen to tenth place, eight points back of the top four.
Brest v Monaco – 1p on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun is back for Monaco, getting 14’ minutes off the bench last weekend in the teams 2-1 win over Nice. Balo had been out since early December so it is certainly good to see him make it back on the field, even in a limited capacity. With the win Monaco moved into second place in the Ligue 1 table, well back of league leading PSG but an important position for Champions League qualification.
Groningen v PSV – 2p on ESPN+
Sergino Dest has started two straight matches for PSV Eindhoven and Malik Tillman made his return from injury as well last weekend though it was in a 2-0 loss to Ajax as the PSV rivals took a nine point lead in the title race, likely sealing their trophy this season. Richard Ledezma also appeared for PSV last weekend, seeing 13’ minutes off the bench.
AC Milan v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+
AC Milan fell to Napoli last weekend, likely sealing their Serie A fate as they are now nine points back of Champions League qualification with eight matches to play. Christian Pulisic started but was denied a goal as Santi Jimenez missed a penalty. Yunus Musah was serving a yellow card suspension and was not available.
Barcelona v Real Betis – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso scored his second goal in four matches as Real Betis defeated Sevilla 2-1 to remain within six points of a top four finish in La Liga. Betis have won six straight and will now face Barcelona who have a three point lead in the title race thanks to Betis’ recent win over Real Madrid.
Olympique Lyon v Lille – 3:05p on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann and Lyon suffered a 4-2 loss to Strassbourg to fall to seventh place in the Ligue 1 table and will now face fifth place Lille. Lyon are just five points back of a top three finish and will need some results against other top teams down the stretch to make the leap.
Sunday
Lecce v Venezia – 6:30a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio started last weekend but Venezia fell to Bologna 1-0 and remain five points back of safety in Serie A. Venezia’s defense has been solid lately, allowing just five goals in the last seven matches but they have also found it hard to score as they have found the back of the net just once over that same period.
Fulham v Liverpool – 9a on Peacock
Antonee Robinson returned from international break healthy enough to play the 71’ minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 FA Cup loss to Crystal Palace and turn around for a full 90’ midweek in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal. Fulham are in ninth place now, heading into their matchup this weekend with league leading Liverpool who have a twelve point lead for the league title.
St Pauli v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally started for Borussia Monchengladbach as the team defeated RB Leipzig 1-0 to move ahead of them and into fifth place in the Bundesliga table. Gladbach are now within two points of fourth place Mainz for a Champions League spot and will take on a St Pauli side that are just outside of the relegation positions.
Union Berlin v Wolfsburg – 11:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes was on the bench for the first time this season but did not appear for Wolfsburg in their 1-0 loss to Heidenheim. Wolfsburg are in ninth place though just four points back of qualification for next seasons Europa Conference League.
Roma v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+
Weston McKennie went the full 90’ and Tim Weah came off the bench for the final eight minutes last weekend as Juventus defeated Genoa 1-0 to remain in fifth place, one point back of fourth place Bologna and three points ahead of this weekends opponent Roma. Roma defeated Lecce 1-0 last weekend, they have won seven straight league matches and haven’t suffered a defeat in league play since December 15th. The two teams played to a scoreless draw in their last meeting, back in early September.
Olympique Marseille v Toulouse – 2:45p on beIN Sports
Toulouse fell to Stade Brest 2-4 with Mark McKenzie starting and playing the full 90’. Toulouse have lost two straight and fallen to eleventh in the table. The team will now travel to face third place Olympique Marseille who are coming off back to back losses by a 3-1 score line.
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USWNT coach Hayes backs depleted defense for gold-medal rematch
Jeff Kassouf ESPN Apr 4, 2025, 04:22 PM ET
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — United States women’s national team coach Emma Hayes said she feels confident in her team’s defensive personnel ahead of an Olympic gold medal-game rematch against Brazil, despite the “extremely unfortunate” injury to center-back Tierna Davidson. Davidson tore her ACL last week and will miss the remainder of 2025. The USWNT was already without fellow starting center-back Naomi Girma, who is dealing with a calf injury, heading into Saturday’s game at SoFi Stadium.”Without Naomi Girma, without Tierna Davidson, this is the right time to develop individuals first,” Hayes said at a news conference Friday. “I’ve been really clear that this camp, the next two camps, there is going to be experimentation, and that means that the connections on the field might not be as strong, but we get a chance to see where the individual development is in that.”Defenders Crystal Dunn and Emily Sonnett are the most senior defenders on the current roster. They are joined by some young and less experienced players like center-back Tara McKeown, who earned her first caps in February, and fullback Avery Patterson, who is in her first camp with the USWNT.Hayes said on Friday that she would “drip-feed” young players into games alongside veterans to make sure that less experienced players are set up for success.
“What I have noticed in this camp is the gap closing across the board within the team, and that’s our first starting point,” Hayes said.The USWNT will also play Brazil on Tuesday in San Jose, California. The Americans won the 2024 Olympic final 1-0 in August to capture a fifth Olympic gold medal for the program.The USWNT is without nearly half their starters from that game. Forward Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) is on maternity leave, forward Mallory Swanson is on personal leave, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher recently retired from international duty. In addition to injuries to Girma and Davidson, Rose Lavelle — a longtime mainstay in midfield — is also sidelined.Forward Trinity Rodman has returned to the squad, however, for the first time since the Olympics after dealing with chronic back problems. The 22-year-old said recently that she might not ever be 100% healthy.”I think the back’s very difficult because you can’t avoid using it at every moment in a game, every moment of your day-to-day life,” Rodman said on Friday. “For me, it is about management and training my back to be in certain positions so I’m not overworking other muscles to overcompensate for it.”It’s been an interesting and hard journey, but it’s been good getting back.”Hayes said she will manage Rodman to make sure she doesn’t push her too hard too soon. Rodman made her first start of the NWSL season for the Washington Spirit last weekend.Forward Catarina Macario is expected to play a significant role for the USWNT over the next two games against Brazil, which is her birth country. Macario was born in Brazil and moved to the U.S. with her family in 2012. She acquired U.S. citizenship in 2020 and received her first call-up to the USWNT on the same day.”I haven’t thought about it too much,” she said Friday about playing Brazil. “But will obviously be very special — kind of like a full-circle moment.”Hayes expects Brazil to bring high pressure defensively, which will force her team to make quick decisions. On Friday, she cited the famous Mike Tyson quote about how everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”Let’s see what we’re like when we’ve been punched in the game,” Hayes said. “That’s something that I think we’re set up to do in the work that we’re doing both on the pitch and in the classroom.”
FIFA confirms U.S, UK as sole bidders for 2031, 2035 Women’s World Cups
By Matt Slater, Ali Rampling and more The Athletic April 3, 2025Updated April 4, 2025 3:00 pm EDT
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the United States and the United Kingdom are the sole respective bidders for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups.Infantino made the announcement on Thursday at the 49th UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Serbia. Should a compliant bid be submitted by the end of 2025, this will pave the way for the UK to host the Women’s World Cup for the first time. The U.S. last hosted in 2003, having previously done so four years earlier. The Football Associations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland announced in March they would be submitting a collective expression of interest to host the 2035 tournament, seemingly leaving the U.S. as the sole bidder for 2031 with the potential for another Concacaf nation to join. U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Soccer Federation announced last April their intention to lodge a joint bid for the 2031 tournament. The two federations withdrew their bid for the 2027 World Cup — which will be staged in Brazil — to instead focus on 2031. Infantino did not mention Mexico but said “potentially some other Concacaf members” could be involved. At March’s FIFA council meeting, football’s international governing body had invited federations affiliated to UEFA or the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to bid for the 2035 tournament. Reports in Spain had suggested Spain, Morocco and Portugal were planning to launch a rival bid for 2035 but the UK was described as the only “valid” bid by Infantino. Spain, Morocco and Portugal will jointly host the men’s competition in 2030.
The Athletic reported in March that the U.S.-Mexico bid was exploring staging matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica. Sources familiar with discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated early-stage conversations about hosting a limited amount of fixtures in the two Concacaf countries had taken place.
“We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” English FA CEO Mark Bullingham said. “Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year
Infantio added: “Today, I can also confirm that as part of the bidding process, we received one bid for ’31 and one bid — valid bid, I should add — for ’35. The ’31 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other Concacaf members together. And the ’35 bid is from Europe, from the home nations. Advertisement“So, the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in ‘31 and ‘35 in some great countries, in some great nations, to boost even more the women’s football movement.” Member associations will be required to formally submit their bids to FIFA in the final quarter of this year.
2035 World Cup can build on Euros success in England
By soccer writer Jacob Whitehead
When England won their last home tournament — the 2022 European Championship — it was heralded as an opportunity to secure a lasting legacy for women’s football across the entire UK.
“We see this as only the beginning,” the squad wrote in an open letter to the then-prime minister Rishi Sunak, bolding up that phrase.
Though the Lionesses continued to be successful, reaching the final of the next year’s World Cup, questions have been subsequently raised over whether that had been reflected at lower levels.
Figures indicate a moderate uptick — there has been a 14 per cent increase in schools offering girls equal access to football, according to an FA report last September — but it would be optimistic to describe this as an explosion across the grassroots game. There are still concerns over diversity across women’s football’s community and infrastructure.
But the 2035 World Cup gives these efforts fresh impetus. Rather than relying on the diminishing ripples of past success at their backs, this is a magnet which should pull investment forward — a lodestar to build towards.Between Brazil, the United States, and the United Kingdom, FIFA are pursuing tournaments in high-interest areas for women’s football from established markets — a notable departure from their approach to the men’s World Cups over upcoming cycles.
(Daniela Porcelli/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Emma Hayes: USWNT in ‘dreamland’ as United States set to co-host 2031 Women’s World Cup
Emma Hayes says the U.S. women’s national team is in “dreamland” following the news that the United States is set to co-host the 2031 Women’s World Cup.
FIFA confirmed on Friday that a joint bid from U.S. Soccer and other Concacaf member associations was the sole expression of interest for the 2031 tournament. Should a compliant bid be submitted by the end of 2025, this will pave the way for the U.S. to stage the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2003.
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Hayes would not be drawn as to whether she would still be in international management ahead of the tournaments in 2031 and 2035, which the United Kingdom is the sole bidder for, but she said she intended to attend the tournaments in a supporter capacity at the very least.
“Dreamland I think for us to know that there’ll be a World Cup coming to these shores,” Hayes said, speaking during Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Brazil.
“The infrastructure’s going to be in place from the men’s World Cup (in 2026), so how amazing that is. I don’t know what that will look like beyond what we’ll do in this country, but I think real credit goes to (U.S. Soccer CEO) JT (Batson) and (U.S. Soccer president) Cindy (Parlow Cone) for the work they’ve done on that bid.
“It’s so aligned with our strategy and how we wanted to really push as best we could. We know we can’t control that decision but we wanted to make sure the federation knew it was really important for us to host, so real credit to them.”
U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Soccer Federation announced last April that they were set to launch a joint bid for the 2031 tournament. The two federations withdrew their bid for the 2027 World Cup — which will be staged in Brazil — to pivot to 2031. The Athletic reported in March that the prospect of staging matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica was also being explored.
“U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed its interest to submit a joint bid with other Member Associations from Concacaf (to be confirmed in due course),” a FIFA statement on the 2031 expression of interest read.
World football’s governing body say the hosts for 2031 and 2035 are expected to be announced at the FIFA congress in the second quarter of 2026.
It was also confirmed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday that a joint United Kingdom bid from the football associations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales was the sole expression of interest for the 2035 Women’s World Cup.
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On the prospect of the Women’s World Cup taking place in her home country, Hayes added: “And obviously for England, home of football, it’s amazing for England, especially knowing how successful the Euros (in 2022) has been for them. So I think it’s fair to say in whatever capacity, fan or coaching, I will for sure be at those World Cups.”
(Maria Lysaker/Getty Images)
After rapid rise through USWNT ranks, 17-year-old Lily Yohannes is focused on steady growth
If Lily Yohannes succumbed to the nine-hour jetlag between her home in the Netherlands and Southern California when she sat down late Tuesday afternoon for an interview onThe Athletic’s Full Time podcast, it was scarcely apparent.
The 17-year-old U.S. women’s national team midfielder selected her words just as carefully from her Los Angeles hotel as she did at the Ajax training facility the first time she spoke with The Athletic in Amsterdam just over a year ago.
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Many things have changed since then, including Yohannes’ decision to represent the United States at the international level, and not the Netherlands. But her composed consideration is by design, a mechanism to keep her feet planted firmly in the here and now.
“I think just trying to stay as present as I can,” she says, when asked how she manages the pace of her career. “I’ve been grateful to have experienced so many great moments in such a short career so far. I think just having a great support system around me with my family, coaches, teammates, and them all just helping me to stay grounded, stay on track.”
In Los Angeles, head coach Emma Hayes has made clear that the U.S. women’s national team is in very early World Cup-building mode, a year out from even their first qualifiers of the 2027 tournament’s cycle. She is relinquishing a focus on chemistry to properly assess the players at her disposal. However, demands for excellence have always been part and parcel of this team, and Yohannes has already felt the impact of the English manager’s approach.
“I’ve already grown and learned so much from her in a year or so,” she says. “You can really feel how much she is invested in every player, every player’s development in this environment, and I think she just pushes the standard and has expectations of what she wants from us and how she wants us to play, and I think just trying to be intentional (with) every detail.”
Even as women’s soccer continues to mature, there remains a fixation on its youth, particularly in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), which boasts a hyper-competitive table of teams eager to bolster their rosters with fresh talent but lacks the culture and structure of Europe’s youth academy development system. That, combined with the lucrative opportunities of the American sports and entertainment market, intensifies the impulse to catapult teenage soccer phenoms to stardom.
“I’ve gotten some advice of, ‘Don’t get too high on the highs and too low on the lows’ and just trying to stay steady through it all,” she says. “For me, I have so many more goals that I want to achieve and obviously I celebrate the great achievements, but also just know that there’s more that (I) want and more goals that (I) want to accomplish.”
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Yohannes has already crossed some considerable goals off her list.
She signed her first professional contract with Ajax when she was 15. A Champions League run with the Dutch club followed shortly thereafter, and Yohannes became the youngest player to start a group-stage match in that European continental tournament. That year, Ajax reached the quarterfinals but was knocked out by Hayes-coached Chelsea.
Lily Yohannes celebrates scoring in her debut for the U.S. against South Korea last June. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Yohannes received her first invitation to the USWNT camp later that month as the team prepared for the SheBelieves Cup, an opportunity that did not tie her to the United States but provided an up-close glimpse of the national team environment while she continued to consider her commitment. Yohannes earned her first U.S. cap on June 4 in a pre-Olympics friendly against South Korea, a debut in which she scored 10 minutes after stepping onto the pitch as a 72nd-minute substitute for midfielder Korbin Albert.
Yohannes announced her commitment to play for the U.S. five months later, on Nov. 11, and featured for the national team later that month and in early December in fixtures against England and the Netherlands.
Now, with the USWNT’s Olympic gold medal run last summer in the rearview mirror and far-sighted visions set on the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, Yohannes said she can get back to another, quieter yet no less crucial goal: growth.
“In the short term, (it’s) staying present and continuing to work and grow with club and at the international level,” she says. “With the national team, just trying to take every experience that I can and learning and growing in this environment. It’s always an honor to come into camp and I just want to perform and help this team as best I can, and do the same at club (level).”
At the moment, Ajax is in a tight title race in the Dutch Eredivisie with Twente, currently at the top of the table, and PSV, who are ahead of Ajax and level with Twente on points. Just a point separates Ajax, who won the league’s cup title last year, from the other two contenders.
“I’ve been in the Netherlands since I was 10, and that’s sort of just normal for me. I think playing in the academy system with the boys and then at Ajax has helped me to develop, and I would say everybody’s path is different,” she says. “It’s just per your own personal choices, and I think it’s great to have so many great leagues all over the globe.”
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She added that beginning her career in Europe meant focusing on the technical and tactical aspects of the game and that playing against other European teams and being exposed to a variety of playing styles has only benefited her.
“Ajax is a very possession-oriented team playing attacking football and having a sort of DNA has helped me to develop and grow qualities in my game,” she says. “I think within Europe as a whole it’s super-diverse, which is amazing, having Champions League and all those diverse teams and clubs come together and compete against each other.”
Yohannes isn’t the only player in the U.S. camp who had options as to which country she could represent, nor is she the only one who pursued opportunities in Europe at a young age.
Lily Yohannes and Catarina Macario have bonded in their short time together on the national team. (Ary Frank / Getty Images for USSF)
Although Catarina Macario’s path was markedly different from Yohannes’ — the Brazilian-American forward completed three seasons at college level with Stanford before setting off for Europe, first with Olympique Lyonnais in France and now Chelsea — the two have formed a bond after just two camps together.
“Cat’s super-cool. I think we have a great bond on and off the pitch,” Yohannes says of the 25-year-old. “I think she sort of took me under her wing when I first came into camp. Last camp was our first time playing together, so I know that’s something we were both looking forward to. Cat’s just such an amazing player with so much quality, so I’ve really enjoyed playing with her and off the field (we’re) having a good time.”
If given the chance again to partner in the U.S. attack in back-to-back friendlies against Brazil — first at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday and again at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. three days later — Yohannes and Macario’s combined creativity on the ball could prove enough to withstand the South American team’s attempt at revenge for a 1-0 defeat last August in the Olympics’ gold medal match.
Indy Home Opener Sat Night @ the Mike 7 pm Kickoff
Indy Eleven went on the road to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and picked up a 1-1 draw. Indy Eleven midfielder Bruno Rendon has been named to the USL Championship “Team of the Week” for Week 3 of the regular season after he scored his first USLC goal in a 1-1 draw at Lexington SC on Saturday. The Eleven finished its season-opening two-match road trip with a 1-0-1 mark, good for a three-way tie for fourth with four points in the Eastern Conference, despite having a bye the first week of the campaign. The Boys in Blue host 2024 USL Champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the home opener Saturday at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. A reminder to our Carmel FC GKs Coach James Pilkington who is also the GK coach for Indy 11 – invites everyone to come early say 6:15 pm or so to watch the Indy 11 GKs warm-up.
US Women face Brazil Next Friday night on TNT – Rodman Back on Roster
I have not had the chance to work with the Triple Espresso, Rose [Lavelle], Naomi [Girma] together since the Olympics, so it’s a long time, but to get one of them [Rodman] back is really exciting,” Hayes said.”Of course, [I] have to urge a little bit of caution [with Rodman], because she’s had an ongoing back complaint. I think she’s on the right road to that, but it can be quite easy to sort of trigger it. You can go from a position of a managed return to play, to too much. So, I have to try and find the sweet spot in camp to reintegrate her back in the team, but also to manage her, because she has a long season ahead.”Hayes continues to experiment with “less experienced players continuing to try to prove themselves,” as she said in a statement, in the early buildup to the 2027 World Cup. Eleven players on the roster have 10 caps or fewer, with an average age of 25.3 years old.”All of the players know they have to earn every roster spot, every starting spot and every minute they get as a finisher off the bench,” Hayes said. “Working with players who are striving for consistency in elite performance, so they can keep getting call-ups and keep exceling at this level, is an exciting process and one that continues with these two games.”The young faces include 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, who will return after impressing at the SheBelieves Cup despite the Americans’ loss to Japan to concede the tournament title.Midfielder Claire Hutton, 19, is the other teenager on the roster. Houston Dash full-back Avery Patterson has also received her first senior call-up.
Hayes has also recalled several players who have been absent from the USWNT since she took over as coach last year. Center-back Alana Cook and forward Ashley Hatch return to the USWNT in a training camp with games for the first time under Hayes (Hatch trained with the team in January). Each player’s last appearance for the team was in late 2023. Forward Mia Fishel will also join the USWNT as a training player in camp, along with goalkeeper Angelina Anderson. Fishel tore an ACL in USWNT camp in February 2024 and just returned to the field for Chelsea FC’s senior team on Sunday. Anderson will train alongside the three rostered goalkeepers: Jane Campbell, Mandy McGlynn and Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Hayes has said that she will use 2025 to evaluate who could be the next starting goalkeeper following the retirement of longtime starter Alyssa Naeher.”If you think about this, prior to when even Alyssa [Naeher] made the No. 1 her own, it takes a period of time to be able to solidify that,” Hayes said. “And I think it’s fair to say we’ve got a lot of really good quality goalkeepers. Who will emerge from that as the No. 1? I don’t know, but they have to take their chances when they get them.”This is a performance-related business, and each and every opportunity they get, they have to make the most of it, because, of course, that will impact my decision making as we progress. This camp, there will be changes in goal again.”
U.S. women’s national team roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals) – April matches vs. Brazil
6:00 PM – Stadium gates, Box Office opens & Fun Zone open
7:00 PM – Kickoff vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Fun Zone
Fans are encouraged to visit the Fun Zone before each home match.
Sogility will bring their Technical Soccer Zone for you to test your soccer skills.
Fans can also play cornhole, take a shot at the inflatable goal and play bocce ball.
Playing with soccer balls at the stadium is solely permitted in the Fun Zone
Food Trucks/Vendors
Fans are encouraged to visit the Carroll Stadium concession stands for stadium favorites and the following food trucks & vendors in attendance before and during the match:
Union Jack
Stadium on Wheels
Shaved Ice
Bull Grill
Travelin Tom’s Coffee
Gordon’s Milkshakes
Come Early Sat night to get your Schedule Magnet !
7:30 pm Ion TV KC Current (Chawinga) vs Utah Royals 7:30 pm Apple TV DC United vs Columbus 8:30 pm Apple TV Chicago Fire vs Montreal 10 pm Ion TV Olrando Pride (Marta) vs San Diego NWSL 10:30 pm Apple TV LAFC vs Orlando City 10:30 pm Apple TV Vancouver vs Chicago
Sun, 3/30
8:30 am ESPN+ Preston North End vs Aston Villa FA Cup 10 am ESPN+ Barcelona vs Girona 11:30 pm ESPN+ Bournmouth (Adams) vs Man City FA Cup 2:15 pm Fox, Apple TV San Jose vs Seattle Sounders 2:45 pm Para+ Napoli vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) 4 pm CBSSN Chicago Stars (Naeher) vs Racing Louisville NWSL 7 pm apple TV Portland vs Houston Sunday night Futbol 8 pm CBSSN Angel City FC vs Seattle Reign FC NWSL
Tues, 4/1 2:45 pm Peacock Arsenal vs Fulham 3 pm Peacock Notingham Forest vs Man United 9:15 pm FS2 America vs Cruz Azul Champs Cup 11:15 pm Fox or FS2 LAFC vs Tigres Concacaf Champs Cup
Wed, 4/2
2:35 pm USA Man City vs Leicester City 3 pm Peacock Liverpool vs Everton 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Inter Milan 3:30 pm ESPND + Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Cup 9:30 pm Fox Vancouver vs Pumas Champs Cup 11:30 pm Fox Sport 1 LAFC vs Inter Miami (Messi) Champs Cup Thur, 4/3 3 pm USA Chelsea vs Tottenham Fri, 4/4 TBS, Max USWNT vs Brazil
Juventus vs Genoa, 1p on CBS, Paramount+, FuboTV: Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juve host Genoa in Serie A.
Minnesota United vs Real Salt Lake, 8:30p: Apple TV Diego Luna and RSL visit Minnesota United in MLS.
América vs Tigres, 9:05p TUDN USA, Univision USA, FuboTV, ViX: Alex Zendejas and América host Tigres in Liga MX.
Also in action:
Watford vs Plymouth Argyle, 8:30a on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Caleb Wiley and Watford host Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.
Venezia vs Bologna, 10a on FOX Deportes, Paramount+, FuboTV: Gianluca Busio and Venezia welcome Bologna into town for this Serie A match.
Mönchengladbach vs RB Leipzig, 10:30a on ESPN+: Joe Scally and Gladbach host Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Hoffenheim vs Augsburg, 10:30a on ESPN+: Noahkai Banks and Augsburg visit Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
Holstein Kiel vs Werder Bremen, 10:30a on ESPN+: John Tolkin and Holstein Kiel host Bremen in the Bundesliga.
Burnley vs Bristol City, 11a on Paramount+: Luca Koleosho and Burnley host Bristol City in the Championship.
Cardiff vs Sheffield Wednesday, 11a: Ethan Horvath and Cardiff City welcome Sheffield Wednesday in for this Championship match.
Leeds United vs Swansea, 11a on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds host Swansea in the Championship.
Middlesbrough vs Oxford United, 11a on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Oxford United in the Championship.
Celtic vs Hearts, 11a on Celtic TV: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic host Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Trusty missed international duty, but may be ready for action; we’ll see.
Barça Atlètic vs Cultural Leonesa, 1p on Barça One: Diego Kochen often jumps back and forth between Barcelona’s first team and their reserves. The reserves host Cultural Leonesa in Spain’s third division.
Standard Liège vs Mechelen, 1:15p: Marlon Fossey and Standard host Mechelen as Belgium’s first division splits into group play. Fossey and Standard are in the Europa Conference League group.
Frankfurt vs VfB Stuttgart, 1:30p on ESPN+: Nathaniel Brown and Frankfurt host VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Anrie Chase has been out injured, missing some time for Stuttgart.
Monaco vs Nice, 4:05p on beIN Sports USA, beIN Sports en Español, FuboTV, Sling TV, Fanatiz, TV5 Monde USA: Folarin Balogun may be ready to get back on the field for Monaco as they host Nice in Ligue 1.
Colorado Rapids vs Charlotte FC, 4:30p: Tim Ream, Patrick Agyemang, and Charlotte visit Zack Steffen and the Rapids in MLS.
Chivas vs Cruz Azul, 11:05p on Peacock, UNIVERSO, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV: Cade Cowell and Chivas host Cruz Azul in Liga MX.
Sunday
PSV vs Ajax, 8:30a on ESPN+: Malik Tillman is aiming for a return from injury for PSV, joining Sergiño Dest and Richy Ledezma as they host Ajax in the Eredivisie.
Bournemouth vs Man City, 11:30a on ESPN+: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth look to knock giants Man City out in this FA Cup quarterfinal.
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz, 11:30a on ESPN+: Gio Reyna and Dortmund meet Lennard Maloney and Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Napoli vs AC Milan, 2:45p on FOX Deportes, Paramount+, FuboTV (free trial): Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and Milan have a big Serie A match against Napoli.
Real Betis vs Sevilla, 3p on ESPN Deportes USA, ESPN+, FuboTV: Johnny Cardoso is back in training; we’ll see if he can play for Betis in their La Liga match with Sevilla.
Also in action:
Utrecht vs Heerenveen, 6:15a: Paxten Aaronson and Utrecht host Heerenveen in the Eredivisie.
Heracles vs Twente, 8:30a on ESPN+: Taylor Booth and Twente visit Heracles in the Eredivisie.
Toulouse vs Brest, 9a on beIN Sports USA, beIN Sports en Español, FuboTV, Sling TV, Fanatiz: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse host Brest in Ligue 1.
Cesena vs Juve Stabia, 9a on DCTV: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena host Juve Stabia in Serie B.
Hajduk Split vs Sibenik, 10a: Rokas Pukštas and Split host Sibenik in Croatia’s first division.
Salernitana vs Palermo, 11:15a on DCTV: Kristoffer Lund and Palermo visit Salernitana in Serie B.
Dender vs Westerlo, 1:15p: Bryan Reynolds, Griffin Yow, and Westerlo visit Dender as Belgium’s top division splits into groups. Westerlo are in the Europa Conference League group.
Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo, 7p: Jack McGlynn and the Dynamo visit Portland in MLS play.
Only the San Diego vs LAFC & Portland vs Houston are on Normal Apple TV without the season pass.
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Trinity Rodman returns to the USWNT, Emma Hayes continues to work around notable absences
Trinity Rodman has returned to the U.S. women’s national team roster for the first time since winning gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Head coach Emma Hayes named her 24-player roster, and two training players, on Tuesday for the team’s upcoming friendlies against Brazil. While the deep dive into player evaluation has continued, there is slightly less turnover in this roster compared to others with 19 players returning from the SheBelieves Cup.
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The only field player on this roster without a national team cap is Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson, earning her first senior team call-up. After being listed as a training player for SheBelieves Cup, Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made the full roster for April and may get the chance for her first cap.
There are also multiple notable absences. Center-back Naomi Girma is still out after she left her Chelsea debut match injured earlier this month. Last week, Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor continued to confirm Girma was out but did not share a firm timetable for her return at club level.
Rose Lavelle continues to recover after ankle surgery in the offseason, and Mallory Swanson’s return remains uncertain. She has missed the first two weeks of the NWSL season with no further update provided by the Chicago Stars since March 12. The final third of Triple Espresso, Sophia Wilson, announced her pregnancy earlier this month.
Two players will join the camp as training players, with Mia Fishel joining the environment for the first time since she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ahead of the Concacaf W Gold Cup in February 2024. Hayes also tapped Angel City FC goalkeeper Angelina Anderson as a training player, marking her return following a call-up to the January camp.
“This roster has Olympians returning, less experienced players continuing to try to prove themselves, a few uncapped players and some players who have seen and done it all. The mix of players along with two games against a dynamic Brazil team who we last saw in the gold medal game means this event will be a lot of fun,” Hayes said in U.S. Soccer’s press release. “All of the players know they have to earn every roster spot, every starting spot and every minute they get as a finisher off the bench.”
We know you’ve heard it before, but 2025’s major theme is player evaluation at the start of the cycle. Nothing has changed here, even with two “fun” games against Brazil and the extra spice of the Olympic gold rematch.
Hayes has a couple of uncapped players to look at in Tullis-Joyce, finally promoted to the full roster, and Patterson as potential attacking-minded outside back depth. Patterson was part of January’s Futures Camp which featured under-23 players alongside the senior team.
Hayes has also opted to bring in two veteran players, Alana Cook and Ashley Hatch, for fresh looks in 2025. Their inclusion comes as questions remain around Girma’s return and forward options without the entirety of Triple Espresso available. Hatch was called up to the USWNT January camp, but both she and Cook haven’t made an appearance for the team since 2023.
There are fewer brand new names from Hayes, but she’s still working her way through the pool on her own time — and the year remains about as free from pressure as this team experiences, even as the USWNT looks to bounce back from the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. Hayes still appears to be in individual evaluation mode with a side of tinkering — outside of the midfield which remains unchanged from SheBelieves Cup. Eventually, the switch to building meaningful chemistry will happen across the board ahead of next summer’s World Cup qualifiers, but there’s still no need to worry about it just yet.
—Meg Linehan
Who’s staying and who’s going?
The trade-off for evaluating younger players is that those spots don’t exist in a vacuum, and player selections inevitably come at the cost of more experienced players’ call-ups.
This squad is no exception. Many expected to see Wilson and Swanson miss out again. Girma is also an understandable omission as she settles in with Chelsea and deals with a possible minor injury.
Other veterans missed out for various reasons. Lynn Biyendolo has been listed as “day-to-day” by the Seattle Reign due to a lower leg injury. Abby Dahlkemper has played all 180 minutes of Bay FC’s young season but missed this U.S. squad as younger center-backs like Tara McKeown are vetted. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy seemed like a logical successor once Alyssa Naeher retired, but she’s missed successive camps as other goalkeepers get assessed.
Midfielder Hal Hershfelt seemed to be one of the new regulars for Hayes but hasn’t played for the USWNT since the December win against the Netherlands. The midfielder picked up a knock in Washington’s regular-season opener and was moving around after the Spirit’s loss last weekend in a walking boot. Defender Casey Krueger has been in fine form for Washington but hasn’t featured for Hayes since December. She spoke to the Hey Spirits podcast last month, saying she had a conversation with Hayes that indicated the team is moving forward without her.
Defender Casey Krueger said last month that she thinks the U.S. is moving forward without her. (Elsa / Getty Images for USSF)
“It sounds like things are moving forward, which I understand. And I’m happy that the player pool is so deep. Getting everybody experience, giving people the recognition that they deserve, I think that’s huge,” Krueger said.“But it also stinks. I wanted to continue playing with them for as long as I could and continue to push the pool forward and just give the experience that I have, and help in any way that I can. But it looks like that’s not the case, so I’ll be supporting from afar.” Midfielder Ashley Sanchez was part of Hayes’ January training camp but hasn’t played for the national team since October. The scale of changes plays an obvious role, as Hayes is fully committed to exploring the deep end of her player pool. For more veteran players like Krueger, Murphy, Dahlkemper and even Sanchez, however, each missed squad only leaves more reason to wonder how, if at all, they fit into Hayes’ planning ahead of 2027.
—Jeff Rueter
(Top photo: Daniela Porcelli / Getty Images)
USMNT frustrations boiling over as World Cup clock keeps on ticking
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The frustrations with this U.S. men’s national team have been simmering for some time, built not just through a series of underwhelming performances, but also in a growing perception of complacency and entitlement.On Sunday night, after a 2-1 loss against Canada that didn’t even feel too surprising, the most productive player in the program’s history publicly voiced that disappointment.
“I’m so sick of hearing how ‘talented’ this group of players is and all the amazing clubs they play for,” USMNT legend Landon Donovan posted on X after the Concacaf Nations League Finals third-place playoff. “If you aren’t going to show up and actually give a s!%* about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.”Donovan was hardly alone in expressing that sentiment about a team that some have dubbed the most talented generation of players in American history. Former USMNT players Stu Holden and Clint Dempsey, and even legendary French striker Thierry Henry, noted the growing disconnect and discontent between this group, its fanbase and the program’s alumni.
The disappointment around this team is not just because of the results. Yes, this U.S. team is falling short of expectations. But it’s also how this team is losing these games. The way Panama and Canada played offered a stark contrast. They looked like they had something to prove. The U.S. looked like they believed they didn’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Christian Pulisic didn’t have his finest performances for the U.S. during the Nations League Finals. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The U.S. couldn’t match its opponents’ fight. They were out-willed. What once felt like a hallmark of U.S. teams now feels like a weakness. The Americans were flat against Panama, lacking the creativity and directness to break them down. There was more energy at the start against Canada, but they faded against a team that clearly wanted it more.
The narrative that this might be the U.S.’s golden generation was crafted because a group of players landed at big clubs in Europe earlier than any Americans before them. Putting aside the question of whether that was down to talent or the globalization of the sport (and the impact of Christian Pulisic’s success at Borussia Dortmund), it’s now clear that whatever ability this U.S. group has, it’s not enough to overcome teams that play like they have something more to fight for.
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Panama might not have the talent of this U.S. team, but it looked the stronger team. Canada also has players at top clubs, but it’s a team that plays with a clear chip on its shoulder. It was once a prerequisite that U.S. teams came with that mentality — and to be fair, the current players showed that level of fight at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and in other big games, too. But that spirit has not been evident. Last year’s 3-1 win over Jamaica in the Nations League semifinal after a last-minute equalizer was a warning shot. The Copa América was obviously a reality check. A coaching change was made in search of a spark.
This week’s results at SoFi Stadium show how much work must be done to figure out exactly what has changed since the World Cup exit. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino isn’t blind to the problem. After the loss on Sunday, he pondered how to turn a collection of players that looks great on paper into a team that consistently demonstrates its talent on the field.
“We assume. It may be because we have a certain quality,” Pochettino said. “But when it comes to competing, perhaps we don’t show that quality — or that presumption of quality — that makes us appear better than our opponents in all the analysis before playing.
“But then we have to prove it. So maybe that’s what’s costing us. We assume we’re better, but when it comes to competing, when it comes to showing it, perhaps we fail to find that form.”
How Pochettino accomplishes that is his biggest task. This roster felt like Pochettino beginning to search for answers. For the 23-man squad, he called in nine MLS players from January camp, including three injury replacements. It felt like a bid to manufacture competition within the team by adding hopefuls desperate to break into the World Cup picture.
The USMNT needs to huddle up and iron out some issues before cohosting the 2026 World Cup (Alex Gallardo/Imagn Images)
It may not have changed the results, but it wasn’t a complete failure. On Sunday, Pochettino praised attacking midfielder Diego Luna for his mindset. Luna, 21, was making his competitive debut for the U.S. He hasn’t played in Europe. He played in the USL and then in MLS for Real Salt Lake. He saw this as his chance to break into a group where some might think he didn’t belong.
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“The desire and the hunger that he showed is what we want,” Pochettino said. “And that is not to say anything against the rest of the people; it’s only one example. When I told him today you are going to play, he was ready. And after playing well or not playing well, performing well, scoring, assisting — or not — that is what we want to see. And that is the example that we need to take.”
Pochettino put the onus on himself and his staff to get things right. He has had just three windows with his full team: October and November 2024 and this March camp. This summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup will be a vital opportunity to spend a month with the group and to find a way to unlock the requisite mentality needed to compete.
The Argentine manager is celebrated for creating and inspiring strong groups at Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. Even at Chelsea, Pochettino got more out of the team he inherited. Can he unlock a similar motivation in a U.S. group that has regressed since Qatar? Could the growing discontentment around them create a feeling of us versus the world?
A pair of defeats on home soil was a disappointing twist for Mauricio Pochettino. (Alexis Quiroz/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Something must change to get this team to live up to its hype — and to do so at an all-important home World Cup that has the opportunity to inspire the next generation of American soccer fans and players.
Pochettino reminded everyone that the 2026 World Cup is still the ultimate goal. He asked fans not to lose that perspective.
“I don’t want the people to feel pessimistic,” he said. “Disappointed? Disappointed, we are all. And the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win. But I don’t want to allow (them) to feel pessimistic, because we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform. We are going to compete in a different way. We are going to get different results than Thursday and today.”
The U.S. is running out of time to figure it out. The Gold Cup, which starts in June, is probably their last best chance to generate excitement before the World Cup — and build momentum within the team itself.
Three tactical issues behind the USMNT defeats to Panama and Canada
“We want to destroy Panama, (and) we want to destroy the next one,” said head coach Mauricio Pochettino prior to the USMNT’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal on March 21.
His eyes were on the final. Instead, the U.S. hit the self-destruct button to lose 1-0 to Panama courtesy of Cecilio Waterman’s added-time goal. They did it again against Canada in the third-place playoff to fall 2-1 and end their Nations League journey in anything but style.
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Pochettino emphasised taking the positives from the two matches, but his options on that front are limited. The USMNT were outplayed, outworked, and — most worryingly ahead of the 2026 World Cup at home — outfoxed tactically.
Three major issues warrant Pochettino’s immediate attention.
An unclear approach out of possession
When the U.S. beat Panama 2-0 five months ago in Pochettino’s debut, they caused problems for Thomas Christiansen’s side by winning the ball high up the pitch on multiple occasions. So it was not a surprise to see them commit multiple men forward in their March 21 meeting too.
Midfielder Tanner Tessman is conflicted on whether to push ahead or protect the back line. But as Panama pass back to goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, he joins the press.
Mosquera plays a pass right through the gap in midfield, bypassing all six U.S. players to find a team-mate.
The space between the midfield and defence is huge as the U.S.’s back line does not push up the pitch with the midfield.
The result is that Panama now have a five-on-four situation in transition…
To Pochettino’s credit, he altered the system shortly afterward. Tyler Adams and Tessmann stayed deeper while the front four of Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah and Josh Sargent pressed higher up the pitch.
Panama remained confident playing out from the back but did not have easy passes into their central attackers.
Pochettino used a similar approach against Canada, despite making five changes to his starting XI, with Canada happy to go long from defence to target their pacy front four of Ali Ahmed, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi. The issue the U.S. faced on this occasion was in coping with the quartet’s fluidity.
David lined up alongside Oluwaseyi up top but was excellent at dropping back to receive the ball, while Ahmed and Buchanan stayed wide. While Pochettino’s tweak against Panama had solved the U.S.’s primary issue, it was not foolproof.
In this example from the 45th minute, Canada centre-back Moise Bombito carries the ball forward under no pressure. David begins the move between the centre-backs but drops as they begin retreating to receive the ball and holds onto it to draw a defender before feeding a team-mate.
As seen in the final frame, both Oluwaseyi and Ahmed are on the blindside of U.S. defenders and can easily get into dangerous areas to meet a cross.
Neither of these moves resulted in goals, but they raise valid concerns about the USMNT’s out-of-possession approach.
Tracking back-post runners and individual errors
The Canada example prompts another concern for the U.S. — marking players at the back post. On multiple occasions against Panama and Canada, they were drawn towards the ball and left themselves vulnerable to blindside runs, with these moments often compounded by personal errors. Waterman made them pay for one of those incidents to score the winner.
The move begins with Pulisic’s ill-advised header backwards when he had more time to control the ball than he thought. The Milan forward splits the gap between his midfielders, and Waterman gets to the ball ahead of U.S. centre-back Mark McKenzie.
Waterman feeds Ismael Diaz, who passes back to midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla. While Carrasquilla considers his options, Waterman begins his move towards the right side, unnoticed by the U.S. defenders.
Carrasquilla then plays a pass into Waterman, with the U.S. defense yet to realize that he is unmarked.
Waterman responds with an emphatic finish into the bottom corner across goalkeeper Matt Turner, whose positioning is questionable.
Alarmingly, the U.S. did not learn from this mistake and almost conceded a similar goal against Canada.
On this occasion, a cross comes into the box with Canada forward Cyle Larin peeling away to the back post unmarked.
The U.S. get the ball clear but, once again, they rush towards the ball rather than covering the spaces or marking Canada’s players. Larin receives a pass under no pressure whatsoever.
Luckily for the U.S, he delays his shot, which is blocked by a sliding Marlon Fossey.
The U.S.’s inability to track runners was their downfall for Canada’s opener, too. As Ahmed drives inside, three Canadian players are free to run into the box, with three American players in static positions.
Timothy Weah does little to stop Ahmed from delivering a pass into the box, which is attacked by two players.
When the shot eventually comes in, the U.S. players are caught between committing to block it, like McKenzie and Cameron Carter-Vickers (white circle), and the rest who are caught ball-watching.
Ultimately, it hands Oluwaseyi the simplest of chances to put Canada ahead, and he duly obliges…
The U.S. did well to get themselves back into the game through Patrick Agyemang’s equalizer and withstood Canada’s threat for most of the game before committing an avoidable error in the lead-up to David’s winner.
In the 59th minute, Turner does well to collect a cross before spotting an opening up the pitch. He goes for the long throw down the middle despite having seven players in his vicinity, two of whom (white circles) are open.
But when the camera pans forward, we see two U.S. players up against Canada’s three, resulting in a predictable conclusion: Canada winning the ball and recycling possession, with the U.S. still getting back into their shape.
Canada eventually go long and, after a scramble down the right, the ball falls to Ahmed, who sets up David.
Throw-ins
The final concern for Pochettino will be how his side deal with throw-ins. Canada’s Alastair Johnston caused problems for them on two separate occasions in the first half, with both moves requiring Turner to intervene.
The first, in the 22nd minute, sees Ismael Kone unmarked, and he collects the ball despite the U.S. winning the first header.
Kone shoots unopposed, and the volley deflects off McKennie.
Turner punches it out under pressure before the U.S. clear the ball.
Johnston gets another opportunity in the 43rd minute. Once again, the U.S. win the first header, but it falls straight to the unmarked Mathieu Choiniere, who heads it back into the mix.
From here, the ball is headed on towards the back post from where Canada direct another header towards goal, but it goes straight to Turner.
The most damning example came in the 14th minute against Panama, when the U.S. somehow turned their own throw-in into a corner for Panama in the span of 25 seconds.
The U.S.’s importance in football is being fast-tracked as Major League Soccer rises in prominence and the country prepares to host the Club World Cup this summer and the World Cup in 2026. But this month’s results are a brutal reality check.
The two USMNT performances were littered with errors and tactical issues. Pochettino must return to the drawing board ahead of the team’s next match against Turkey in June.
(Header photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
Worry, anger, frustration: What past USMNT greats think of struggling side
At some point during the U.S. men’s national team’s loss to Canada in the Nations League third-place game, members of the American Outlaws, the official USMNT supporters group, began pleading with Clint Dempsey.Dempsey, to some the greatest player in the history of American men’s soccer, was at the game as an analyst for CBS Sports, stationed at a desk just in front of the supporters end. After the broadcast, Dempsey recalled the exchange during the network’s wrap-up show.Advertisement
“You had some of them saying, ‘Hey, (Clint), get ‘em right. Say something,’” Dempsey said. “And I’m like ‘Hey! Y’all let them know. Let them know what’s going on. They need to fight for y’all.’”Nobody ever needed to teach Dempsey how to fight. Born and raised in tiny Nacogdoches, Texas, Dempsey was entirely different than most American players. He grew up poor, living in a trailer in his grandparents’ backyard and playing streetball with kids twice his age. He idolized players like Diego Maradona and Cuauhtémoc Blanco and cut his teeth in the largely Mexican men’s leagues in the area, playing against opponents twice his age.Dempsey made a habit throughout his career of showing up in big games, scoring consequential goals with club and country. He largely disappeared after his retirement in 2018 and can sometimes come across as softspoken even as a pundit. But his USMNT pedigree — along with Landon Donovan, he is the program’s all-time leading goalscorer — gives his words weight. And after the USMNT’s Nations League semifinal loss against Panama, Dempsey teed off.“During my career, the biggest blow that there was was not qualifying for the World Cup in 2018,” Dempsey said. “And you think — sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. And people talked about this team being the ‘golden generation.’ … You look at the step back. Copa América, not getting out of the group there on home soil. Here tonight, in an important game as we get closer to the World Cup, another failure. It doesn’t give you a lot of hope. You have more fans here for Mexico right now than the U.S.”
Dempsey continued, pointing out that some key USMNT players will miss this summer’s Gold Cup as they compete in the FIFA Club World Cup and that the U.S. might struggle to find competitive matches as the year wears on, with other countries still in the thick of World Cup qualification.
“I’m a little nervous,” said Dempsey. “And I’m worried about the future of this U.S. men’s national team.”
Like Dempsey, Donovan can more or less let his national team career do the talking.Nobody scored more goals for the USMNT than Donovan, and nobody’s goals were more consequential. Some of the most important strikes in U.S. history came off his feet — a goal against Mexico in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup; and a trio of goals in the 2010 World Cup that included a last-gasp group-winner against Algeria, which galvanized an entire nation.
Like Dempsey, Donovan disappeared from view a bit after retirement but eventually found his legs as a coach, first in USL and then NWSL. He remains a foundational figure in the history of U.S. soccer, called upon frequently to analyze the current state of affairs.
On Sunday, Donovan’s analysis made Dempsey’s look timid.
“I’m so sick of hearing how ‘talented’ this group of players is and all of the amazing clubs they play for,” Donovan wrote on X. “If you aren’t going to show up and actually give a s!%* about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.”
A couple days later, Donovan calmed down a bit, but not much.
“You’re probably more objective about stuff like this,” Donovan told The Athletic, “but I was just so viscerally upset after that game. I’m just getting tired of watching all of this s**t.”
Donovan was quick to let a pair of USMNT players off the hook for their performance against Canada. Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna showed well, Donovan thought, and Christian Pulisic — invisible for long stretches of both the Panama and Canada matches — was “really hurt by these performances.”
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“Those are the only ones that stick out to me,” continued Donovan. “There were just too many guys out there who were just going through the motions. When I watch games, sometimes it’s difficult to accurately judge someone’s ‘desire.’ But you also just see what your eyes tell you. It was obvious in these games who cared.”
Donovan, like any former player, is wary of being perceived as being some sort of grumpy old man. Undoubtedly, he is representative of the prototypical American player of his era. For years, the common perception of the American player, fairly or unfairly, was that they were a little short on skill and tactical acumen but excelled at the intangibles. They were often exceptionally fit, fearless and possessed a laundry list of other nebulous descriptors: grit, determination, hustle, edge.
Landon Donovan sees the USMNT getting further away from its identity. (Photo by Rob Kinnan/Imagn Images)
USMNT teams of Donovan’s era were sometimes not the prettiest to watch, but they wore opponents down. They were led by a series of American coaches raised in the pits of this country’s college and professional soccer ecosystems, most of whom possessed a deep understanding of the American game, none more so than Bruce Arena.
“People used to hate playing against us,” Donovan said. “Even when we lost. We’d get beat 2-0 and you could tell the other team was still like ‘f***, this game is going to be a f***ing nightmare.’ Occasionally, though, we’d have a poor effort. And Bruce would say ‘Guys, a coach shouldn’t have to coach effort. That’s not my job.’
“Back then I thought that was ridiculous,” Donovan continued. “But now I think about it and realize he was spot on. The last thing Mauricio Pochettino should have to worry about is whether these guys are going to leave it all on the field or not. Leaving it all on the field — that’s been a hallmark of the American player since the mid-80s. If we lose that, we are in big, big trouble.”
Donovan, who has certainly worked with his share of young players over the years, is cautious to paint with too broad a brush when it comes to the source of the U.S.’s current perceived mentality issue. He cannot help but agree, though, that part of the issue is simply generational, and mirrored outside of the sports world.
“There is absolutely a generational piece to this,” Donovan said. “You see it all over society. People just do not take pride in what they do anymore. When I first went to Leverkusen, when I was 17, it blew my mind how much pride the server took in doing their job. That’s a server at a restaurant — not a player playing for their national team. There is a lack of sense of pride in what people do.
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“When you are proud, you are not going to let two games like that just slip by without trying to do something about it,” he added. “I would’ve been embarrassed on the field after that game against Panama. I sure as hell wouldn’t have gone into the Canada game and played that poorly. I would have been too embarrassed.”
Donovan was never lacking in pride. He’s still not. When asked whether he thinks the USMNT of 2002 or 2010 could beat what some are referring to as a “golden generation” of players, he laughed.
“We would not have let Canada or Panama beat us without it being an absolute bloodbath,” Donovan said. “I used to hate going into training camps, because I got the shit kicked out of me. The competition was real. We had real players who cared about the result and were always, without exception, willing to put themselves on the line to get a result. I can’t talk about who was more skilled or talented, but we were always responsible for the result.
“Right now,” he concluded, “of course I’d take those teams over this current one.”
Tab Ramos hails from a different era than Dempsey or Donovan, one that feels almost alien to modern observers of the USMNT.
Ramos made his World Cup debut 35 years ago as part of the 1990 team that thrust the USMNT back into the global spotlight for the first time in 40 years. It’s impossible to overstate just how different the program looked in those days. Players in the mid-to-late 80s, when Ramos entered the picture, were underpaid and overworked, nearly invisible to the general public. The U.S. sometimes struggled to schedule matches against meaningful competition, and when it did, players sometimes flew in on the day of the game and back out just after the final whistle.
Born in Uruguay, Ramos spent his adolescence in Kearny, N.J., an American soccer holy site if there ever was one. From the beginning, his understanding of the game felt different than many other players of his era. So did his technical ability. Almost beyond argument, Ramos was the most technically gifted American player of his time. That talent took him abroad, earning him contracts with Real Betis and Figueres in Spain. He was a central figure at the 1994 World Cup, which the U.S. hosted. When MLS was founded 30 years ago, Ramos was the first player signed to a contract.
Ramos, who would go on to coach in MLS and USL after retirement and also serve as an assistant at the 2014 World Cup, has an intimate understanding of this current USMNT group. He worked with many of the squad’s players during his decade-long tenure as a coach and technical director in the U.S. youth program. Like Donovan and Dempsey, Ramos was shocked at what he saw in the Nations League.
“When I hear the players do interviews after the games, every single one of them says, ‘We need to have a stronger mentality. We need to work harder, tackle more,’” Ramos told The Athletic. “Here’s the thing: this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this. I think the fact that Pulisic, (Tyler) Adams, (Weston) McKennie, all of the important guys are saying ‘We need to get stuck in, we need to work harder.’ Well yeah, of course. But you need to stop talking about it. You need to start doing it.”
Tab Ramos doesn’t like what he sees from the current U.S. men’s national team players. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
In post-match interviews, Pochettino sometimes seemed almost shocked at the lack of effort from his squad and suggested, vaguely at least, that other players would be brought in to replace underperforming ones should the issue continue.
“If you were to ask any player in the world, people would say, ‘The American guys aren’t technical enough, this isn’t their game,’” Ramos said. “But at the end of the day they knew they had to play hard to beat you. Because they knew we’d fight to the end. I’m sure Pochettino was shocked. I’m sure he thought that with a full-strength squad, he probably took it for granted a little bit that his players would outwork the other team. He must have been shocked when he saw that wasn’t true.”
Like Donovan, Ramos chalks part of the current state of affairs surrounding the USMNT up to a generational shift, but his view includes some international perspective. Kids everywhere are changing, and the problem in the U.S. has more to do with soccer’s place in the cultural and sporting landscape, Ramos said.
“We don’t come from a soccer culture in this country,” he said. “All of the kids in other countries, they’re the same as our kids. They too are playing on their phone. It’s not like in Brazil or Argentina they’re not on their phone all day. But when they’re not on their phone? They are playing soccer. And they play like they mean it — they play to win. It just has to do more with our culture than some generational difference. Soccer in this country, it’s still not one of the biggest leagues, it’s fifth or sixth or seventh, however you want to look at it.”
Ramos bristles at the suggestion that this current generation of U.S. players accounts for a “golden generation” of sorts. Ramos himself hails from a foundational generation of players — the team that represented the U.S. at the 1994 World Cup, the first ever played on U.S. soil.
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“A ‘golden generation?’” Ramos said. “Are you kidding me? A this point I feel like I came from the golden generation. After seeing all of this? My generation was probably the golden generation. We took the U.S. to a World Cup after hopping fences to play in playgrounds and getting paid $400 a game to play for the Brooklyn Italians to prepare for the national team. If that’s not golden, I don’t know what is. We have just lost the essence of who we are as a soccer country.”
That ‘94 tournament served as a springboard for the founding of MLS and in many ways founded the general American public’s connection to the sport of soccer itself, one that continues to deepen every day.
Yet Ramos cannot help but be disappointed these days when he watches the USMNT play. A little over a year out from what promises to be the biggest World Cup in history, the U.S.’s Nations League matches against Panama and Canada were played in mostly-empty stadiums, with little to no fanfare. It’s a sobering reminder to Ramos, of soccer’s — or maybe American soccer’s — continued struggle for relevance.
“We were hoping for so much more,” he said. “We were hoping that soccer would get closer to the NFL, to everything else. And here we are 30 years later, and it still hasn’t happened. I’m disappointed. This is the year where everything should be clicking, everybody should be excited about the national team and how well Pulisic is doing at Milan and how McKennie is doing at Juventus and how Adams is a leader at Bournemouth.
“And guess what? People don’t even go to the games. People don’t want to see it.”
Canada sends USMNT reeling to fourth-place Nations League finish
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Canada downed the U.S. men’s national team, 2-1, on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, claiming third place in the Concacaf Nations League, and delivering another disappointment to a U.S. team that had won the three previous versions of this tournament.
After falling to Panama in the semifinal on Thursday, the U.S. was asked to show more energy and creativity in the third-place game. There might have been some good moments, but it still was not enough to best Canada.
The Canadians entered the game feeling like they had performed well in their semifinal loss to Mexico. There was real belief that they are a team to be taken seriously in the region, and the game against the Americans was an opportunity to prove that.
On the other side, after an early exit from the Copa América last summer, the U.S. will go into this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup desperate for any semblance of optimism and momentum, with the 2026 World Cup looming in the not-so-distant future.
While Canada was the better team throughout Sunday, though not by the widest margin, it was what was finally presented up top that proved to be the difference: goals from the two starting forwards, David and Oluwaseyi.
Marsch moved on from his oft-used forward pairing of David and Cyle Larin after they struggled to consistently score. Coming into this match, Canada had gone goalless in half of Marsch’s 14 games in charge. Canada had generated just one shot on target against Mexico. Something had to give, which Marsch acknowledged after Thursday’s loss.
“A few more times where we can have a little bit more of an understanding of how to slow things down in the last third, and make some final passes that get us in and around the goal,” Marsch said of his team’s shortcomings in attack. “Then we can have the movements in the box that can give us more chances to be more creative in those moments.”
Oluwaseyi and David looked spirited throughout the game, fulfilling their roles well and providing those moments. Oluwaseyi acted as a poacher close to goal, punching home a quick shot after a few deflections in the 27th minute. David was given the assist on the goal.
In the second half, after multiple possible missed penalty calls, David dropped deep into the midfield as he often does for Canada. He eventually found a pocket of space inside the U.S., deftly turned in possession of the ball and curled a perfectly placed shot past U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner.
One big question coming out of Canada’s win will be the status of Larin and David as the preferred forward pairing. Marsch has no shortage of options with the recent additions of Daniel Jebbison and Promise David, making for plenty of roster intrigue leading up to the 2026 World Cup.
USMNT left grasping after two losses
U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino wanted to see more of just about everything from his team against Canada than he had in a semifinal loss to Panama a few days prior.
“Tomorrow is going to be an important game to see how we react,” Pochettino said Saturday. “We need to show character. We need to show (that) all that we were talking (about) is not only about the result, but it’s only about improving our performance.”
More passion. More energy. More risk taking. More goals.
Pochettino got some of that in flashes, but it didn’t change the result.
Now, the U.S. coach will try to find something out of the performance off of which he can try to build. The U.S. certainly was not as flat as it was in the 1-0 loss to Panama, but at a time when this program desperately needed wins and momentum, it’s instead still left searching for answers.
Both Canada goals were aided by defensive lapses by the U.S.
Oluwaseyi’s opener was aided by a poor clearance and far too much space given to Canadian players to eventually allow a close-range finish. Those issues showed on the second goal, too. David’s 59th-minute game-winner included some frustrating defensive letdowns from the U.S.. Weah’s tackle of Tajon Buchanan bounced the ball unluckily into the path of Ali Ahmed, who found David in the U.S. box. U.S. center back Mark McKenzie dropped off of David in order to take away Buchanan’s run, but with that space afforded him inside the box, David, Canada’s deadliest finisher, easily picked out the far post.
The Americans did show more energy in the attack against a Canada team that allowed more space in transition. The one bright moment of the game featured some of the players the U.S. hoped would use this platform to make an impression: Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna assisted on Charlotte FC forward Patrick Agyemang’s goal.
The U.S. was challenged to show how it would respond to the Panama loss, but it also had to show how it could respond to going down a goal. After Oluwaseyi opened the scoring for Canada in the 27th minute, the U.S. found life again. Tyler Adams found Tim Weah on the left wing, and Weah took on his defender well before finding Luna in the box. The RSL midfielder paused slightly to let a defender slide by, then touched it to Agyemang, who finished past Dayne St. Clair.
The intensity of the game picked up in the second half after the penalty shout and Marsch’s red card. In the end, though, it was Canada that landed the final punch.
Pochettino seemed to stick to his plan to see players in the third-place game. Three key starters — Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic — were all subbed out in the 69th minute. The subs, which included Gio Reyna, couldn’t turn the game in the Americans’ favor.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mauricio Pochettino had a message for those whose belief is waning after the U.S. men’s national team’s concerning fourth-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League: Have patience.
“I don’t want that the people feel pessimistic,” the U.S. manager said after his team lost 2-1 to Canada in the tournament’s third-place game at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. “Disappointed? Disappointed, we are all. And the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win. But I don’t want to allow (them) to feel pessimistic, because I think we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform. And for sure we are going to compete in a different way. And (at) the end, we are going to get different results than Thursday and today.”
After two more negative outcomes, losing to Panama in Thursday’s semifinal and again to a Canadian team that had coach Jesse Marsch red-carded, it is clear that the U.S. team and its Argentinean coach has a lot to fix. What it is that they need to change is not as easy to pinpoint. Right now, it feels like just about everything needs to get taken down to the studs.
“It’s back to the drawing board in terms of that intensity, that passion, that fight,” U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner said. “I think it’s pretty clear after these two games that we weren’t up to that level of intensity and some hard conversations need to be had amongst ourselves and we need to push each other to get back to that level. Because it’s not just a given that we can step onto the pitch and perform at a certain level.”
It feels like a long road and a complicated task. Or maybe not. U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams believes there is a quick way to remedy it. “Win games,” Adams said. “It’s that simple.”
Goalkeeper Matt Turner endured another disappointing afternoon. (Alexis Quiroz / Jam Media / Getty Images)
Pochettino came back time and again to the idea that the Nations League was only one stop on a journey toward the end game that is the World Cup. It’s an idea he discussed earlier this week, pointing to teams who have played well or poorly ahead of the tournament only to have opposite results at the World Cup. Pochettino said he didn’t want to let these losses overwhelm the ultimate goal.
“I don’t want to say I am happy at this (failure), don’t take me wrong, but if there (is) something negative about results, or things to learn, it’s better (to learn it) now because I think we have time,” Pochettino said. “Because if we will be in this situation in one year’s time, for sure I will tell you: ‘Houston, we have a problem.’ No? Eso es.
“But you will see. If in one year we are talking about that, it’s because we have a big problem and we were not capable to discover and to try to decide a better strategy and way to provide the team the capacity to play in a different way. I think we have time. And I prefer to let that (lesson) happen today than in one year.”
The road to fixing things starts this summer at the Gold Cup. Pochettino and his staff will get a month with the squad, their first chance to truly spend time and try to build something within the group.
“Obviously, the feeling is not good right now,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. “We need to turn it around and we can hopefully build some momentum this summer, because we really do need it and with big, big tournaments ahead.”
Better vibes for Canada
On the other side, Canada can leave Los Angeles feeling positive about their ability to beat their rivals on U.S. soil. That positivity, although slightly muted given the win comes in a third-place contest, was the prevailing feeling from the Canadian side.
“The mentality of this team is strong. And today was another big test for us against a very good American team and it showed that we’re ready to compete and beat everybody in this region,” Canada assistant coach Mauro Biello said. “For many years, we were always the underdog. But I think things are starting to shift. And we’ve proven that over the last two games here.”
A turning point in the game for Canada was head coach Marsch being sent off in the 54th minute with a straight red card. Marsch had stepped on the field to shout repeatedly at referee Katia Itzel García in protest of two potential missed penalty calls on Canada forward Jonathan David.
Jesee Marsch was infuriated by two refereeing decisions. (Eliecer Aizprua Banfield / Jam Media / Getty Images)
David would score a stunner of a goal five minutes later. That goal would end up being the difference.
Biello said the goal “galvanized the team.” Yet David himself was quick to clarify, with a grin, that Marsch’s second protest might not have been totally necessary.
“So for me, the first one is a penalty. The second one, there’s nothing because I don’t even try to win the penalty. I just slipped. I think it’s an accumulation of what happened in the Mexico game and the first penalty that we didn’t get today. And his reaction I think is understandable, because you want to be taken seriously and not have the referee even just not even consider our pleas,” David said.
Marsch’s red card appeared to change the dynamic of the game. Canada attacked more fervently afterwards . The U.S. had little response.
“I saw him over there flying about. I was loving it. He made an emotional stand for us,” Canada defender Alistair Johnson said. “I think that was something that’s been bubbling underneath the surface over these past couple of matches in terms of not getting the same whistles that he feels that we should, and that he knows that us, being Canadians, we’re a little too humble to start rolling around and begging for a call. So I think he felt like, ‘No, this is my moment. I need to make a stand to show that, f***, this isn’t right.’”
Marsch’s red card prevented him from fulfilling his postgame press conference duties. But it didn’t prevent him from injecting some life into the Canada locker room afterwards.
“(Marsch) had a smile from ear-to-ear,” Johnson said. “Beating the Americans for us is top of the agenda, as good as it gets. And then obviously for (Marsch) with his double allegiance, it probably felt really good.”
(Top photo: Alexis Quiroz / Jam Media / Getty Images)
Indy 11 Win 1st, Face Lexington Tonite at 7 pm on ESPN+
Miami, Fla.- Indy Eleven scored three first-half goals off set pieces on its way to a 3-1 victory at Miami in its USL Championship season opener last weekend. Six players made their debuts for the Boys in Blue—Elvis Amoh, Hogan, Kizza, James Murphy, Bruno Rendon, and Oliver Brynéus. Rendon tied for team highs with six recoveries (with Maalique Foster) and three tackles won (with Aedan Stanley). Indy Eleven travels to Lexington SC today at 7 p.m. in a game streamed on ESPN+. The Boys in Blue host 2024 Champion Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Carroll Stadium to open the home slate on Saturday, March 29 at 7 pm. Single-game tickets are available for all matches via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100.
US loses to Panama 1-0 faces Canada for 3rd Sun 6 pm on Para+, Univision
I don’t even know what to say? Horrific Management, Horrific preparation, Horrific play! Those who were dogging Gregg Berhalter and begging for a foreign manager might need to rethink things. Pochettino was clueless in this game. Yes we are missing players but that was a B- team for Panama that absorbed pressure all game and countered to win 1-0. USa vs Panama Highlights The US had zero creativity in this game despite having 90% possession and 4 shots on goal. Musah at right back? Starting 2 #6s I mean — he got nothing right in this game. Yes the players were shit on this day – no spark, no aggression – only Pulisic seemed to friggin care they couldn’t score. But his subs? No Luna or Reyna at the 10 to try to find a pass on the subs. You can see now why POCH has NEVER won a trophy at any level. Sure he talks a good game working part time for 6M a year while still living in Europe. But I am not sure he has a clue. ESPN FC Questions Everything US Soccer Now for the players – this game lacked bite, lacked hard tackles, lacked what used to make the US strong – PRIDE. Not sure these millionaires playing overseas understand what US Soccer is supposed to be about. Always play like an underdog.
Sure we are missing huge players here – no Jedi Robinson was huge (the goal came from his side) and we had no movement down the left wing. No forwards up top (Pepi + Bologan are both injured) but Agyemang couldn’t hit the ocean from the pier on his 2 golden chances where was Haji Wright? I love Ream but if he starts the World Cup next summer the US will be out in 3 games. Oh and Matt Turner – its way past time for him to be replaced – I think Horvath is our best – but Matt can’t start again until he plays more in Europe. Men in Blazers Wrap Turner’s Goal I am so upset I don’t know what else to say. The US plays Canada and the man who should be our coach on Sunday at 6 pm. No one will be there again – who would pay money to watch this US team play (I was in LA last week-nothing about the game anywhere – but the Mexican’s bought all the tickets anyway). My buddy in The American Outlaws out there said they literally got no access to tickets.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals)
DEFENDERS (8):Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 18/0), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL; 1/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 17/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 67/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 19/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0) MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 42/2), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 3/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 58/11), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 6/0) FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 2/2), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 45/1), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 76/32), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 27/5), Timothy Weah (Juventus/ITA; 42/7), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 3/1)
Was Turner out of spot on this one? Looked like a save-able ball during the game?
TV Schedule
Sat 3/22
1 pm Fox Sp 2 Modova vs Norway 7:30 pm Ion TV Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs KC (Chawinga) 8:30 pm Apple TV Salt Lake vs Dallas 10 pm Ion TV Bay FC vs Louisville NWSL 10:30 pm Apple TV Seattle Sounders vs Houston 10:30 pm Apple TV Vancouver vs Chicago
Sunday 3/23
3:45 pm FS2 Germany vs Italy NL 3:45 PM Fubo TV Spain vs Netherlands NL 4 pm Apple TV Austin vs San Diego 5 pm ESPN2 NY/NJ Gothem vs Orlando Pride (Marta) 6 pm Univision, Para+ USA vs Canada 3rd place NL 9:30 pm Uni, Para+ Mexico vs Panama NL FINAL
Mon, 3/24 3:46 pm FS 2 England vs Latvia WCQ Tues 3/25 3:46 pm FS 2 Israel vs Norway WCQ 8 pm Telemundo Argentina vs Brazil WCQ NWSL Schedule MLS Schedule USL Schedule
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Early blockbusters headline NWSL
Kansas City faces 2024 NWSL runners-up Washington on Saturday. (Kyle Rivas/NWSL via Getty Images)
The NWSL’s second match weekend promises some standout matchups, as last week’s winners look to build while its losers attempt to shift the energy.
Last year’s top-four finishers square off against one another this weekend, while a pair teams searching for their first points of 2025 will do the same.
What to watch: While not a carbon copy of the 2024 playoffs, these heavyweight clashes could set the early-days tone for 2025’s championship favorites.
Washington Spirit vs. KC Current, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Each coming off big regular-season opener wins, KC travels to DC for a game with great potential for attacking fireworks.Gotham FC vs. Orlando Pride, Sunday at 5 PM ET (ESPN2): Orlando sit atop the NWSL table after battering Chicago 6-0 last weekend, but now face a pragmatic and talented Gotham side in a game with chess match written all over it.Chicago Stars vs. Houston Dash, Sunday at 3 PM ET (Paramount+): After suffering tough losses last week, both Chicago and Houston are eager to put their first points on the board with bounce-back performances.
Bottom line: With a number of teams already looking close to mid-season form, these early NWSL matchups really could have major implications down the line.
USMNT vs. Canada: A desirable matchup with undesirable third-place stakes
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Stephen Eustáquio began to look down at the floor in frustration before stopping to consider what lies ahead. It was less just a few hours after his Canada team came into their Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Mexico riding a wave of optimism and, they believed, preparation before a must-win match. That sense of optimism began to erode just 47 seconds after kickoff when Mexico scored the opening goal. It then disappeared completely with Mexico’s second goal to send El Tri to the final. The long-time bosses of Concacaf showed the savviness and experience Canada still lack.Canada’s midfield general knows this.“It’s experience,” he said of what Mexico has that Canada doesn’t right now. “It’s something that we will get in the future, we just have to continue to work.”
And when Eustáquio considered when the next opportunity to work, as it were, would come? That’s when his demeanor flipped.
“It’s a game against the U.S., and that motivates us a lot more,” he said of Canada’s opponent in the upcoming third-place game, following the U.S.’s stunning defeat in the other semifinal to Panama. “They’re our rivals. We beat them in (a September friendly). They want to beat us, and we want to beat them again.”U.S. vs. Canada: it’s the game so many at the Nations League – the Canadians especially – wanted. It’s just happening under wholly undesirable circumstances. The next chapter in this burgeoning rivalry will be more about avoiding catastrophe and humiliation rather than competing for a trophy. Both Canada and the U.S. should have woken up Friday morning feeling incomplete. With the World Cup a little over a year away, this third-place game offers each a chance to save face, and the opportunity to do so against an opponent equally as determined to set things back on course.
Against Panama, the U.S. couldn’t display the necessary work rate and emotion to properly influence the game, in manager Mauricio Pochettino’s estimation. A lackadaisical performance made for a wholly boring affair. Coupled with a premature Copa América exit, this group of skilled American players – many plying their trade for prominent European clubs – will aim to turn its talent into a more cohesive effort against Canada.The difference was the way they fight for the game,” Pochettino said of Panama. “They were hungry for every single ball. Every ball was the last one for Panama and, from the touchline, you feel that difference.”For the U.S., facing Canada presents a second match in which it can demonstrate the requisite enthusiasm, intensity and quality that’s been lacking, arguably dating back to the 2022 World Cup.“Just as we always do after games: We have to rest a bit, we’re going to watch back the game a little bit, see what we can improve on so we can get better and just get ourselves in the best physical and mental conditions to go again in a few days,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said.
The Nations League semifinals made for a night of long faces for Christian Pulisic and the U.S. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
For Canada, it can probably sleep a little easier knowing the effort was front and center against Mexico. It dominated possession, tried to act as the aggressor by winning more duels and got close to goal on occasion. But once Canada got there, it faltered mightily. The questionable finishing and lack of quality final passes were once again Canada’s tactical undoing. Canada has now been shut out in half of manager Jesse Marsch’s 14 games in charge. The time to continue relying solely on his trusted forward pair of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin may have run out.
But beyond rectifying poor play in the final third, the intangibles will matter to Canada against the U.S. Canada knows its core is lacking a truly decisive win against the U.S. in tournament play. It may not be in a final, and perhaps a third-place match won’t carry the same clout, but this is an opponent the players have been eyeing, backed with supreme motivation.
“There’s no secret there’s a bit of a political issues surrounding this game more recently,” Canada’s Jonathan Osorio said. “There’s no hiding that it is the back of our mind. But at the end of the day, we are going to prepare for this game the best way possible: to go out and win.”
That’s been easier said than done for Canada. A group with talent that can stack up against the of the U.S., must show the kind of canny and game management that is necessary in pressure-filled, tournament situations. There was no doubting Canada’s intensity against Mexico. But the Canadians still lack the experience to turn intensity into quality attacking opportunities and close games out. The latter was alarmingly true earlier this summer as Canada squandered a lead in the Copa América third-place game against Uruguay.
“Now, it’s just that little bit of savviness that the best teams have and the best players have that we’re going to continue to push (for),” Marsch said.
Canada was left to grimace after a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the Nations League semifinals. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
As Osorio alluded to, this match could garner more attention than the average third-place game because of the wider implications.
The strained political relations between the two longstanding allies – and World Cup cohosts – serves as a backdrop. How each team channels that aspect – or elects not to – will reveal plenty. The recent Canada-U.S. games at the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament provided a window into what kind of intensity an inflamed political climate can create. There were three fights in nine seconds. Fans booing opposition national anthems. A final that went down as an immediate classic.
The third-place setting zaps some of the organic aura surrounding the game, but there should still be plenty of motivation considering each’s desire to respond to disappointment – and doing so amid the external factors.
Plus, outside of this summer’s Gold Cup, which will feature less-than-full strength squads given that FIFA has allowed clubs to take priority over countries for the expanded Club World Cup, this will realistically be each team’s final opportunity to play a truly competitive game before hosting World Cup games at home.
So no, there’s no trophy at stake. It’s not a final. But it’s still a matchup that both can use to apply to the games that truly matter in 15 months.
“Every game from now on,” Canada’s Jonathan David quickly and sternly answered, when asked about the third-place game, “is preparation for the World Cup.”
Yes, USMNT fans: It’s time to worry about the 2026 World Cup
Jeff Carlisle ESPN Mar 22, 2025, 08:00 AM ET
LOS ANGELES — In the wake of the U.S. men’s national team‘s 1-0 defeat to Panama in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL), it’s fair to say it’s time for USMNT fans to worry about the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. has shown flashes of stellar play since manager Mauricio Pochettino took over last September, especially in the CNL quarterfinal series with Jamaica. But Thursday’s semifinal exit exposed some old troubles. The USMNT’s lack of aggression to start matches, especially when the opposition cedes possession, remains a problem. That leads to an inability to break down tightly packed defenses. And though Panama has emerged in Concacaf as a tough-to-break-down unit, if the Americans can’t consistently get past the Canaleros, who have beaten the U.S. three straight times in tournament play, how can the USMNT expect to get out of a group at the World Cup? That isn’t to say that all hope is lost for the Americans — far from it. But with just 447 days between now and the start of the World Cup, Pochettino has little time and few opportunities to turn things around. This summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup — the USMNT’s only competitive games before the World Cup — has taken on increasing importance. It will allow Pochettino an extended camp to further familiarize himself with his players. The U.S. will also host friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland before Gold Cup matches to mimic the cadence of the World Cup.
The hope — which is not guaranteed based on Thursday’s performance — is that the players will get more experience in knockout games. But on this front, Pochettino’s plans are being undermined by the Club World Cup, with the Juventus duo of Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, along with Borussia Dortmund‘s Gio Reyna, all possibly unavailable for the Gold Cup due to their respective clubs’ participation.
After that, and with no CNL scheduled for 2026, there are just four more international windows in September, October, November of 2025 and March of 2026, plus some pre-World Cup friendlies. That is a scant amount of time to further refine things.
And there is plenty this U.S. team needs to refine, especially with the ball.
To get a sense of how toothless the American attack was against Panama: The U.S. had 811 touches, the 11th time the Americans have had more than 800 touches in a game since September 2017. But they had an expected goals, or xG, of 0.68, making it the first time in that span that the U.S. had over 800 touches but an xG below 1.00. That shows the U.S. had plenty of time with the ball, but struggled to create dangerous scoring chances.
The return of several injured players would greatly help the U.S. cause. The U.S. has badly missed right-back Sergiño Dest, who has recently returned for PSV Eindhoven after suffering an ACL tear 11 months ago. Dest is the ultimate attacking wild card who can deliver the unexpected, either off the dribble or striking at goal. Left-back Antonee Robinson and his marauding runs down the flank were also missed against Panama.
The two absences have a massive effect on the way the U.S. plays. Joe Scally is a capable, defense-first option, but isn’t one to contribute much to the attack. That’s why in Dest’s absence, Scally usually stays home and allows the opposite full-back to get forward. But Yunus Musah seems miscast as a wing-back, given his distribution limitations.
The frontline has also been beset by injuries, with Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi out for long stretches. Their returns would increase the competition for places in attack that have lacked a certain spark.
All these absences lead to questions about the depth of the USMNT’s player pool. But in situations like Thursday’s loss to Panama, the U.S. would also be aided by Pochettino tilting the lineup more toward attack. Against a team bunkering in, Tanner Tessmann‘s presence in the midfield seemed redundant given that the defensively dependable Tyler Adams was back in the team. That would’ve freed a spot for a more creative player such as Reyna or Diego Luna in the middle.
Herculez Gomez calls USMNT’s performance ‘pathetic’ in loss to Panama
Herculez Gomez rips Mauricio Pochettino and the United States men’s national team in their loss to Panama.
Yet the team’s mindset might be Pochettino’s most difficult challenge. The U.S. manager pointed to a “lack of aggression” in the first half, which he described as “painful” to watch.
This was illustrated by the Americans’ touches in Panama’s box. The U.S. had 32 touches in the Panamanian penalty area. That ranks 12th in the USMNT’s past 35 games. But only nine of those touches came in the first half. When Tim Weah started occupying wider positions in the second half, the U.S. made more headway.
Pochettino needs to create competitive tension for playing time. But are the players who could take on bigger roles good enough to unseat any incumbents? Solving the aggression puzzle won’t be easy. Some players are proving not as capable as their club reputations dictated at one point.
Pochettino has attempted to bring in reinforcements, mostly from MLS clubs, and has talked up how they’ll get chances to impress. But until he gives those players more prominent roles, his words will feel empty.
Still, there are limits to how much Pochettino can do as a manager. At some point, the onus is on the players to improve, and channel the aggression required.
“You always learn more from setbacks than you do from games that, say, we would’ve won, that you’re papering over the issues that I think everybody saw in terms of getting behind and aggression and all that,” U.S. defender Tim Ream said. “There’s always teaching moments, there’s always learning moments in every game, every training, every day that you step on the field and we have to look at that and make sure that we take on board exactly what he wants, take on board exactly what he needs and that starts with the duels and the aggression and the intensity.”
The USMNT will miss a chance to defend their CNL title after winning the past three, but Sunday’s third-place game against a very motivated Canada will be an opportunity to put those lessons into practice.
With Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David and Cyle Larin available, it seems likely Canada will be more adventurous than Panama in attack. But Pochettino shouldn’t change his entire starting 11. He should continue to establish chemistry. Playing time needs to be earned, as well. But there seems to be some opportunities for players.
Zack Steffen appears to be a clear choice in goal, given Matt Turner‘s suspect positioning on Cecilio Waterman‘s game winner, when he was shaded too close to his near post. Reyna or Luna in taking Tessmann’s place seems another obvious swap. Patrick Agyemang looked active in his 22 minutes against Panama.
At minimum, USMNT fans will want progress. That bar is low after the poor showing against Panama. But with just under 15 months left to the World Cup, the U.S. needs to show signs that it’s moving forward again.
Fighters wanted: USMNT effort called into question after Nations League loss to Panama
After getting easily bounced from the Copa America in the group stage, the USMNT is out of the Nations League in the semifinal with a loss to Panama. Mauricio Pochettino’s hire did not automatically reverse fortunes. Now it’s clear there is a lot of tough work to do with the team.
BY Brian SciarettaPosted March 21, 2025 12:00 PM
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LAST SUMMER, US Soccer hired Mauricio Pochettino as head coach and following a poor Copa America showing, it was expected that this would advance the national team to be in its best possible position to compete at the 2026 World Cup, which it will cohost. Now, after an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Panama in California in the semifinal of the Nations League, the team and Pochettino face difficult questions and potentially even more difficult answers. With two straight ugly early eliminations in tournaments it hosted inside of a year, alarm bells should be going off. There is always the temptation to be overly harsh following a loss. This is a team sport and upsets frequently happen. But the bigger problem for the USMNT wasn’t the loss. It was the effort. After the game, the comments from Pochettino were revealing because he wasn’t focused on the loss, but the fact that the U.S team was simply out-worked by a very disciplined and well-coached Panama team that deserved to win. “They were hungry for every ball like it as the last one,” Pochettino said of Panama. “You could feel the difference on the field.” He went on.
“We are the USA, but you cannot win with your shirt. You need to come here and be better and suffer and win the duels and work hard. If not, it’s not going to be enough.”“If you don’t have aggression, it’s impossible,” Pochettino said, “because the opponent knows that we are going to play into the feet. You are going to play safe. You are not going to take risk. If you want to play football, you need to take risks, you need to go forward, you need to win duels, sometimes 50-50.”It’s actually easy to envision a scenario way down the line when we look back on this loss and realize it was a good thing. For a long time, the team’s short falls have been blamed on Gregg Berhalter or the series of interim coaches the team had after the World Cup or after the Copa America. Fans and people in the Federation seem to be under the impression that a good coach was what was separating this team from greatness.But now, there is nowhere for the players to hide. The Federation broke the bank and went through extraordinary measures to hire Pochettino. Instead, we got a performance that was either equal or worse than we have gotten in the past with a number of coaches.This does not absolve Pochettino of blame. Sure, there are questions whether he needed more playmakers in the midfield to connect to the attack. Should he have started Joe Scally on the left side? Should he have started Matt Turner in goal with his lack of playing time. Those are fair questions. But they are a drop in the bucket of the real problem in as to why this team was outworked playing at home against Panama a year out from the World Cup? You can point out the talent on this US team, but talent only matters if you have desire when you step foot on the field to begin with. When you don’t, you get France at the 2010 World Cup. At least now, everyone’s eyes (players, coaches, fans, federation officials) should be wide open to the task at hand. The team is much further behind than many expected, maybe even Pochettino himself.
When he was hired, Pochettino spoke about when he played for Argentina. He emphasized that there was no difference between playing for his country in a friendly or in a World Cup – there was always maximum desperation for the shirt. He gave the impression that it was very important to him and, more importantly, it was instinctive to the Argentinian players. The loss against Panama revealed that the US team is missing some very basic requirements Pochettino demands or expects from his teams. There is a lot to break down from this game.
Specifics of the game
The specifics of this game are not nearly as significant as the big picture problems, but they are worth discussing nonetheless because there were some serious tactical problems.The most obvious tactical mistakes was that there was no link between the midfield and the offense. The from line of Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, and Tim Weah were all poor. Despite it having been a front line that has played together for years, including at a World Cup, there was nothing going on with them. Sargent was a bit unlucky and was starved for service (8 touches over 68 minutes and 2 completed passes) but Weah and Pulisic were very ineffective.
Weston McKennie had a decent moment when he set up Sargent in the first half for a shot off the post. Aside from that, McKinney struggled to be that link on a consistent basis.Scally and Musah were the outside backs and were tasked with pressing forward, but the opportunities with them were few and far between.There is some talk about the players who were not here or did not get off the bench. It is fair to note that the US team was missing some key players such as Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and Antonee Robinson. But any talk of them missing this game is to ignore the bigger problems. The US team had more than enough talent to win this game, and they were outworked across the board.
Now what?
After the team departs from camp next week, there is rightfully going to be a lot of talk about how this team will use this experience as a learning lesson for the future. Pochettino is going to have to strike a fine balance between not blowing everything up, but making a significant number of changes. The challenge Pochettino faces is that you cannot coach desire or passion – that needs to be instinctive for players upon arrival in camp. What is perhaps most disappointing for fans is that after the loss to Panama, Pachino said he wanted to make such passion and hard work part of the US teams DNA. But anyone who has followed this program for a long time will tell you that it used to be the team’s leading hallmark. In the years just before and just after the millennium, that was a key reason how they used to beat teams that were considered superior. It is how they advanced to the quarterfinal of the 2002 World Cup. It’s not that Pochettino has to make this part of the team’s DNA, it’s that it has been lost and he has to reinstall it.
Starting this summer, Pochettino will need to make changes and he will need to hold some of these players accountable. It begins with scouting the entire player pool, both domestically and abroad.
There needs to be fewer lock starters and more of a need for the players to feel they need to continuously prove themselves in order to justify their selection to the team. This summer will be revealing in how Pochettino, after he has time to digest the March disappointment, how he makes changes. It would be very surprising if he makes only limited changes.
The USMNT has the same problems now that it did under Gregg Berhalter and Pochettino’s mere arrival didn’t automatically improve things. He is going to have to take active measures.
Once Pochettino can find players he trusts, then he rectify the tactical shortcomings we saw against Panama – such has better fullback setups, having a true attacking midfielders to bridge the gap between possession and chance creations. But many problems needs to be addressed before he gets to that point.
Third Place Game awaits
Before the players return to their clubs, the USMNT must play the third place game against Canada. It’s a game where participation offers only insult to injury. For Pochettino, this could very well serve as an important test and evaluation tool for players?
Any player wants to get called up for big and prestigious games, but who wants to play in a game that anything but important? The players who do could be the players that Pochettino wants in the future.
Expect Pochettino to make a lot of changes to the starting XI. He should give other players the opportunity to show what they could do. Fortunately for the USMNT, they will be playing a Canadian team that should be motivated to face the USMNT. Canada sees the USMNT as an important measuring stick and there is a growing rivalry between the two neighboring nations. Canada’s American head coach Jesse Marsch would love to kick the USMNT while it is down.
The USMNT needs a test when it is at a low point. A loss to Canada with a poor effort would be a morale killer with just 15 months to go until the World Cup. It should be a gut check moment and you can learn a lot about a team and its players at its low points just as much as the high points.
Same Berhalter-era USMNT woes linger under Pochettino in Nations League debacle
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Two hundred and sixty-two days had passed since the last time the U.S. men’s national team players walked disappointed off of the field after a premature exit from an international ournament on home soil. Four hundred and forty-nine days remain for them to figure out why — and fix it. The USMNT’s stunning 1-0 loss to Panama on Thursday night felt like familiar territory for anyone who has followed this team over the last six years. The U.S. changed coaches after falling in the group stage of the Copa América last summer. Gregg Berhalter was out. Mauricio Pochettino was in. The players, though, remained largely the same. And some of the problems this U.S. team displayed under Berhalter remained the same.It was, perhaps, the biggest benefit of hiring Pochettino, one of the highest-profile coaches in the world, who arrived in the U.S. with a reputation for winning in Europe and coaching some of the world’s biggest clubs and players. The attention, and some of the blame, would have to start shifting onto a player pool whose reputation had been built up but now had to start delivering.The loss to Panama, the same team that sent the U.S. on its way to Copa elimination in Atlanta last summer, had some of the hallmarks and warning signs we have long seen from this team. The players struggle to break down organized teams that play in a low block. They sometimes fail to meet the moment emotionally. They too often lack a killer instinct.Pochettino’s press conference after the loss hit on all of those ideas.
“Did we control the game? Yes. Did we dominate the game? Yes. Did we play in the opposition half? Yes. Did we create some strategy to move the ball quickly and (have) good positional game in the opposite half? Yes. But you need aggression,” Pochettino said. “If you don’t have aggression, it’s impossible. Because the opponent always knows we are going to play into the feet. You are going to play safe. You are not going to take risks. If you want to play football, you need to take risks. You need to go forward. You need to win duels. Sometimes, 50-50, the ball, that is my ball. ….“We need to find a way to compete better. And that’s it. I don’t (want to say) I like this (loss), no. But it’s (worth paying) attention, because, OK, we are (the) USA, but you can’t win with your shirt. Or you cannot win if you play here (at a big club), there, or, I don’t know. You need to show (it). And you need to come here and be better and suffer and win the duels and work hard. If not, it’s not going to be enough.”
It was a stern warning for players with 15 months left until the biggest possible spotlight is on them at a home World Cup. A tournament they’ll open in this same stadium.The Americans had won several trophies in Concacaf in spite of those flaws. They took home all three previous versions of this Nations League tournament. They had a Gold Cup trophy, too. But after losing to the Netherlands in the group stage in Qatar in 2022, the U.S. didn’t seem to be growing. In the end, the federation made a coaching change to address those issues. In his first true test, though, Pochettino failed to equal what his predecessor – and even an interim stopgap – had accomplished.
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino endures defeat to Panama in the Concacaf Nations League. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)
If the Copa América wasn’t a wake up call on its own, then perhaps this was an even bigger warning shot. Changing the coach isn’t going to fix things on its own. Something else has to change.The U.S. started slowly in the first half. There was an overall lack of energy, and it hardly created much in the way of chances. The second half was slightly better. Second-half substitute Patrick Agyemang had two good looks at goal. But something was missing – bite and aggression. The U.S. didn’t seem ready to assert itself as the better team.“It was a perfect opportunity to start that rebuilding process right now,” U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams said. “It’s a bit disappointing in my eyes. I don’t know what we lacked exactly, whether it was that competitive nature, that mentality, but we need to look in the mirror before anything and just realize that when we have these types of games, we can’t wait for something to happen. We need to make things happen, put games on our terms.”Pochettino said this week that he preferred to learn lessons from winning games, but that sometimes the best lessons come in losses. Wins can allow you to paper over flaws. Losses fully expose those issues. They force you, as Adams said, to look in the mirror. Sometimes, they can be a turning point.This U.S. team learned a similar lesson early in the last World Cup cycle. They went on the road to Canada in a Nations League game in 2019 and lost, 2-0, in Toronto. A month later, the U.S. rocked their northern neighbor in the return leg, 4-1. They did so in part because of how they rebuilt the team’s mentality after the loss.“I think the message from that point on was intensity is the starting point,” former U.S. midfielder Sebastian Lletget said of the loss in Canada at the time. “We took a lot of pride in how we wanted to play and how we wanted to do things attacking wise — we felt like we had all the structure all down, but I think the mentality, I think that’s where we were lacking on that day. I think Canada sort of opened up our eyes to that.”Sound familiar?That loss in Toronto pushed the U.S. to a higher level. It showed that international soccer was as much about intensity as it was tactics, that talent or potential wasn’t enough on its own.On Thursday, Panama reminded the U.S. of that.Maybe, in the end, it will be a good thing. The U.S. must find a way to make it a turning point, rather than the continuation of a backslide.
Whenever you watch a game with a group and a commentator claims that a player “wanted it more,” you’re bound to hear a few scoffs.It’s a tried-and-true axiom rolled into a Bull Durham quote. In theory, every player at a sport’s highest level wants to succeed. If one player rises above an opponent to win an aerial duel, they may be able to credit their jumping reach, their strength, their reflexive timing or their raw height before even considering their intrinsic desire.And yet, rare occasions present themselves where passion and drive are at a perceived imbalance akin to a possession battle. Take, for example, Thursday night’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal between Panama and the United States men’s national team. The game was teeming with tension, as the USMNT hoped to exorcise its demons and avenge last summer’s defeat to their regional rival in the Copa América group stage.In the wake of that match, U.S. Soccer’s brass made an expensive bet that hiring Mauricio Pochettino to replace Gregg Berhalter would help get the program back on track to win such contests. The players on the field promised they’d “learn from it” and be better prepared, against Panama and other teams defending grittily in a low block.And yet, 266 days after that shocking defeat in Atlanta, the decisive moment for Panama sure seemed to embody that old cliché: Los Canaleros sure seemed to want it more.
Pochettino was the most obvious change from last summer’s sinking, but Thursday’s lineup presented a few more alterations.
First was the team’s shape, with the USMNT lining up in a 3-4-3 with a midfield box, rather than Berhalter’s preferred base 4-3-3. The emphasis was to retain possession in the middle against Panama’s usual 5-4-1 shape, ceding the wide areas as Tim Weah was asked to patrol in the left half-space.
Another was the personnel. Still without Sergiño Dest as he works back from his torn anterior cruciate ligament, the team saw its other first-choice full back — Fulham ace Antonee Robinson — exit camp before the Panama match with an undisclosed ailment. While Joe Scally struggled throughout his three Copa América games, Pochettino asked him to deputize for Robinson on the left.
It’s a spot Scally has played before, but seldom does these days; only 179 of his 2,017 Bundesliga minutes this year have come there, with the rest spent at right back. Unfortunately, the Borussia Mönchengladbach defender was exploited in the decisive sequence.
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The sequence begins with Christian Pulisic winning a header at the edge of the midfield third, hoping to head it down to Jack McGlynn. The ball takes a hop a yard in front of the Houston Dynamo midfielder, leaving him to swing a leg at it in vain.
Instead, it trickles towards Panama forward Cecilio Waterman. Four USMNT players immediately converge, desperate to force the ball off the striker’s foot and back into their own possession. Mark McKenzie unsettles Waterman, who prods the ball back into open terrain rather than ceding to his opponent.
Waterman’s poke rolls right into a patch with an amount of weight that puts the nearby United States players in a precarious spot. Most opt not to leave their posts, watching the loose ball as they follow conservative instincts and don’t open passing lanes. Ultimately, Scally stops his run toward the box and turns, but is beaten to it by one of the game’s final inclusions. Janpol Morales, a 26-year-old winger playing in Ecuador who debuted for Panama this month, is quicker to it and scampers to collect the ball in front of Scally. With one of his mere two pass attempts on the night, Morales gets the ball to his team’s chief string-puller, Adalberto ‘Coco’ Carrasquilla.
The standstill nature of the United States’ defending doesn’t just allow Morales to make a decisive impact. It also leaves Carrasquilla with ample time to survey his options as the game enters its final minute, allowing Waterman to leave the scene of McKenzie’s convergence almost entirely undetected, especially once Scally commits to chase the ball alongside Morales.
Even after Scally has fully committed to Morales’ run, Tim Ream fails to stick with Waterman as he backsteps toward the corner of the box. Usually, this is where Ream would expect to find Robinson, his long-time starting team-mate for the USMNT and Fulham. With Scally already playing out of position and now drawn into the heart of the park, Waterman is some distance from his nearest defender with the game on the line.
Carrasquilla might be surprised by how open Waterman is, as the midfielder decides to recollect his initial windup to ensure he gets the weight right on his pass. That proved wise, as Waterman struggled to trap the ball — although it only served to give his shot some additional momentum given the total lack of defenders nearby.
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Waterman’s shot comes in with considerable power and expert angling, spotting goalkeeper Matt Turner hugging his near post and instead opting to send it across goal. Turner’s lack of recent match involvement is perhaps relevant here, given his conservative positioning and inability to force a difficult shooting angle once Carrasquilla had readied his eventual assist.
This was just Panama’s third shot of the match, and its first on frame. Nevertheless, miscommunication, a second-rate effort to collect a loose ball and some tired legs gave Panama all it needed to beat the USMNT in another cagey matchup.
As the Panama players rushed CBS pundit Thierry Henry to celebrate, the United States was left to appreciate the scale of this fresh failure.
Throughout the broadcast, commentators Chris Wittyngham and Tony Meola highlighted this Panama squad’s lack of experience at the highest levels of club soccer. At one point, Wittyngham cited some recent history as defender César Blackman became the first Panamanian to play in a UEFA Champions League game — although it was immediately hedged that his team, Slovan Bratislava, finished second-bottom of the league-phase table.
When compared to the over half-dozen Americans whose teams advanced to the Champions League playoff round, it seemed to suggest a talent imbalance. Of course, that only gets a national team so far.
Pochettino’s gameplan was not enough to overcome Panama’s energy and spirit. (Robin Alam / ISI Photos/Getty Images)
A year ago, there were excuses: playing a man down, alleged second-cycle syndrome causing a downturn in form under Berhalter, and an uncalled foul forcing Turner to exit at halftime.
On Thursday, all three of those factors were answered in full. At few points in the preceding 93 minutes did the hosts play with the confidence and explosiveness that should accompany a tournament’s three-time defending champion. There was little evidence that taking orders from Pochettino helped them improve after the “lessons learned” under Berhalter.
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Handed a fresh opportunity to rectify one of the program’s worst results in recent memory, the team instead one-upped that showing with an even poorer showing. Only they can know whether they had wanted to succeed enough in this window. Still in the wake of last summer’s debacle in the Copa América, however, it’s a group running out of opportunities to provide reasons for optimism heading into a World Cup on home soil.
(Top photo: Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images) USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino not to blame for Nations League exit, Tyler Adams says
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Tyler Adams refused to blame head coach Mauricio Pochettino for the United States’ devastating 1-0 loss to Panama on Thursday as the squad came to terms with its sudden exit from Concacaf Nations League contention.“I’ve never blamed a coach in my entire career,” midfielder Adams said emphatically after Cecilio Waterman’s injury-time winner spurred Panama to a victory at SoFi Stadium. “I mean, the losses depend on the players unless you go out and try something completely random. … There was not a lack of communication after today. We knew exactly what we needed to do. We knew we needed to be competitive. I don’t think we were as competitive as we needed to be.”The USMNT’s exit dealt a massive blow to Pochettino’s feel-good process heading toward the 2026 World Cup. It will now face Canada in Sunday’s third-place game. The Argentine manager told reporters that the Panamanians were hungrier. At the international level, the consequences are dire.“We feel very disappointed because the way we approached the game wasn’t the right way,” he said. “In the first half, we were too comfortable on the pitch. We didn’t show aggression with the ball. We also didn’t show aggression in a defensive way. The first half was very painful to see.“This is not the way that we want to build this journey together. And moving forward, with the objective to play in the World Cup, the objective is to be competitive by seeing that this — it’s a good point to pay attention to — that this is not enough.”The Americans were sleepwalking in a poorly attended semifinal. Their lack of urgency was evident from the start, and despite perking in the second half and attacking with more purpose, Pochettino’s side always looked more timid. Panama relied on hard tackling and a commitment to defending in the low block and making the field as narrow as possible.
Weston McKennie claimed the USMNT needed more “nastiness” against Panama. (Robin Alam / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
“Knowing him, he brings a bit of that South American vibe into the group and that grittiness and makes it known to us that football isn’t always about being beautiful,” midfielder Weston McKennie said of Pochettino. “It’s always also about the grit, the desire, the nastiness that you put into the game, as well. … So I think it’s about time that our team starts doing that also.”Pochettino refused to blame the tame crowd atmosphere for the lackadaisical effort by his players. For a former player who was known as a cutthroat defender, he was perplexed by his players’ disappointing effort.“(The crowd) cannot be an excuse just because you didn’t have a full stadium with your fans,” he said. “Why weren’t we more aggressive? I think the analysis is simple. If we look at the duels won, it’s clear that we lost those to Panama. When the game is played in tight spaces, when winning duels is important, where recovering possession means you’re in a one-versus-one situation and you’re disorganizing the opponent, when possession is won consistently in the final third, that’s always going to favor a team as organized as Panama. And when you don’t show the best version of yourself, things get complicated.“Every single (duel) was the last one for every single player for Panama. We felt that from the touchline. We’re the USA, but we cannot win just because of the shirt.”
Thursday’s defeat rekindled memories of the Copa América defeat to Panama that ultimately sealed Gregg Berhalter’s fate. (Hector Vivas / Getty Images)
This isn’t a new problem for the USMNT. There were multiple occasions under former head coach Gregg Berhalter when a lack of steel and grit led to subpar performances. Pochettino’s assessment now places the spotlight directly on a group of players who are less than 15 months from taking part in a home World Cup.“It’s disappointing, of course,” winger Christian Pulisic said. “We obviously had the ball most of the game, but we just couldn’t create enough. We weren’t dangerous enough. And yeah, you know, they got one shot at the end, and that was the story.”Panama defeated the U.S. in a penalty shootout in the 2023 Gold Cup semifinals. The Central Americans then recorded a shock win over Berhalter’s side at the Copa América last summer. The defeat in Los Angeles on Thursday marked the third straight loss to Panama in a competitive match. Pochettino won his debut as U.S. head coach over Panama in a friendly last October.When a reporter reminded Pulisic of those facts, the AC Milan winger responded: “What do you want me to say? It’s tough. It’s tough. We want to win.” (Top photo of Tyler Adams: Robin Alam / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
Panama deals USMNT another deflating, exposing defeat in Nations League stunner
The goal came seemingly out of nowhere.The U.S. had actually shown a bit of life in what had been a mostly lifeless Concacaf Nations League semifinal. Patrick Agyemang, the substitute forward, had a couple of good looks at goal. Weston McKennie had just unleashed a shot from the top of the box.But Panama, which had been so disciplined defensively, pushed the ball down the field in stoppage time. On the counter, the ball found its way to the right side of the box to Panamanian forward Cecilio Waterman. He took control and picked out the far post, beating the outstretched hand of Matt Turner in the 94th minute.Waterman ripped off his shirt, jumped the boards and stood in front of Thierry Henry, pointing and screaming, “Eres mi idolo,” — “You are my idol” — into the face of the legendary French forward and CBS pundit before hugging him.A few minutes later the final whistle sounded, and just like that, the three-time defending Concacaf Nations League champions were dethroned. Panama had downed the U.S., 1-0, and secured a place in Sunday’s final against either Mexico or Canada.It was a second consecutive massive disappointment in international competition for the USMNT, which was knocked out of the Copa América last year in the group stage. Once again, Panama played a feature role in the exit. After coming up empty on his first real chance at a trophy as U.S. coach, Mauricio Pochettino now will be left to figure out a tough defeat.And instead of playing for a fourth straight title, the U.S. will play in a third-place game.“This is embarrassing,” legendary U.S. forward Clint Dempsey said in his postmatch comments on CBS’s broadcast. “You look at Copa América — hosting the tournament and not getting out of the group, and now look at this situation here on home soil, have an opportunity to win your fourth Concacaf Nations League — and Panama does it again. They are our bogey team. We weren’t good enough. We had four great chances. Of those chances you think we’d score at least one or two of those. We weren’t able to get it done tonight and it’s an embarrassment.”With just over one year left until it cohosts the 2026 World Cup, the U.S. clearly has much left to sort.Beyond the defeat, here are a couple of other thoughts on the result:
Crowd disappoints
The U.S. kicked off at 4 p.m. on a Thursday in Los Angeles. It was the start of March Madness as the NCAA tournament tipped off. Tickets were sold for the doubleheader, which meant anyone coming to see Mexico-Canada didn’t need to show up for the first game.Still, it was a bit jarring to see the swaths of open seats at SoFi Stadium at kickoff for the U.S.-Panama semifinal.The U.S. will play two of its three World Cup games at the venue in Inglewood. The hope is that they will draw a huge home crowd. And while Thursday’s crowd is likely no indication of what the World Cup atmosphere will look like, the lack of noise and excitement in the stadium contributed to a game that, at times, felt more like a friendly than it did a competitive fixture.
Robinson’s importance underscored by his absence
When left back Antonee Robinson withdrew from U.S. camp earlier this week with an injury, it was immediately clear that it would have a domino effect for the Americans.Robinson is not just the best left back in the U.S. pool, he is also one of the best players on the team — and there is no clear like-for-like replacement. Pochettino acknowledged as much with his lineup choices on Thursday against Panama. Joe Scally moved from right back to left back to replace Robinson, and Yunus Musah slid from a midfield position to right back for the U.S.Beyond the shuffling that had to occur to fill the hole on the left side, the U.S. clearly lacked the verticality and service that Robinson gives them from the left side. Without his runs on the left side, Tim Weah playing inverted was less effective. The U.S. tilted the attack to the right side through Yunus Musah, but Musah’s strength is carrying the ball forward more than looking for the final pass or cross — he ranks in the 99th percentile in progressive carries per 90 minutes and just the 48th percentile in progressive passes, per FBref.As a result, the U.S. struggled to take advantage of some of the space on the wings as Panama denied space centrally to Pulisic, Weah and McKennie.The U.S. seemed to figure it out a bit more in the second half with Weah staying a bit wider on the left side, but it wasn’t enough to find a goal.(Top photo: Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Matt Turner and the challenge of being first-choice goalkeeper for the USMNT but not his club
It is so often the way with goalkeepers — 90 minutes of relative inactivity, one big moment, then a whole lot of judgement.
For Matt Turner, that’s what came deep into added time at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday, when Panama took their only shot on target all game — from the right side of the penalty area, drilled to the bottom left corner; Turner, who had taken position to the right of his goal, could not get his gloves to it.
Jack McGlynn and Tim Ream are dejected as Panama celebrate their late winner (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
That the USMNT won’t now win a fourth consecutive Nations League final is not solely down to Turner. Thursday’s defeat was a collective failure.
And although Panama, who also beat the United States 2-1 in a pivotal Copa America group-stage meeting last summer to set up the host nation’s early exit from that tournament, have now become their bogey team, there will be tougher tests on the horizon for Mauricio Pochettino’s side as they build towards the 2026 World Cup, also largely to be played on American soil.
That is where Turner’s status as second-choice for his club — he has made only four starts this season for Crystal Palace, all in the domestic cup competitions rather than the Premier League — but the USMNT’s No 1 for their biggest games will come under further scrutiny.
It’s something he got asked about by reporters in the build-up to Thursday’s match.
“Obviously, my club situation isn’t ideal right now,” said the 30-year-old, who is on a season-long loan at Palace from rival Premier League club Nottingham Forest. “But I’m giving every opportunity that I have to play the utmost importance and trying to put good performances together, just control what I can right now and then let the chips fall where they may.”
Not ideal then, but neither is it unprecedented.
Sergio Romero was Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper as they got to the final of the 2014 World Cup despite being second-string at Monaco of Ligue 1, the top division of French club football, and continued in his starting role for the national team despite going on to be the backup to David de Gea at Manchester United. Romero later described it as a “difficult situation”.
Former Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey also had spells as No 1 for Wales, despite hardly playing in the Premier League at the back-end of his time at Selhurst Park. Hennessey was then second-choice for Burnley and Forest while still getting games for his country, including at the 2022 World Cup.
Romero reached the 2014 World Cup final despite being second-choice at his club (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
For the USMNT it is not a new situation, either.
One of Turner’s current understudies, Zack Steffen of MLS side Colorado Rapids, played in the 2021 Nations League finals win against Mexico and in qualifiers for the following year’s World Cup while spending most of his two complete seasons at Manchester City of the Premier League on the bench.
“It’s come full circle,” says Matt Pyzdrowski, a coach and former goalkeeper who played professionally in the U.S. and Sweden, and is now The Athletic’s goalkeeping analyst. “Matt was playing regularly in MLS (for New England Revolution, before a July 2022 move to Europe with Arsenal) and trying to get ahead of Zack, who wasn’t playing as much as he’d like in England. Now they have kind of switched places.”
For large parts of Thursday’s game, Turner was less busy than he had been when playing 45 minutes of Palace’s 1-0 win over Norwegian side Hamarkameratene in a friendly last week.
In that practice game, part of Palace’s warm-weather training camp in Marbella, Spain during a break in their domestic schedule, he made two saves in the second half after replacing first-choice Dean Henderson at the interval. He touched the ball 17 times, only seven fewer times than in the 99 minutes, including added time, against Panama (24).
The questions come from the one decisive moment that did not go his way, meaning the U.S. will not play in Sunday’s final. But despite that setback, Turner has generally played well enough for the national team to retain his place in it, keeping high-profile errors at a bare minimum.
“It’s obviously a problem but, at the moment, I don’t think it’s a big problem because Matt has always performed for the USMNT,” says Pyzdrowski. “That’s the biggest thing you need to consider. If he was making lots of errors and not performing, then of course it would be a more pressing issue. But he has always done pretty well for his country despite not playing regularly at all for his club.”
Henderson, who is in the current England squad, and Turner warm up for Palace (Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
It remains to be seen whether Turner stays in the team for Sunday’s third-place play-off against Canada.
Patrick Schulte of Columbus Crew was in goal the last time the countries met, a 2-1 win for the Canadians last September in a friendly while the USMNT had Mikey Varas in interim charge. Had it been an important fixture, it is likely Turner would have been in the team that day in Kansas City and not on the bench. That means his performances for the national team are generally buoyed by the feeling of being trusted as a regular, according to Pyzdrowski.
“It doesn’t matter who you are as a player, you just want to feel valued,” he says. “Then you feel more comfortable on the field and it’s important not to overlook it. Matt has built up a lot of credit with the national team.
“In a perfect world, he’d be playing every week, regardless of what that requires — if it’s going back to MLS — because he’d naturally be sharper. But at the moment it hasn’t caused him too many issues.”
Turner has largely been Palace’s cup goalkeeper this season, starting one of the three Carabao Cup matches they played following his late-August arrival and, more significantly, all three FA Cup ties to date. He will hope to retain his place in the quarter-finals on March 29 against USMNT team-mate Antonee Robinson’s Fulham.
The only potential downside to his inactivity in the Premier League, Henderson has been an ever-present for Palace to date and Turner’s last appearance in the competition was for Forest in January last year, is a potential lack of time facing key high-level-game scenarios.
“The biggest issue of not playing regularly is just rustiness,” says Pyzdrowski. “And the relationship with your back line and reading of the play — how deep the balls come, or crosses into the box.
“I wouldn’t say that saving the ball and the speed of the ball is that much of a problem, because you get a lot of that in training. You get a ton of reps (in training) even when you’re on the bench. It’s more situations that can only arise in games.”
Those daily sessions between games are also different as a club’s backup ’keeper, though. “In training, the focus is really on the No 1, so the drills you do are suited to them,” says Pyzdrowski. “A lot of the situations Matt will be in during training won’t be with the guys who play every week (other reserves), so he’s not building those relationships.
“But then that’s the important thing with the national team: that he’s familiar with the setup and the guys there. He built that up over time and really earned his spot.”
Turner during Thursday’s defeat by Panama (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Veteran goalkeeper Andy Lonergan had spells as a backup, and even third-choice, towards the end of his career with top clubs such as Liverpool and Everton. He feels Turner’s extra physical freshness, in contrast to a ’keeper going through the grind of playing every weekend in the Premier League, should actually be a positive.
“He’s fresh for these games, raring to go and experienced,” says the 41-year-old, now a player/coach at Wigan Athletic in League One, the third tier of English football. “I know Dean Kiely, who works with him at Palace and speaks very highly of him and says how good he is in training.
“He’s got hundreds of games behind him and has been at big teams now, so I don’t think he’ll be too concerned about the situation. He has no niggles, no injuries, and he comes to these USMNT camps champing at the bit. When you’re second-choice (at a club) but have something to work towards, like the cup games and then the international games, you have a good focus.
“Ideally you want to play all the time and keep that rhythm because it isn’t easy coming in every six weeks in the cup, and his last international camp was in November. But from his point of view, I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”
Pyzdrowski points out that, in theory at least, playing a Panama team ranked 36th in the world by FIFA (20 places below the United States) can be less taxing on a goalkeeper’s reflexes than a game in the English top flight. “International football is a little different from the Premier League,” he says. “A game against Panama will be different and have perhaps less intensity than a Premier League game, so that will also help him feel his way into it.”
Lonergan playing for Everton against Western Sydney Wanderers in a 2022 friendly (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images for Bursty)
Like Pyzdrowski, Lonergan’s only concern would be whether players in Turner’s situation can stay sharp for in-game situations.
“Speaking from experience, the only fear when I wasn’t playing (regularly) but was a cup ’keeper with a game in six weeks’ time is that, in training, you’re doing small-side games so your reactions are bang-on,” he says. “But it’s your distances with the back four, balls over the top and through balls where you could be a little bit out of sync.
“That was always my concern, because training and 11-a-side on full pitches are different. In training, you’re on autopilot, flying around, but in games those decisions are vital.
“Through balls, distances and balls over the top are the hardest to practice as a ’keeper. You can do it in training but there are no consequences, whereas in a match if you decide to come (for a ball) and don’t get there, you’re in trouble. In training, you can keep doing it until you get it right.”
With the World Cup 15 months away, it could be that Turner — who made only seven appearances in his year with Arsenal before joining Forest, where he made 17 league starts last season — looks for a new team where he is more likely to be first choice. His loan at Palace expires in June and he has another two years to go on his contract with Forest, where Belgium international Matz Sels has established himself as a key player in goal as they make a surprise push for Champions League qualification.
“It’s not an unworkable situation as it is,” adds Pyzdrowski, who recently started a new role coaching the goalkeepers at Swedish top-flight side Malmo. “But the challenge it creates is because the goalkeeping position is so delicate, with so many small details. You really can only work on a lot of them in games.
“Goalkeeper training has evolved a lot in the last 10 years, in terms of the different repetitions and exercises you do compared to just lots of shots and volleys.
Turner catches a cross during Palace’s recent FA Cup win against Millwall (Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“Now it’s more match relevant, but even if you have one or two goalkeeper coaches and they’re taking shots at you, it’s not the same as a top-class striker coming at you, with the speed and accuracy. Yes, you’ll do some exercises with the team, but training just isn’t built around the number two or number three.
“You’re important and you have a role, but the coach needs guys on the team (the starters) working together to build those relationships.”
With the national team, those bonds seem as strong as ever. But to face the game’s very best at a World Cup just over a year away, Turner may decide he needs to increase his weekly workload.
Panama defeat conjures memories of USMNT’s most devastating losses
The U.S. men’s national team’s 1-0 loss to Panama in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals was unquestionably a humiliating one. The USMNT, replete with stars playing abroad and coached by the reputable Mauricio Pochettino, looked listless against the Panamanians. Despite the fact that Panama has now beaten the Americans three times in the last 20 months, the result still felt like a gut-punch to the U.S. – the program and its fans.
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Not that many of them watched the match in person. Just before the anthems on Thursday, U.S. star Christian Pulisic was spotted grimacing at the large swaths of empty seats around SoFi Stadium. The dour atmosphere – it didn’t help that it was a 4 p.m. local time kickoff outside Los Angeles – only added to the heartburn surrounding the result. A significantly larger crowd turned up for the second match of the day, between Mexico and Canada.
Pochettino spent much of the run-up to the game doing media, offering bold predictions that the USMNT were real contenders to win the World Cup in 2026, which is a little over a year away. In other interviews, he spoke of returning to the EPL some day and yearned for a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. The Argentine is charming, for certain, but his guile will mean nothing if he can’t accomplish his stated goals. He was brought in in large part to motivate this “golden generation” of U.S. players, but very few of them looked committed or golden on Thursday night.
The loss is unquestionably the poorest result of Pochettino’s seven-match tenure to date, and the U.S. still has a chance to save a bit of face against Canada in the third-place game. A loss in that match, which certainly feels possible, would only add to the misery surrounding the USMNT’s recent performances, and with time running short when it comes to galvanizing the country around the sport and program, results like Thursday’s come with some added layers.
Perspective is important, though, and even a fourth-place finish in a Concacaf Nations League wouldn’t hold a candle to some of the U.S. men’s most devastating previous failures, ones that had massive consequences. If you’re the kind of fan that likes to lean into your grief, then keep reading.
Costa Rica 1, USMNT 0; May 31, 1985
By the time the USMNT’s final qualifier of the 1986 World Cup cycle rolled around, the whole of American soccer was in a tailspin. The North American Soccer League (NASL) — the first real, top-flight league in U.S. history — had closed up shop permanently just two months earlier. The national team was largely made up of players from the Major Indoor Soccer League, and they rarely played the outdoor game, outside of national team call-ups. Some team members even played in semi-professional leagues and held part-time jobs.
Mexico, the dominant team in the region for decades, had already qualified for the 1986 World Cup as the host nation. In an era where only two teams from Concacaf qualified, the USMNT was looked upon as a favorite to advance. It needed only a draw against Costa Rica to advance to the next round of qualifying and take a step closer to a first World Cup berth since 1950.
The NASL’s collapse and public apathy toward the sport put the U.S. Soccer Federation in a bind and made ticket sales an essential revenue stream. Consequential matches in the U.S, even World Cup qualifiers, frequently felt like away games, with crowds full of immigrants from Latin American countries. Such was the case against Costa Rica.
“There was an agent that represented some of the (Costa Rican) players,” remembered USMNT’s Perry Van der Beck. “The federation sold this game to him. The stadium was just full of Costa Ricans — the halftime show, even, was just full of Costa Rican music, all aimed at the Costa Rican fans.”
The U.S. was led by head coach Alkis Panagoulias. Born in Greece, Panagoulias was a “token offering,” remembers former USMNT defender Alan Merrick, “who truly believed that the so-called ‘American spirit’ would carry us alone.” He was short of technical acumen and long on inspirational quotes.
“In this country, somewhere out there, maybe in Harlem or Los Angeles, there is the next Pelé,” Panagoulias once said. “And not just one — maybe 20 or 30.”
None of them was present against Costa Rica. The U.S. had the lion’s share of possession that day and played a bright opening half hour, yet the Costa Ricans pulled ahead on a lucky strike. USMNT forward Ricky Davis, along with fellow upstart Hugo Pérez, had a half-dozen decent chances for the U.S., all of which missed the mark.
Then, in the 73rd minute, a ray of hope: Defender Dan Canter fired in a shot that appeared to go in. The referee signaled for a goal, which was later waved off. It had hit the side netting, and 20 minutes later, the match ended. So did the U.S.’s hopes of qualification.
“I don’t know where we go from there,” Davis told reporters after the match. “There was our best chance to make it to the World Cup. We won’t have another chance until 1990. Who knows where soccer in America will be by then?”
The defeat is among the darkest moments in U.S. soccer history, but it also marks a beginning. Panagoulias and a host of players would be shown the door, replaced by a generation of talent that would eventually lead the U.S. to its first World Cup qualification in 40 years.
Among the only players to survive that transition was Paul Caligiuri. Not only did the USMNT legend take place in one of the program’s darkest moments, he scored the famed “shot heard ‘round the world” against Trinidad and Tobago that qualified the U.S. for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Iran 2, USMNT 1; June 21, 1998
The USMNT entered the 1998 World Cup in France riding a wave of hype. It followed a respectable showing at the 1994 World Cup on home soil with a series of wonderful results: a shocking run to the semifinals of the 1995 Copa America, the country’s first (and still only) victory over Brazil a few years later and a host of other respectable encounters against legitimately good teams across the globe.
Under the surface, though, cracks had begun to show. Some of the squad’s veterans, many of whom were part of the ‘94 cycle, had butted heads with head coach Steve Sampson over roster decisions and their dwindling roles. Sampson added fuel to the fire when he brought in a series of foreign-born players, much to the chagrin of the team’s veterans.
And infamously, Sampson excluded U.S. legend John Harkes from the final roster after learning that Harkes had been engaged in an affair with the wife of teammate Eric Wynalda. A difficult draw made the U.S.’s task in 1998 even more difficult, and after losing the opening match to Germany and with Yugoslavia looming, the USMNT’s second match against Iran became a must-win.
The game was framed by decades-old turmoil between Iran and the United States, and as matchday approached, things grew tense. SWAT teams and snipers were present in the stadium and FIFA had mandated strict protocols for how both teams interacted before the match. The U.S. and Iran, seeking to make a statement, took a team photograph together, with the Iranians presenting the U.S. players with white flowers.
USMNT and Iran pose together at the 1998 World Cup. (Photo by Nader Davoodi ATPImages/Getty Images)
For his part, Sampson made a half-dozen changes to his starting XI from the Germany loss and altered his formation, as well. The U.S. started the game on the front foot, nearly pulling ahead on a Brian McBride header, which hit the post. But the Iranians were opportunistic, and they grabbed a pair of goals on the counterattack. The 2-1 loss, combined with other results, eliminated the USMNT from the World Cup after two games.
The writing was on the wall for Sampson, who’d be dismissed not long after the tournament’s conclusion. Many of the club’s senior players, most notably veteran defender Alexi Lalas, sealed Sampson’s fate by publicly criticizing him in the press. The 1998 debacle marked the end of an era for U.S. Soccer, with many of the team’s highest-profile players, those who’d taken part in the 1994 World Cup, moving on for good.
Czech Republic 3, USMNT 0; June 12, 2006
It’s nearly impossible to overstate the hype surrounding the USMNT in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup. The U.S. had shocked the world with a deep run in 2002 and stormed through qualifying for the ‘06 tournament, booking a ticket to Germany with three matches remaining. The U.S. roster was a who’s who of American soccer royalty, maybe the most talented collection of American players ever sent to a World Cup.
The qualifying run had pushed the U.S. up to fifth in FIFA’s (deeply flawed) world ranking, which was uncharted territory for the lowly Americans. They’d done something even more improbable — cracked the consciousness of the general public in the U.S., the most elusive of challenges in American soccer. U.S. Soccer and Nike only intensified the buzz, plastering the team all over American airwaves and even deputizing one of the team’s young stars, Clint Dempsey, as U.S. Soccer’s official rapper.
Even a truly difficult draw couldn’t dampen the spirits of the American faithful. Italy and Ghana were both respectable opponents but both seemed beatable. Rounding out the U.S. group was the Czech Republic, then one of the best teams in the world.
Any and all hype surrounding the U.S. evaporated within moments of their group stage opener against the Czechs. It was not the first time the two countries had met in a World Cup. In 1990, the U.S. played their first World Cup match in 40 years against what was then called Czechoslovakia, losing in a 5-1 bloodbath. Many considered it a miracle the U.S. had even qualified for that tournament and few paid the result any mind. Even fewer considered it any form of a humiliation.
But 2006 was a different story. The U.S. was comprehensively dismantled by a Czech side featuring names like Jan Koller, Petr Čech and Tomáš Rosický. After their showing at the ‘02 World Cup and despite the hype surrounding the squad, the USMNT managed just one shot in the drubbing.
Few words in the language of American soccer carry as much weight as “dos a cero.”
The USMNT’s rivalry with Mexico is the stuff of legend, with the Mexicans holding a historical edge on their northern neighbors. Mexico was essentially unbeatable at the Azteca in Mexico City and El Tri often got the better of the U.S. in the states, as well. It wasn’t until the USMNT started playing matches of consequence against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, that the U.S. had a true home-field advantage.
For a 15-year stretch, the U.S. were undefeated at Crew Stadium, going 8-0-3 and compiling a 6-0-2 in World Cup qualifiers at the venue. The greatest results came against Mexico. The U.S. won every match they played against the Mexicans by that 2-0, dos-a-cero scoreline during that stretch, creating a deeply important psychological edge that grew with every successive result.
By 2016, the thought that the U.S. would lose a match to Mexico in Columbus — even allow a goal there — felt borderline unthinkable. Yet something felt different ahead of the U.S.’s qualifier against the Mexicans that November, in no small part because of the presidential election only days earlier. Trump’s dangerous rhetoric about Mexican immigrants in the United States forced both teams to put sports aside for the moment. By the time the two sides posed together for a team photo as a sign of unity just before the match, the aura surrounding the match changed. By the end of the game, the mystique of Crew Stadium was gone.
Rafa Márquez gave Mexico its first World Cup qualifying win in Columbus in 2016. (Paul Vernon/AFP/Getty Images)
Mexican defender Miguel Layún gave El Tri their first goal in Columbus 20 minutes in before the U.S. equalized early in the second half through Bobby Wood. Mexico did not let up, though, and found the winner just a minute from full time. It came courtesy of a glancing header by Rafa Márquez, perhaps the most villainous player in the history of the rivalry to U.S. fans. It felt fitting. Four days later, the U.S. lost 4-0 in Costa Rica, and five days after that, manager Jurgen Klinsmann was fired, with qualification for the 2018 World Cup put in peril.
By the time the 2022 qualification cycle rolled around, Crew Stadium had been replaced with a gleaming new venue. It probably wouldn’t have mattered anyways — the USMNT chose to play their home qualifier against Mexico in Cincinnati instead, leaving Columbus and all of its accompanying magic in the rearview.
Trinidad and Tobago 2, USMNT 1; October 10, 2017
Few U.S. fans had heard of Couva (population 45,000) before the USMNT played a decisive World Cup qualifier there in the fall of 2017. Now, the little town in Trinidad is seared into the collective consciousness of every USMNT fan. The name alone is a trigger word.
It was there that a shocking result eliminated the U.S. from qualification for the 2018 World Cup, ending a stretch during which the U.S. had played in every World Cup since 1990.
The seeds of the defeat in Couva were planted by Klinsmann, who led the USMNT through a miserable qualification cycle. After losing to Mexico and Costa Rica in the opening matches of the final stage of qualification, Klinsmann was sacked and replaced by Bruce Arena.
Arena, by most metrics the most successful coach in USMNT history, set about trying to repair the damage. The U.S. breezed through a few games but stuttered late in the qualification cycle. Even still, it seemed in excellent shape entering the match in Couva, needing just a draw to book a trip to Russia.
Trinidad and Tobago entered the match with little to play for, having already been eliminated. But games between these two opponents are always tinged with that famous 1989 win, the one where Caligiuri put a dagger in the heart of the Caribbean nation. The U.S. did little to help its cause by posting video on social media of the field conditions in Trinidad, a jab many viewed as belittling and insensitive given the resources available to the tiny nation.
In turn, the Soca Warriors came to play. They scored first through an own goal by U.S. defender Omar Gonzalez. Things went from bad to worse after T&T right back Alvin Jones ripped a 35-yard curler by U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. Pulisic, then 19, handed his team a lifeline with a goal early in the second half, but the U.S. never found an equalizer. Dempsey, reduced to a substitute, hit the post on the closest call.
Elsewhere in the region, other teams had pulled off their own upsets. Panama and Honduras had beaten Costa Rica and Mexico, respectively. and earned the right to advance. The unthinkable, to many, had happened: the USMNT was eliminated. To this day, the loss remains the worst loss in USMNT history, based on ELO rating.
Arena resigned almost immediately. USMNT fans, who had long grown accustomed to qualifying in every World Cup cycle, called for widespread change. The match marked the end of the line for a generation of U.S. legends — Michael Bradley, Dempsey, Howard and Jozy Altidore among them – and ushered in the new.
(Editor’s note: A portion of this piece was repurposed from a previous Athletic article from this writer detailing past significant USMNT defeats)
Wow what a busy weekend and of course I am on the road so not as much as I would like this week. Lets start by saying Champions League continues to deliver in whatever format its in. Both the Indy 11 & NWSL kick off this weekend (I will be at the Angel City game Sun eve). I don’t have time to give them the full rundown and will try to do season premiers on both next week. Of course the US Men have Nations League Finals on Thurs on Paramount Plus- not real TV?? at 8 pm on Thursday night vs Panama. The Canada vs Mexico game will follow at 10 pm on Para+. Don’t ask me how our US team in playing in Tourney play and the game is not on TV? UNBELIEVABLE. Of course the other factor is these game were set to go head to head with the first weekend of NCAA March Madness. To say the idiots who run soccer in this country are dumb might be the UNDERSTATEMENT of a lifetime.
Champions League I am sad that huge games between Atletico Madrid & Real Madrid and Liverpool & PSG were played in the round of 16 rather than an Elite 8 or deeper in the tourney. Both were classics and spectacular end to end play along with spectacular goalkeeping and both ended in shootouts. Sad to see Liverpool & Atletico out so soon. Big fellow Ref question – Was Atletico Robbed when this crucial 3rd kick in the shootout was ruled as a double touch by VAR? Atletico basically lost the game on that call as they can’t find a way to beat Real Madrid again in Champions League play. Rules changes are being considered because of it – see last story below.
Indy 11
The Boys in Blue open the USL Championship regular season on Saturday, March 15 at Miami FC at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Saturday is the 14th all-time meeting between the two sides, with Miami holding a 6-5-2 edge. The Boys in Blue have won the past four meetings. Coach Sean McAuley enters year two leading the Boys in Blue with 15 players returning from last year’s squad that earned the franchise’s first home playoff game since 2019 after advancing to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Indy Eleven home opener is 2 weeks away. Get the exclusive Home Opener Ticket Pack starting at $29, which includes tickets to the home opener March 29 vs. Colorado Springs (with on-field access), the U.S. Open Cup match on April 15 or 16, and a flex ticket for a match of your choice. Awesome to see Maverick McCoy a former Carmel FC player on the Roster as a 17 year-old academy player. Go Maverick – I know his dad Wade McCoy a former CFC Coach is proud as are we!
Defenders (9): Pat Hogan, ^Maverick McCoy, Finn McRobb, James Musa, Josh O’Brien, Ben Ofeimu, Bruno Rendon, Aedan Stanley, Hayden White
Midfielders (7): Jack Blake, Oliver Brynéus, Cam Lindley, James Murphy, Logan Neidlinger, Aodhan Quinn, Brem Soumaoro
Forwards (5): Elvis Amoh, Elliot Collier, Maalique Foster, Edward Kizza, Romario Williams
^USL Academy Contract
US Men Look to Win 3rd Straight Nations League Title Next Week
So the USMNT and new Manager Poch have a big task ahead as they look to secure their 3rd straight Nations League title starting Thur night vs Panama 8:30 pm on Paramount plus. The winner will face the winner of Canada vs Mexico which is played right after our game. The final is Sunday night at 10 pm on Para+. No real surprises on roster selection – waiting to see who will start in the middle defense will the Celtic duo outperform Richards & McKensie? Who starts along with Adams & Mckinney in the middle? I will have more on this including my line-up choices later in the week.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals)
DEFENDERS (8):Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 18/0), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL; 1/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 17/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 67/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 19/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0) MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 42/2), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 3/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 58/11), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 6/0) FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 2/2), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 45/1), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 76/32), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 27/5), Timothy Weah (Juventus/ITA; 42/7), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 3/1)
NWSL Season Stars this Weekend
The NWSL kicks off this weekend after an offseason packed with player movement, coaching hires, emerging storylines, and one compelling sneak peek. Orlando enters 2025 as the reigning NWSL Shield and Championship winners while Kansas City forward Temwa Chawinga defends her MVP award — but outside contenders are bound to keep 2024’s titans on their toes. Big games to watch this weekend.
Kansas City Current vs Portland Thorns Sat 12:45 pm on ABC. The MVP and Kansas City will host a rebuilding Portland Thorns team on national TV.
Gotham FC vs. Seattle Reign, Saturday at 10 PM ET (ION): See how the tension plays out between teams on either side of one of the offseason’s biggest trades, after Gotham sent veteran forward Lynn Biyendolo and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to Seattle while receiving promising young midfielder Jaelin Howell in return. Angel City vs. San Diego, Sunday at 6:50 PM ET (ESPN2): The SoCal rivalry heats back up between two work-in-progress teams, as Angel City begins anew under an interim manager while San Diego charts a new course with both a new coach and some big-name departures.
Champions League Chances to Win as we Enter The Quarter Finals
For Carmel Dad’s Club Refs — and want to be refs — check out the below. New Refs can learn to ref for free – at the new Ref Classes then ref rec games this spring after training with older officials. Its a great way to break into reffing without having to pay quite as much to start.
TV SCHEDULE
US PLAYERS ACROSS THE WORLD Saturday
Werder Bremen v Borussia Mönchengladbach – 10:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally missed Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 3-1 loss to Mainz last weekend due to yellow card accumulation, but should be available and back in the starting lineup on Saturday as they travel to take on Werder Bremen. ‘Gladbach fell to ninth place with the loss, seven points back of Mainz and five points back of fourth place Eintracht Frankfurt. Their opponent this weekend is 12th place Werder Bremen who have won two straight, including a 2-0 win over second place Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
Augsburg v Wolfsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes has returned to training but remains unavailable for Wolfsburg and Noahkai Banks has seen just 9 minutes in the last four matches for Augsburg (albeit all last weekend) so it seems unlikely that we’ll have an American take the field on Saturday as 11th place Augsburg host 7th place Wolfsburg.
AC Milan v Como – 1p on Paramount+
Christian Pulisic scored two goals last weekend in AC Milan’s 3-2 win over Lecce but the team remains in ninth place heading into their matchup with Como this weekend. Yunus Musah was also once again starting in the midfield for Milan and it will be interesting to see his continued usage for both club and country, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino has recently expressed that Musah can really be played all over the right side of the field, from rightback, in the midfield, or on the wing. However, Musah seems to have performed better for his club in the midfield though that is a crowded position for the USMNT.
RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund – 1:30p on ESPN+
After two straight league starts Gio Reyna did not make it off the bench last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 loss to Augsburg last weekend and just a handful of minutes on Wednesday as they saw out their 2-1 victory over Lille in the second leg of their Champions League matchup. With the win over Lille BVB continue on in this years Champions League competition but they remain in tenth place in Bundesliga play and seem unlikely to qualify for next year’s competition. They have a chance to gain ground this weekend as they face sixth place RB Leipzig who are four points ahead of them in the table. Leipzig have drawn three of their past four league matches.
Bournemouth v Brentford – 1:30p on USA Network
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth drew 2-2 with Tottenham on Sunday to stretch their winless streak to three matches. Bournemouth have fallen to ninth place with the recent rough stretch and are five points out of a top five finish. They host twelfth place Brentford this weekend who are coming off a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.
Sunday
Venezia v Napoli – 7:30a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio did not appear for Venezia last weekend, the first match since August that he has failed to see minutes in, and just the fourth match that he hasn’t started in that same time. Venezia picked up their third straight draw, against Como, and they remain well within the relegation zone, five points from safety, as they have won just three times in 28 matches this season. They face second place Napoli on Sunday who are just a point back of league leading Inter Milan.
Leganes v Real Betis – 9a on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
Johnny Cardoso was not included in the squad on Thursday as Real Betis defeated Vitoria Guimaraes 4-0 in UEFA Conference League action, casting some doubt on his availability for the USMNT Nations League camp just around the corner. There is no indication of a major injury but if the club is choosing to rest or be cautious with Johnny then perhaps it could impact his national team opportunities as well. Betis have won four straight league matches, all of which Cardoso started and they are in sixth place, three points back of fifth place Villarreal and eight back of Athletic Club and Champions League qualification. They face a Leagnes side that is just a point ahead of Alaves in the race to avoid relegation.
Fulham v Tottenham – 9:30a on USA Network
Antonee Robinson and Fulham fell to Brighton last weekend and look to bounce back against 13th place Tottenham who are coming off a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Robinson once again started and was wearing the captains armband last weekend. He did pick up his seventh yellow card of the season but the EPL rules allow for 10 in the first 32 matches before a player faces a two match suspension.
Olympique Lyon v Le Havre – 10a on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann has started five straight matches, continuing in the starting lineup after the suspension of his manager, and Lyon have won four of the five matches including last weekends 2-0 win over Nice to move within four points of the third place team and the Champions League qualification position. This weekend they face a Le Havre side that are in the relegation playoff position, a point back of straight safety and a point ahead of Saint-Etienne for straight relegation in a tight relegation playoff race.
Strasbourg v Toulouse – 12:15p on beIN Sports
Mark McKenzie started yet again for Toulouse last weekend and is approaching 2,000 Ligue 1 minutes for the team this season. Toulouse drew 1-1 with high flying Monaco, who had put up nineteen goals in their past six matches. Toulouse are in tenth place and will travel to take on seventh place Strasbourg on Sunday. Strasbourg have won four of their last five, and haven’t given up a goal over that span, their only blemish being a scoreless draw with Brest three weeks ago.
Fiorentina v Juventus – 1p on Paramount+
Juventus lost for just the second time last weekend, fa 4-0 stinker to Atalanta that left Juve in fourth place, six points back of their third place opponent. Tim Weah once again started at rightback but was pulled 54’ minutes in with Juve down 2-0. Weston McKennie also started the match and went the full 90’ playing as an attacking mid. Juventus will face Fiorentina this weekend, on Thursday Fiorentina reversed a 3-2 first leg deficit to Panathinaikos in UEEF Conference League action, winning 3-1 to move on 5-4 on aggregate.
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Pochettino addresses his inclusions, snubs for USMNT’s Nations League squad
By Paul Tenorio The Atletic ar. 11, 2025Updated Mar. 13, 2025
Several times over the course of his press conference on Tuesday, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino invoked the idea of “trust” to describe his selection process for the team that will compete for a fourth consecutive Concacaf Nations League trophy next week.
The trust earned by players like forward Patrick Agyemang during January camp. The trust he wanted to return to players like Diego Luna, to build the confidence and belief in a player who showed well in January and now will get his first shot with the full team. The trust and relationship he wanted to build with a player like Gio Reyna, who got his first call-up under Pochettino despite struggling for minutes and form at Borussia Dortmund; and Tyler Adams, who similarly will get his first look after returning from a back injury.
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Ultimately, it’s in the trust of communicating what Pochettino and his staff want from the team — and that the players can understand and execute those core tenets.
“It’s clear that many of the players here have won this competition,” Pochettino said. “And you always lose a little bit of hunger when you win, right? In this case we want to keep that hunger and try to instill in the players that you have to keep winning. You have to keep competing and keep winning.”
The U.S. will have two opportunities to compete for trophies between now and next summer’s World Cup. Both are Concacaf competitions: this spring’s Nations League and the summer’s Gold Cup. It put more value on this roster and its coveted roster spots.
A few familiar names were left off the team. Alejandro Zendejas is in top form at Club America in Liga MX, with five goals and five assists in the Clausura so far. He also scored two goals and had two assists in December’s Apertura semis and finals and was probably the biggest surprise snub if only because of his form. Brenden Aaronson, who was part of the 2022 World Cup roster, was also left off. Others on the outside looking in included center back Miles Robinson and midfielder Aidan Morris.
Pochettino said it’s down to the increased competition at each spot. Asked specifically about Aaronson, he shed some light on the depth chart.
“Brenden we know very well, but we decided to bring other players in that place,” Pochettino said. “We have players in that position like Gio Reyna, Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna. Too many players for only one position. The (idea) was to provide balance. … We (are talking) about him, but we can talk about many other players that were in the preliminary list.”
The answer reinforced the obvious. For every player who misses out on a team, there’s another player given a chance to prove they belong. Pochettino called six players who were a part of January camp and will now get a chance to validate their place among the senior squad in the biggest international windows.
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That includes Luna and Agyemang. “(Diego is) a player we followed from the day we signed with the USA national team,” Pochettino said. “We want to give another possibility. … I think it’s important for him to feel confidence from us, and I think he was good in the January camp and we want to provide the possibility to train with us again.
Patrick Agyemang, center, was a star of January camp for the U.S. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
“Talking about Patrick he’s still a little bit raw, a player that you can feel that he can evolve and learn a lot,” Pochettino continued. “But the potential and the characteristics, if he continues his progression, we can talk about in the future a very good striker. Now it’s up to him. We were so happy about January camp, I think he showed we can trust him. He scored, but not only his scoring, his work ethic in the camp, the way that he can press, he worked for the team. All these things that I think meant we were focused on him, to give the trust and calling him now is to show that we really believe in him.”
The roster also includes a few familiar faces for U.S. fans who haven’t yet had a chance to prove themselves to Pochettino. That includes Adams, whom Pochettino praised but also said would have to “prove that he’s better than” others in a midfield that includes Tanner Tessmann, Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie.
It also includes Reyna, who is still trying to find his way at the club level. He’ll get a chance to set things right in Nations League, a tournament that has been kind to him in the past. Reyna has five goal contributions across three Nations League finals. Despite not being in prime form, Pochettino said it was important to get Reyna in because he wouldn’t be able to participate in the Gold Cup. He’s instead due to be playing for Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup, which will be going on concurrently with the national team’s regional competition.
FIFA ruled that clubs have priority over players in this summer international window as it tries to push its new club competition, meaning Reyna and Juventus players Weston McKennie and Tim Weah are likely to e with their club teams rather than with the U.S.
“Everyone recognizes that his talent (is there),” Pochettino said of Reyna. “Of course, he’s improving, but he needs to improve. And of course he can do better. We need to push him, but we need to understand how he thinks, what he likes, (what) he (doesn’t) like. It’s important to create this relationship for the future if we are going to have the (possibility) again (for him) to join us. We want to win this competition, and I think he can help. That is why he is with us. But at the same time, I think he can do better. We are going to try to create this relationship, to try to discover and how to help.”
It makes this March window important on a number of levels — from team success, to individual performances and enhancing competition ahead of next summer’s all-important World Cup.
(Top photo: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Five Questions for Week 2 in the USL Championship
We’ve got another 11-game slate of action this weekend in the USL Championship, including Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s home opener and a regional rivalry clash in Northern California.Here are five questions we have ahead of the action.1. Can Colorado Springs get Marco Micaletto and Anthony Fontana more involved?We saw a great example of how Colorado Springs can be an effective attacking force in the opening minutes of its contest in El Paso when Marco Micaletto’s run into space behind Locomotive’s back line resulted in a penalty that Micaletto converted. The challenge? Both Micaletto and Anthony Fontana were limited in their influence overall, combining for only 28 passes overall and one chance created.Both Fontana and Micaletto can be difference-makers, but they’re going to need more opportunity on the ball to do so. At home against a strong Detroit City midfield, they’re going to need to be more active for the defending title-holders to pick up their first win of the season.2. Will Lexington SC maintain its perfect start in Orange County?Lexington SC produced one of the best performances of the opening weekend, becoming the first team to win its inaugural game in the USL Championship since 2018 with a 2-0 win at home to Hartford Athletic. Central to that was a stellar defensive display that didn’t allow a shot on target, providing the foundation for Head Coach Terry Boss’ side.Lexington should get a much sterner test this Saturday when it visits an Orange County SC side that put up a four-spot in its opening night victory against Oakland Roots SC. If the visitors can come away from Championship Soccer Stadium with a result, it’ll add to the belief this side can be an immediate contender.3. Can FC Tulsa break its duck against the Rowdies?When it comes to FC Tulsa, there are some clubs that simply have proven an obstacle too great to overcome. While the history between Tulsa and the Tampa Bay Rowdies is relatively limited – the sides have played five times in league play – the Scissortails have only emerged with one point from those encounters, losing four times.After breaking a seven-year winless streak against Phoenix Rising FC last week with a hard-fought 1-0 win in the desert, however, the hope is the tide is turning under new Head Coach Luke Spencer. It’s early for statements, but Tulsa picking up its first win at home to Tampa Bay in its home opener would be an eye-opener.4. Will Monterey Bay FC or Oakland Roots SC give us something to believe in?It’s fair to say the opening games of the season for both Monterey Bay FC – a 1-0 loss at San Antonio in which the side didn’t officially record a shot on target – and Oakland Roots SC – a 4-2 defeat at Orange County SC in which the side’s defense looked as fallible as a season ago – wasn’t what either club was looking for.The NorCal rivals meet at Cardinale Stadium on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Golazo Network) aiming to deliver their first points of the season. Hopefully we’ll be able to walk away with a bit more optimism about at least one of their directions by the end of the night.5. What does Loudoun United’s second act look like?On this week’s USL All Access, our friend Devon Kerr described Loudoun United FC’s performance at Birmingham Legion FC as “awesome,” and we’re in complete concurrence. The combination of Abdellatif Aboukoura and Zach Ryan led the way in the final third, and it was hard to find a weak link in the lineup.There was the mitigation that Birmingham Legion FC looked subpar, however, which means we’re curious as to what United’s second outing of the season looks like against a North Carolina FC side that was solid in its debut against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. If Loudoun comes away with another result and positive performance, we’re in for a re-evaluation of where this club might sit in the East’s hierarchy.
Champions League projections 2024-25: Who will lift the trophy in Munich on May 31?
By The Athletic UK Staff
The Champions League has a new format for 2024-25. Forget group tables, instead we saw a 36-team league stage being contested from September through to January. But now that has been completed, who has the best chance of progressing to the final in May and lifting the trophy? Throughout the season, we will publish projections — powered by Opta data — to show how teams are expected to perform. These will update after each matchday. The competition’s expanded format might take a little time to get used to, but these projections can show you how it might all unfold.
Last updated March 13, 2025 at 8:56 AM
State of the League: Before the NWSL can take on the world, it must find its place in the U.S.
By Meg Linehan The Athletic Mar. 14, 2025Updated 10:49 am PDT
The narrative around women’s sports has changed drastically over the past few years, expedited by the current political climate in the United States.
Right now, the WNBA is out in front in a way the NWSL — on the cusp of its 2025 season — can only dream of.
The NWSL doesn’t have a Caitlin Clark-esque marquee player, but Clark has served as an amplifying factor more than a foundational one. It’s also a transitional time for the NWSL when it comes to minting new stars that can transcend the league or make the cover of Time or Vogue. The leading candidate, Trinity Rodman, discussed her desire to play in Europe at some point in the same week she graced a Times Square billboard for the league.
The NWSL has always talked a big game about being the best in the world. In 2025, it wouldn’t hurt to take a step back and figure out how to truly matter in the U.S. first — though such an undertaking isn’t guaranteed to be fully under its control.
“We’ve talked about becoming really laser focused on our key initiatives. Everything that we’re doing right now from a business perspective is focused on cultural relevance and storytelling,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in her state of the league presser ahead of the Challenge Cup.
In theory, all of this makes sense — the part that worries me is that the scaffolding is being built upon brands rather than the league itself. Berman highlighted two new deals with e.l.f. Cosmetics and Alex Cooper’s Unwell, “both of whom are exactly within the strategy that we deployed for the offseason to really get after our next generation of fans.”
She pointed to “share of mind, share of wallet and cultural relevance” as vehicles for the league’s strategic plan in a meeting with The Athletic on Tuesday, saying the league has key results they monitor to see how much they are moving the needle. The NWSL measures awareness (via brand tracker surveys both aided with leading questions and unaided), how marketable their players are, how the league resonates from a public relations perspective and sentiment on social media.
Worries over player departures, especially center back Naomi Girma, dominated the conversation, but the league also launched its 16th expansion team in Denver with a whopping $110 million fee and plenty of buzz. They released a four-part series, “For the Win,” going behind the scenes of last year’s playoffs with media rights partner Prime Video. The league also settled with three attorneys general regarding past systemic failures to protect its players from abuse, even as it grapples with the present — most recently launching a formal review into Bay FC’s coaching staff.
There’s no such thing as a quiet offseason in the NWSL, but that’s a lot on top of all the usual free agency moves and trades — and the first winter where teams had to sign young players without the mechanism of the NWSL college draft.
Before the NWSL can achieve that cultural relevance though, they need eyeballs. Last year, they failed to crack the one million viewer threshold for a game. The championship got close, peaking at 1.1 million viewers up against college football, but averaged 967,900; 1.5 million watched the Skills Challenge, a number helped tremendously by NFL game lead-ins. For comparison, the WNBA regular season averaged 1.2 million viewers across ESPN platforms, up 170 percent from the previous year. Their most-watched game, Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky on June 23, averaged 2.3 million viewers.
This has to be the year the NWSL reaches that 1 million view milestone, and TV numbers for regular season games need to be up, too. This year, much like last year, feels like the NWSL is getting closer to an answer to those big-picture questions.
With the addition of two teams next year, the league has a decent runway to 2026, when it will need to figure out how to insert itself into the conversation of the men’s World Cup on home soil or provide audiences with counter-programming.
The NWSL’s growth and destiny as a professional league are also not immune from the current state of affairs in the United States, especially if a potential economic recession comes into play.
According to a recent report by The New York Times, strategists at Goldman Sachs have increased the chances of a U.S. recession to 20 percent in the next year, and any slowdown here could then raise the risks of a global recession, according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase.
Every domestic professional league is likely watching the economic outlook closely, but historically, all three professional women’s soccer leagues in the U.S. have had to contend with the impacts of a recession. The NWSL has survived a short but steep recession before, getting through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but this is now another time of uncertainty and volatility. While there were many contributing factors to the demise of its predecessor, the WPS, the league was constantly on unsteady footing financially, with an average salary of $25,000 in its final year.
Continued inflation or any meaningful signs of a recession could impact everything from ongoing and potential brand partnerships to fan purchasing power. During the Great Recession in 2009, the WNBA even had to retract a team, the Houston Comets.
The NWSL was one of the first leagues to return to play amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jeffrey Swinger / USA TODAY Sports)
Women’s sports, for better or worse, have always been viewed as a more affordable option for a fan compared to men’s sports. While that may still technically be the case, as premium options become the norm and demand rises, the NWSL will have to ask itself who’s attending their games and what the get-in price is. Will it be sustainable in the long run for younger fans — especially the Gen-Z audience the NWSL so desperately craves?
So far, at least, there haven’t been many signs of economic activity negatively impacting the NWSL. For instance, the Washington Spirit just opened up the upper deck due to demand for new season ticket holders, despite the impact of widespread federal worker layoffs across the metro area led by the Department of Government Efficiency.
But couple that volatility with a presidential administration that has made the “protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports” a focus, and the NWSL — and any other women’s professional league — could suddenly find itself in a very precarious place. One of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders was to ban transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports.
Last year, the league was briefly tested in its response to other bad-faith attacks when author JK Rowling falsely accused Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda of being ineligible to compete in women’s divisions. Her eligibility has never been seriously questioned nor revoked. Banda was being honored as the BBC’s women’s footballer of the year, but the NWSL failed to support her. It’s something the league has since worked to remedy.
Around the NWSL ecosystem, the conversation has already started. Last week, Canada international Vanessa Gilles, on loan to Lyon from Angel City, said she was working on extending her time in France.
Canada defender Vanessa Gilles said she’s unlikely to return to Angel City from Lyon at this time. (Maria Lysaker / USA TODAY Sports)
“I don’t see myself going back to the United States with the current geopolitical situation,” she told Le Progrès. “It’s a bit complicated to go back there as a Canadian.”
It’s an entirely reasonable position, but not one the NWSL has a decent answer to yet.
There’s a bit of a pretense of a business-as-usual approach across the league, but that sentiment could crumble at any moment with little warning.
Sports are an escape, but they cannot be completely divorced from society. The NWSL wants its spotlight in 2025, but that won’t come without the increasing creep of U.S. politics into the league and women’s sports as a whole.
(Top photo: Jaylynn Nash / USA TODAY Sports via Imagn)
NWSL players to watch: Key performers for every team in 2025
By Jeff Rueter Mar. 11, 2025Updated Mar. 14, 2025 11:57 am PDT
For a few more days, all 14 NWSL teams will refine their preseason preparations. Every team can credibly dream of reaching the title game a year after the Orlando Pride went from regularly missing the playoffs to winning it all.
The rising level of talent in the NWSL means every team has more than one player they can hitch their hopes to heading into the 2025 season.
This is not necessarily intended to be a guide to each team’s most important or impactful player — we’re not looking at Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga or Trinity Rodman here — nor is this a speculative guess of which unknown squad members will catch us all by surprise. Instead, the following analysis is a hodgepodge of high-end performers, players looking to bounce back from tough 2024 seasons and invaluable options who often fly under the radar. All are welcome; let’s dive in.
All data was pulled from TruMedia via StatsPerform (Opta).
Angel City: Alyssa Thompson
When a player earns a World Cup roster spot at 18, their careers get judged differently than most of their peers. Thompson struggled at the start of 2024, failing to score before the Olympic break. She broke her scoring slump in the first game back, netting a brace against San Diego Wave to kick off a burst that yielded five goals from five NWSL appearances. Thompson also chipped in with seven assists despite her team missing the postseason.
Thompson has been tricky with the ball at her feet since her debut in 2023 but her confidence grew further last year, seeing her take on more responsibility. She attempted nearly twice as many take-ons (86 in 2024 vs 46 as a rookie), had three game-winning assists and one match-winning goal. She returned to the U.S. women’s national team after the Olympics and will likely remain in head coach Emma Hayes’ plans this year.
Interim coach Sam Laity will lead Angel City until at least June, so the squad’s holdovers will be invaluable amid change and uncertainty to start the season. Although Thompson only turned 20 years old in November, she’s been a regular starter for two seasons and projects to be even more valuable in 2025. With Christen Press and Sydney Leroux continuing to offer help in the attack and veterans’ insight off the pitch, Thompson could hit even greater heights in her third season.
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Bay FC: Racheal Kundananji
There have been 10 games when a player has notched double-digit shot attempts since 2021. Nine of the 10 were active members of the USWNT. The only exception, and the sole 10-shot firer of 2024, was Kundananji, as Bay FC closed its regular season by cementing a playoff place against the Houston Dash.
Signed to a then-world-record transfer fee, the Zambia international had an up-and-down debut NWSL season. Kundananji scored in her debut (also against the Dash), then netted just once more before the Olympics. She finished the year in fine form, however, scoring twice and adding two assists in Bay’s final three regular season games to lead the team to the playoffs in their expansion season.
Getting a full preseason with the team, Kundananji has forged better relationships with her returning teammates. She can also play free from certain pressures that come with a record transfer, as Naomi Girma now bears that mantle.
Chicago Stars: Ally Schlegel
This has been another trying offseason for Chicago fans. The team made a few major moves in the middle of 2024, but it doesn’t entirely explain away a mostly dormant offseason. Question marks also surround the availability of the team’s marquee player, Mallory Swanson.
While summer signings Ludmila and Julia Grosso will begin their first full seasons at Chicago, the club put Schlegel front and center for its jersey release. This wasn’t a choice devoid of merit, either. Schlegel quietly tied Swanson with six non-penalty goals to lead Chicago, while her 13 chances created from open play only trailed Swanson on the squad.
It’s difficult to see how the Stars could contend if Swanson isn’t starting. She led the team with 49 shots (no one else took more than 28) and was again top with 31 chances created (more than double her teammates). All of that was symptomatic of a one-note attack in head coach Lorne Donaldson’s first season, but Schlegel, Ludmila and Jenna Bike will be eager to make their impacts in the final third. With her trademark pink headband, Schlegel won’t be hard to spot — especially if she keeps bagging goals.
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Gotham FC: Rose Lavelle
Lavelle is the USWNT’s chief facilitator. Her eye for a clever pass is unparalleled, and the team’s chance creation suffers whenever she’s missing. At the NWSL level, however, a different side to Lavelle’s game emerges: a volume shooter who dribbles to get herself into range.
She may need to tap into her international job description in the 2025 season. Gotham said goodbye to its two top run-of-play chance creators this offseason, as Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan are off to revive the Dash. Left back Jenna Nighswonger also left for Arsenal in England, leaving the squad with one less capable crosser.
Gotham has had another free-wheeling offseason, with other key departures including Lynn Biyendolo and Crystal Dunn. The club replaced Biyendolo with center forward Gabi Portilho, which could leave Lavelle playing closer to midfield than the front of the attack. That would put her in a prime position to pull the strings, and it could help catalyze Gotham’s efforts to return to the NWSL championship final. She just needs to get healthy first after offseason ankle surgery.
Houston Dash: Diana Ordóñez
After the 2022 season, Ordóñez was among the most lauded young players in the league. She excelled as a 20-year-old rookie, scoring 11 goals for the North Carolina Courage and bagging a brace in her international debut with Mexico against Anguilla.
Houston pushed hard to bring her into the fold, landing her in a pre-draft trade. While she had a more obvious leading role with her new club, the drop in squad caliber hampered her scoring output.
The graphic above compares her goalscoring output to expected goals (xG) across a rolling 900-minute sample. The blue line is the one that changes scorelines, and the annual swan dives in form are an obvious concern. However, she was hardly equipped to get those kinds of shooting looks, as the Dash’s chance creation across her two seasons has never met the service she enjoyed with the Courage.
With Ryan and Sheehan joining her in Houston, Ordóñez projects to benefit greatly. After scoring just three goals in 2023 and five in 2024, the creative reinforcements could vault her back to double-digit output.
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Kansas City Current: Bia
From the first match at CPKC Stadium, the Current was arguably the league’s most watchable team for neutral viewers. The attack whirred from the opening whistle, led by Chawinga. Vanessa DiBernardo put in the best year of her career in midfield. In the season’s first quarter, however, Chawinga shared top billing with her strike partner, Bia.
The Brazilian forward was a handful in the season’s early weeks, tied with Chawinga with four goals in the Current’s first five matches. Her form returned to Earth as May and June progressed, and a stress fracture in her foot ruled her out of Brazil’s Olympics squad in early July.
In the playoffs, with Bia still recovering and Debinha looking less impactful than in past seasons, opponents were happy to pester Chawinga and persistently challenge the Malawian with foul-worthy contact. Having Bia back to her best would give defenders more to worry about in transition and on set plays, and would open up space for Chawinga to wreak more havoc.
North Carolina Courage: Tyler Lussi
Six years removed from winning a second straight NWSL title, the Courage’s path to title contention is going through the field’s central channel. After trading for Ashley Sanchez last winter, the Courage returned to the trade market to bring in USWNT playmaker Jaedyn Shaw from San Diego, offering her a role in a system that caters to the 20-year-old’s game. Even with 2023 MVP Kerolin among the departures, North Carolina should again compete in the upper third of the table.
Sanchez and Shaw want to get on the ball, willing to roam from side to side and drop into midfield to facilitate. The United States internationals are also happy to shoot from outside the box. This often requires a teammate to do more thankless work running off the ball and dribbling down the flank as the central playmakers find their pockets of space.
That job description matches Lussi’s style of play. Her expert reading of a game and dribbling help her teams advance upfield.
The 30-year-old has the kind of downhill compass that is vital to ease the pressure on Sanchez and Shaw, as it’s easier to make a defense backpedal in the less congested wide thirds of the field. Lussi has the potential to set a new career high mark with assists, but her movement should allow her to bag a handful of goals as well.
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Orlando Pride: Angelina
Orlando’s emergent 2024 had many headliners. Banda was unstoppable and a worthy MVP finalist. Marta cannon-balled into the fountain of youth to help the Pride win its first NWSL title. Seb Hines was a worthy coach of the year, while defender Emily Sams went from an unsung starter to an Olympic gold medalist.
And yet, the midfield was often overlooked when discussing this team’s greatest strengths. That’s not to criticise Angelina, who was industrious and consistent in the heart of the park. The Jersey City-born midfielder made a defensive impact across the pitch, was a consistent chance-creator and vital line-breaking passer in the team’s build-up.
The 25-year-old Brazil international has already built a winning track record and will expect a similar high standard for herself and her team alike. Banda and Marta will undoubtedly still fill the highlight reels, but much of what they can do depends on players like Angelina.
Portland Thorns: Anyone who’s available for selection
Among the league’s most consistent franchises since debuting, Portland will follow a tumultuous 2024 with even more uncertainty this spring. Christine Sinclair and Becky Sauerbrunn have retired, while the team placed three starters — Morgan Weaver, Marie Müller and Nicole Payne — on the season-ending injury list late in February. As if that wasn’t enough change for one offseason, star striker Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) announced her pregnancy in early March.
That’s an overwhelming amount of attacking quality now missing from last year’s side.
Of the players shown above who helped Portland crash the box, only Canada international Jessie Fleming, United States international Olivia Moultrie and second-year forward Payton Linnehan return. Sam Coffey gives the Thorns arguably the league’s best defensive midfielder. Japan international Hina Sugita may also be relied upon heavily, and Deyna Castellanos has arrived after a frustrating year with Bay. Still, this figures to be another season with plenty of questions to answer for the Thorns.
Racing Louisville: Uchenna Kanu
This season will be Louisville’s fifth in the NWSL. For four years running, Louisville has finished ninth in the standings — a feat that’s increasingly impressive as the league continues to expand, but a place that has never been enough for a playoff berth.
The squad has undeniable quality. The midfield looks especially robust, with Savannah DeMelo and Ary Borges pulling the strings. Taylor Flint is among the league’s best defensive midfielders. Emma Sears has broken through with the USWNT and is among the league’s best players in transition sequences thanks to her considerable speed and dribbling ability. All those skill sets are great for build-up and chance generation, but Louisville has often gone begging for a consistent goalscorer.
While Kanu featured in a few roles last year, most often as a left-sided attacking midfielder, her shifts up front may give head coach Bev Yanez her answer at striker. The Nigeria international converted five of the seven shots she placed on goal, while her goalscoring record with Tigres UANL (20 goals in 30 games) shows what she can do. If she can get closer to that return, Louisville may finally finish in a playoff position.
San Diego Wave: Kailen Sheridan
Not much went to plan for San Diego in its fourth season. As Alex Morgan played the final season of her illustrious career, the 2023 NWSL Shield winner plummeted to the wrong end of the table. The Wave played under three coaches while Morgan and Girma closed their tenures at the club.
The Wave is looking to rebound under former Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall. Adriana Leon is the new projected star striker, but Sheridan represents an invaluable presence in the locker room. Not only is she Leon’s international teammate, which should help as the forward readjusts to the league, but she also has the high-level track record and leadership chops to give Eidevall someone to lean on.
She’s also still among the world’s best goalkeepers. Even as San Diego’s once-stout defense wobbled in 2024, Sheridan performed well above expectations. The 29-year-old is the undisputed most important player at the Wave.
Seattle Reign: Jordyn Huitema
Huitema broke through early, debuting internationally as a 15-year-old and making Canada’s 2019 World Cup squad just after her 18th birthday. The hype machine did its thing and projected her as Canada’s answer up top, but she hasn’t put up the goalscoring numbers that typified her predecessor, Sinclair. Huitema has scored 23 goals in her 88 caps for Canada, but she’s scored just 10 times for Seattle across her first three seasons.
Huitema has expert movement in the final third and consistently gets into good scoring areas, with her average shot distance since joining the Reign ranging from 11.2 yards to 12.8 yards. Her shot placement is the concern.
Most great strikers spray the ball to any area of the goalmouth, high and low, to keep a goalkeeper guessing. Last year, Huitema did the opposite, placing 74 percent of her shots on target low and in the middle of the goal.
With Biyendolo joining Seattle this winter, it could afford Huitema more space to set up her shots. If so, it could lead to the kind of goal return that many expected from the Canada international when she first broke out.
Tanaka could hardly have started 2025 in finer form. The Royal scored four goals in Japan’s first two games of the SheBelieves Cup to tie Swanson’s 2023 record for the three-game tournament. She started in Japan’s 2-1 victory to capture the team’s first SheBelieves trophy.
The forward made her NWSL debut midway through the 2024 season, joining Utah in July. Although she scored just once, it was the second time she had played outside of Japan. With an offseason to acclimate, she should also have a clearer role under head coach Jimmy Coenraets.
Both Tanaka and fellow SheBelieves star Ally Sentnor love a shot from deep, but Tanaka projects to be more willing to play in a more advanced role as a striker. Her deftness on the ball and quick decision-making will make her an exceptional focal point for the Royals in 2025.
Washington Spirit: Hal Hershfelt
While Croix Bethune was a no-brainer to win rookie of the year, she was far from the only first-year player to carry the Spirit to the NWSL championship final. Many were surprised to see Hershfelt among Hayes’ alternates for the 2024 Olympics, but the selection only clued more of us in on how impactful the midfielder already was for her club.
Drafted out of Clemson, Hershfelt was selected using the pick that Washington obtained when they traded Sanchez. In her first professional season, Hershfelt played with tenacity and confidence, getting stuck in across the pitch while playing with positional awareness that rarely left Washington without cover.
Hershfelt was also an aerial threat on set pieces, most memorably saving the Spirit’s season with a late equalizer in the semifinal against Gotham. The mix of high-octane defending and aerial threat in attack begs comparisons to Julie Ertz, and the 23-year-old would be a worthy regular alternative to Coffey for the USWNT.
(Top photo: Imagn Images)
Julian Alvarez penalty decision could spark law change; UEFA to discuss with FIFA, IFAB
The law that saw Julian Alvarez’s penalty controversially ruled out against Real Madrid could be reviewed with UEFA releasing a new video of the spot kick.
The footage of the penalty, posted on the governing body’s website, shows the ball move slightly after being touched by the Atletico Madrid forward’s standing left foot before he strikes it with his right.
Real Madrid went on to advance through to the quarter-finals.
On Thursday, UEFA said Atletico had contacted them about the decision and that they will discuss the law with FIFA, the world governing body, and the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which determines the laws of the game.
UEFA released the video of the penalty on its website on Thursday (UEFA)
In a statement, UEFA said: “Atletico Madrid enquired with UEFA over the incident, which led to the disallowance of the kick from the penalty mark taken by Julian Alvarez at the end of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid.
“Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it, as shown in the attached video clip. Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed.
“UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional.”
Atletico head coach Diego Simeone was left angered by the decision and claimed there was insufficient evidence for VAR to overturn the on-field referee’s initial call.
“The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move,” he told reporters after the game.
“I’ve never seen a penalty where they’ve called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it. I want to believe they saw he touched it.
“Did you see him touching the ball twice? Please, whoever was present in the stadium and saw him touching the ball twice, the ball moving, please come forward and raise your hand. I don’t see anybody with their hand raised so that’s all I have to say… next question.”
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The IFAB laws of the game prohibit the player taking the penalty kick from playing the ball twice before it has touched another player, the ball stops moving or goes out of play.
Article 14.1 reads: “The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player. The penalty kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence.”
Alvarez’s penalty was ruled out after a VAR intervention (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The law was designed to stop players from dribbling towards goal from a penalty kick and was applied in January 2023 when then-Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic slipped as he went to strike the penalty against Newcastle United and kicked it into his standing leg.
Mitrovic’s penalty goal was disallowed and a free-kick was awarded to Newcastle.
UEFA introduced in-ball technology for Euro 2024 last summer to help improve the accuracy and speed of decision making.
European football’s governing body have confirmed to The Athletic that no in-ball technology was used to assist in overturning the decision to award Alvarez’s penalty with the new system only in place for the men’s and women’s European Championships but not the Champions League.
The decision was made solely using cameras in the stadium. The semi-automated offside system in place also utilises cameras only.
An Atletico statement on Friday detailed the “tremendous frustration” the club feel over the decision and threw their support behind a changing of the law.
A club spokesperson said: “For us there is an error in the use of the VAR that has caused tremendous frustration and damage to our fans and the efforts of our players. We consider that there is no clear movement as indicated in rule 14 and that in 45 seconds you cannot resolve an action that more than a day later is still unclear.
“But we are aware that even if this error is demonstrated in the use of the VAR it will never change the final result of the tie. We believe that the football family must work together to prevent such an error from happening again.”
Real Madrid will now play Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with the fixtures to be played over April 8 and April 16.
So I saw an interview where Don Garber said the Apple TV deal has introduced American’s to soccer. Boy is that guy delusional. That being said I did watch some MLS this weekend – yes a game was on Fox and a few games were also on just normal Apple TV without having to buy the season pass. In fact Sunday nights are gonna have Sunday night futbol with a 7 pm Apple TV MLS game – wish it was on Fox or FS1 but most people have normal Apple TV even if we don’t have the Season pass – so that’s a start. Oh and the games on FS2 during the week with Champions Cup have been worth the watch as well.
Champions League Leg 1 Knock out Round
So the Sweet 16 of Champions League was spectacular for some games and blowout city on others. Benefica gave Barcelona all they could handle at the Camp Nou. Liverpool survived at PSG thanks to these spectacular saves by GK Alisson (who had perhaps his best day ever in goal with 9 saves. Alisson’s Master Class) Not sure anyone expected Bayern Munich to slap down Leverkusen 3-0 or Arsenal to kill an injury plagued PSV 7-1. Of course the game of the week was the Madrid Derby a 2-1 escape at home by the holders Real Madrid over Atletico. Sets up some interesting games in leg 2 of the tourney this week.
Tues, March 11 Champions League
12:45 pm Para+TUDN Benefica 0 vs Barcelona 1
4 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen 0 vs Bayern Munich 3
4 pm Para+ Liverpool 1 vs PSG 0
4 pm Para+, CBSSN Ferynoord 0 vs Inter Milan 2
8:30 pm FS2 LAFC vs Columbus Champs Cup
8:30 pm TUDN Cruz Azul vs Seattle Sounders
Weds, Mar 12
1:45 pm Par+, CBSSNLille 1 vs 3 Dortmund (Reyna)
4 pm Para+, TUDN Atletico Madrid 1 vs Real Madrid 2
4 pm Para+ Aston Villa 3 vs Club Brugge 1
4 pm Para+ Arsenal 7 vs PSV (Ledezma) 1
A little warmer for the Boys Showcase last weekend with Thom Parks and Eric & man the food was good again – thanks Nate !!
GAMES ON TV
Fr, Mar 7
8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride (Marta) vs Washington Spirit
Sat, Mar 8
10 am USA Brighton vs Fulham (Robinson)
10 am Peacok,Sirius Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Ipwich
12 noon Para+ Lecce vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
12:30 pm NBC Brentford vs Aston Villa
2:30 pm Apple TV Columbus vs Houston
3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Osasuna
4:45 pm Fox Seattle Sounders vs LAFC MLS
7:30 pm Apple Dallas vs Chicago
8 pm Univision Cruz Asul vs Monterrey
10:30 pm Apple San Jose vs Minnesota
Sun, March 9
10 am CBSSN Napoli ivs Fiorentina
11”15 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Rayo Callencano
12:30 pm NBC Man United vs Arsenal
3:45 pm Para+, Sirius Juventus (Mckinney, Weah) vs Atalanta
7 pm Apple TV LA Galaxy vs St Louis City
Mon, March 10
4 pm USA West Ham United vs New Castle United
Tues, March 11 Champions League
12:45 pm Para+TUDN Benefica 0 vs Barcelona 1
4 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen 0 vs Bayern Munich 3
4 pm Para+ Liverpool 1 vs PSG 0
4 pm Para+, CBSSN Ferynoord 0 vs Inter Milan 2
8:30 pm FS2 LAFC vs Columbus Champs Cup
8:30 pm TUDN Cruz Azul vs Seattle Sounders
Weds, Mar 12
1:45 pm Par+, CBSSNLille vs Dortmund (Reyna
4 pm Para+, TUDN Atletico Madrid 1 vs Real Madrid 2
4 pm Para+ Aston Villa 3 vs Club Brugge 1
4 pm Para+ Arsenal 7 vs PSV (Ledezma) 1
8:30 pm FS2 Monterrey vs Vancouver
10:30 pm FS2 LA Galaxy vs Herediano
Thur, Mar 13 Europa League
1:45 pm Para+, CBSSN Roma 2 vs Athletic Club 1
4 pm Para+ Chelsea vs Kobenhavn
4 pm Para+, Fenerbahce 1 vs Rangers 3
4 pm Para+ Sociadad 1 vs Man United 1
8 pm Fox Sports 2 Cavalier 0 vs 2 Inter Miami (Messi)
(American’s in Parenthesis)
Saturday US Players are Playing in these Games
Coventry City v Stoke City – 7:30a on CBSSN
Haji Wright saw his first action since early November with 16’ minutes off the bench in Coventry City’s 3-2 win over Oxford United last weekend. Coventry have won four straight and are in fifth place as they prepare to face 20th place Stoke City who are just five points out of the relegation zone.
Como v Venezia – 9a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio was back in the starting lineup last weekend after two weeks coming off the bench. Venezia played Atalanta to a scoreless draw, their second straight point against a top five team, excellent results if you are considering them in a bubble but the team is going to need to start finding ways to win matches and pull the three points if they are going to avoid relegation at the end of the season, they remain five points back of Parma in their pursuit of safety. Venezia’s opponent this weekend is 13th place Como who fell to Roma last weekend but also defeated second place Napoli recently.
Borussia Dortmund v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna got his second straight league start last weekend as Borussia Dortmund defeated St. Pauli 2-0. Dortmund settled for a home draw with Lille midweek in Champions League play to put themselves into a tight spot heading into Wednesday’s return leg in Lille, Reyna came off the bench for a handful of minutes in the draw though afterwards Niko Kovac praised the midfielders defensive effort (which might be a first). With the quick turnaround it would not be surprising to see Reyne get the start again this weekend as Dortmund face an Augsburg side that sit just back of them in the Bundesliga table. After a run of appearances to start the year Noahkai banks has not seen the field in the past three matches and has just 12’ minutes in the last five so it seems unlikely he would play a significant role this weekend for an Augsburg side that are undefeated in their past eight league matches.
Wolfsburg v St Pauli – 9:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes has also reportedly returned to training though the club describes it as being “partially” reintegrated so he is presumably at least a few weeks from returning to game action for Wolfsburg who are in seventh place, and just a point back from RB Leipzig for qualifying for next seasons European competitions. They face a St. Pauli side that have lost four straight and continue to flirt with relegation.
Brighton and Hove Albion v Fulham – 10a on USA Network
Antonee Robinson and Fulham travel to Brighton on Saturday to face a hot Albion side that have won five straight across all competitions. The streak have the Seagulls a point of ahead of Fulham who defeated Wolves in their last league match and Manchester United last weekend in penalties to advance in the FA Cup. Both teams are within striking distance of the top four spots and this should be a tightly contested match.
Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town – 10a on Peacock
Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace defeated Millwall in FA Cup action last weekend while also neatly avoiding having any teammates killed on the pitch. Turner is presumably back to the bench but Richards is likely to start again this weekend as Palace face an Ipswich side that are facing relegation but took Nottingham Forest to penalties in FA Cup action last weekend.
Lecce v AC Milan – Noon on Paramount+
AC Milan have lost three straight league matches as they have fallen to ninth place in Serie A. Yunus Musah was subbed off in the first half last week and Christian Pulisic hasn’t had a goal contribution in four whole matches, the former of which seems a fair bit more significant than the latter. It’s been a rough few weeks for Milan though as they have been bounced from Champions League play and fallen out of contention for next seasons competition as well.
PSV Eindhoven v Heerenveen – 2p on ESPN+
PSV also had a rough week, suffering a humiliating 7-1 loss to Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League round of sixteen matchup. The team also lost again in league play last weekend and haven’t won a league match since January, falling eight points back of league leading Ajax. On the more positive side of things Sergino Dest is reportedly going to be included in this weekend’s matchday squad though presumably he will be reintegrated slowly.
Sunday
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth travel to North London to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Bournemouth defeated Wolves in FA Cup action last weekend, also in penalties, but fell to Brighton in their last league match and remain in seventh place in the league standings. Tottenham fell to AZ Alkmaar in midweek Europa League action and lost to Manchester City 1-0 last weekend in league play. Tyler Adams started last weekend and played the full match including extra time to put in 120’. Adams did rest two weeks ago but has started 9 of the past ten matches for Bournemouth across all competitions and is approaching 1,400’ minutes on the season.
Real Betis v Las Palmas – 1:30p on ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso went the full 90’ and scored the opener last weekend in Real Betis’ 2-1 win over Real Madrid. The loss dropped Madrid out of a tie for first place and moved Betis into sixth place in the table. Betis will face Las Palmas this weekend who are tied with Valencia on 24 points for the final relegation spot.
Nice v Olympique Lyon – 3:45p on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann started again last weekend in Lyon’s 2-1 win over Brest, a match in which manager Paulo Fonseca lost his mind, picking up a red card and later receiving a 30 match suspension meaning Tessmann will certainly be working under yet another manager in the short term and likely on a more permanent basis as well. Tessmann did retain his starting position midweek as Lyon defeated 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League match. Lyon will now face third place Nice who are holding on to the final Ligue 1 Champions League qualification position by three points.
Juventus v Atalanta – 3:45p on Paramount+
Tim Weah and Weston McKennie continue to start regularly for Juventus who have found a way to start actually winning matches rather than settling for draws, the team has won five straight, suffered just one loss on the season, and have moved into fourth place, just six points back of Inter Milan for the league lead. This weekend they face an Atalanta side that are three points ahead of them in third place and Juventus can pull even with a win. The two teams drew in their previous meeting, which is certainly not shocking given Juventus’ record this season, but it was just six weeks ago and was actually the most recent time that Juve settled for the draw. Atalanta have also been eliminated from Champions League competition and are coming off a scoreless draw with relegation threatened Venezia.
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USMNT Player Tracker: Reyna misses his chance, Turner seizes his and Wright bolsters Coventry
Gio Reyna’s struggles, Matt Turner’s FA Cup dream and a tough outing for Christian Pulisic all play part of this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
Throughout the season, we will bring you updates on the USMNT players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe.
With a home-soil World Cup on the horizon, and Mauricio Pochettino preparing to announce his squad for the forthcoming Nations League semi-final against Panama, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
Opportunity has knocked for Gio Reyna lately, but his answer has been less than emphatic.
In truth, it has been more of a whisper than a resounding declaration that he’s ready to revive his prospects at Borussia Dortmund.
With previous first-choice attacking midfielder Julian Brandt injured, Reyna was given a chance to start more games by head coach Niko Kovac. It was needed. Before the last two Bundesliga games, the 22-year-old USMNT international had started only one top-flight game this season, even if that inactivity was largely born of all-too familiar injury misfortune.
It feels like a long time since his name was spoken of in excited terms as a youngster with the potential to follow Christian Pulisic in taking European football by storm.
Last season’s loan to Premier League side Nottingham Forest, where he only made 10 appearances, was unconvincing. That was why the last two games, the club’s welcome wins over Union Berlin and St Pauli, represented a chance for Reyna to show Kovac that he can be counted on to make an impact in the No 10 role behind Serhou Guirassy.
The results have been negligible. On Saturday, in the 2-0 triumph at St Pauli, Reyna mustered an underwhelming 73 minutes. Dortmund won, but he left little impression on the game before being replaced by Carney Chukwuemeka.
Reyna challenges St Pauli’s Siebe Van Der Heyden in the air on Saturday (Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)
“Reyna’s flurry of recent starts is misleading; it’s not indicative of him having found new favour under head coach Kovac,” writes The Athletic’s German football correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor. “Instead, with Brandt recently returning from injury and Chukwuemeka only fit enough for brief involvement, Reyna finds himself in the team almost by default, with a return to the bench likely for the Champions League game against Lille on Tuesday.
“He took up some good positions against St Pauli, finding space between the lines and dropping off the play to provide a useful receiving option, but he struggled to do anything penetrative or effective with the ball, seeming to want more time than was on offer against a tough, hard-working opponent.”
Perhaps Reyna can find the spark if he is involved for his country against Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final later this month. But he has plenty to do if he is to play a greater part in the rest of Dortmund’s season.
For now, question marks will remain over his future and whether the American requires a move to resurrect his career and find a team where he can become a regular.
Another USMNT star trying to make his mark when the chance comes is Matt Turner. For the goalkeeper’s part, at least, the evidence is a bit more compelling.
Turner is second choice at Crystal Palace, but he is making an impression as the club’s ‘cup keeper’ this season. He played in a Carabao Cup win at Aston Villa back in October, and has started all three of Palace’s FA Cup fixtures to date, keeping two clean sheets. Manager Oliver Glasner clearly trusts him to deputise for Dean Henderson.
On Saturday the 30-year-old helped Palace reach the quarter-final of the competition courtesy of a 3-1 win over local rivals Millwall.
He did not manage to secure a shutout as in the previous two rounds, conceding a goal to the second-tier side when he pushed away a low drive from Femi Azeez and Wes Harding’s follow-up shot deflected off Ben Chilwell and into the net.
But, beyond that, Turner commanded his area well enough, with his distribution largely accurate and assured.
Turner catches a Millwall cross (Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
He is only on loan at the south London club, having moved after losing his place at Nottingham Forest, and he has had to be patient at Palace, too, with no starts in the Premier League to date. Henderson has been outstanding this season, leaving Turner watching on from the bench.
Speaking to the media before the win on Saturday, Glasner reminded everyone that Turner knew his remit when he agreed to join the club in the summer, but said he has been impressed with his contribution when called upon.
“It’s not a gift — he’s just deserving (of his place against Millwall),” Glasner said in the pre-game press conference. “I can see his ambition in training. He’s always giving 100 per cent in every single training (session). He also deserves some games.”
Pressed on how content Turner is with his role as Henderson’s back-up, Glasner added: “He knew it when he arrived. We were always pretty clear. He always knew that Dean is the No 1 because he is doing an amazing job for us.”
Whatever his long-term future holds, in the short term Turner has helped his club earn a quarter-final trip to Fulham, where he will face compatriot Antonee Robinson later this month.
Quote of the weekend
Last week, this column pondered the pressing question of who leads the line for Mauricio Pochettino given Ricardo Pepi’s season has been ended early by injury at PSV and Folarin Balogun is similarly struggling at Monaco.
The latter is at least hoping to return before the Ligue 1 campaign ends, but he will not have recovered from his shoulder problems by the Panama game later this month. Pochettino, therefore, might look instead for options in England’s Championship, their second-tier.
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Josh Sargent, who has had his own injury travails this season, is fit and featuring regularly once more for Norwich City. He has scored 11 goals this season, with seven of them coming in the six matches before Saturday’s draw at Blackburn Rovers, where he drew a blank.
Meanwhile, at Coventry City, manager Frank Lampard continues to give positive updates on his U.S. forward Haji Wright.
Wright injured his ankle in the closing stages of a 2-2 draw away to Sunderland in early November having scored earlier in the game. That was back when Coventry were between the sacking of Mark Robins and the appointment of Lampard.
Wright returned at Oxford on Saturday (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Four months on, he came off the bench in the second half of Saturday’s 3-2 win away to Oxford, a victory which took Coventry up to fifth in the Championship. It was his first appearance since Lampard took over and, the manager was encouraged by the American’s 16-minute cameo, even if Wright was understandably rusty. The 26-year-old only touched the ball five times.
“Haji comes on and we know he’s a big player for us,” Lampard said afterwards. “He needs more minutes to get to that 100 per cent. Getting fit and working in training is one thing, but when you’re coming back into games that are fast, you have to be robust.
“So those will be good minutes for him today and it gives us more power in the squad where we’ve been lacking when players were out.“
More power for Lampard, then, and more much-needed potential options for Pochettino.
Name: Christian Pulisic Club: Milan Position: Forward Appearances (all competitions): 36 Goals: 12
Before starting him for Milan against Lazio in what turned out to be their third consecutive Serie A defeat, head coach Sergio Conceicao revealed that Pulisic had been playing with a slight injury over recent weeks which has limited his game time.
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“On the morning of the match against Bologna, the doctor told me he couldn’t play and I had prepared the game with him on the pitch,” he said. “I had to find a solution, but he’s been playing for a month with a small physical problem.”
The issue did not prevent under-pressure Conceicao selecting one of his star men to start against Lazio on Sunday, but Pulisic could not check his side’s alarming slump.
Pulisic attempts to evade Lazio’s Nuno Tavares and Mario Gila Fuentes (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images)
Now ninth in the table, their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are receding and it would be a blow for Pulisic not to feature in Europe’s elite club competition next term, especially given his exciting displays in Milan’s group stage this time around, when he scored four goals and provided an assist in nine matches.
But those heady days seem a long time ago after Milan were knocked out in the play-off stage by Feyenoord last month.
On Sunday, Conceicao admitted everyone is “feeling the tension” after a section of fans protested by leaving the iconic Curva Sud stand empty for the first 15 minutes of the game. Upon their return some chanted that the players were “shameful” and demanded American owners RedBird sell the club.
Against that tumultuous backdrop, Pulisic endured an underwhelming game by his standards. He was replaced on 70 minutes by Samuel Chukueweze and, prior to that managed, only to steer Joao Felix’s low cross off target and behind for a goal kick as Milan chased a way back into the game.
Name: Johnny Cardoso Club: Real Betis Position: Midfield Appearances: 31 Goals: 2
The 23-year-old was celebrating on Saturday night after he scored in Real Betis’ memorable 2-1 win over La Liga giants Real Madrid at Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Cardoso joined an exclusive list along the way. He is now only the second American to score against Real Madrid in 20 years, following Pulisic’s goal in the 2021 Champions League semi-final for Chelsea.
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His header on 34 minutes brought the hosts level, and they went on to seize a mammoth scalp when former Madrid man Isco scored a penalty to make it 2-1.
Cardoso had a mightily impressive game and, although he has his work cut-out to break up the USMNT central midfield axis of Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, he is helping his chances with a series of assured displays lately.
But speculation remains that he could still be set for a summer move. The Athletic reported in December that, as part of the negotiations with Betis over selling Giovani Lo Celso last summer, Spurs included a clause relating to Cardoso. Spurs had a first refusal option on the central midfielder but this would only become active in the summer.
Betis say that the clause is unaffected by Cardoso’s new terms.
Johnny Cardoso celebrates scoring Real Betis’ equaliser (DAX Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Adams helped Bournemouth into the FA Cup quarter-finals after they beat Wolves on penalties at the Vitality Stadium in the fifth round of the competition on Saturday.
The American didn’t take one of the spot kicks, but he was influential in the preceding 120 minutes as the sides fought out a 1-1 stalemate, maintaining his impressive recent form in the process. Bournemouth must now face Manchester City in the next stage.
Name: Ethan Horvath Club: Cardiff City Position: Goalkeeper Appearances: 8
Horvath was praised as “superb” by Cardiff coach Omer Riza after his display in the Welsh club’s FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Premier League Aston Villa on Friday.
The 29-year-old made seven saves before Villa’s superior firepower eventually broke the deadlock. And even though Cardiff went on to lose 2-0, Riza was impressed by the American keeper’s display.
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“He’s (Horvath) had to be really patient,” he told Optus Sport. “Jak’s (Alnwick) been playing a lot this season and Ethan’s had to be really patient and he’s worked really hard, showed great character and attitude constantly.
“His opportunity came around last week and his performance today was superb. Some of the saves he pulled off… the quality with his feet playing around the back. So (I’m) really pleased for him. Really important player for us moving forward in the league.”
Horvath denies Ollie Watkins at Villa Park (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
What’s coming up?
(All Eastern Time)
See if Horvath’s impressive display against Premier League opposition earns him another start in the league for Cardiff on Tuesday when they face U.S.-owned Burnley (Paramount+, 2:45pm).
Burnley, who feature exciting American attacker Luca Koleosho in their ranks, are looking to respond to a 3-0 FA Cup defeat by Preston North End on Saturday, but they still sit third in the table, while Horvath’s Cardiff are 20th and just five points clear of the drop zone.
At 3pm (CBSSN/Paramount+) on the same afternoon, we will see if Reyna gets a chance to build on his recent Bundesliga starts for Dortmund when they take on Lille in the Champions League. His rival for a starting berth, Brandt, appears to have recovered from a muscle problem and is breathing down Reyna’s neck.
With Cardoso still on a high following his exploits against Real Madrid, he is in Europa Conference League action on Thursday when Real Betis take on Vitoria Guimaraes (12:45pm, Paramount+).
(Top photos: Getty Images)
NWSL’s new docuseries focuses on players’ competitiveness and passion on the field
The first docuseries about the NWSL playoffs is here just in time for the 2025 season.
The new four-part series, For the Win: NWSL, green-lit by the league’s organisers in February, was released in full on Amazon’s Prime Video on Thursday. The series promised an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at teams’ playoff runs during the 2024 postseason. The series did exactly what it set out to do. However, it now begs the question: what’s next?
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For longtime fans of the NWSL, the series relives some of the most thrilling highlights of the postseason. For new fans, it’s a crash course on some must-know narratives heading into the upcoming campaign. It is especially prevalent on the eve of Friday’s Challenge Cup, a rematch of last year’s championship game between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit with a trophy on the line.
The series is a promising start but it caters more to the uninitiated.
Following a private viewing of the film at the Paley Center for Media in New York City on Tuesday, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said that reaching new fans will be “the theme of 2025.”
“You’re going to see a lot of initiatives to give not just our current core fans but future fans, too, an opportunity to discover us,” Berman said during a Q&A moderated by former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, a Gotham FC minority owner, with Gotham defender Nealy Martin and the film’s director, Marie Margolius. “That was the whole strategy behind our media deal, and that is going to be what you’re going to see manifest throughout this year, which is to see the NWSL and our players showing up in unsuspecting places.”
One of those initiatives includes the league’s “Just Watch” marketing campaign launching next week.
The idea for the docuseries came together last year, Berman said. At the time, the league was pitched by “all of the top producers and directors” for projects about the NWSL, she said. The league realized the opportunity it had and eventually partnered with the production studio Words + Pictures for the series. Prime Video, one of the league’s media rights holders, later agreed to carry the series.
“Telling (players’) stories, both on and off the pitch, is the best way for us to make sure everybody knows who we are,” Berman said, “and hopefully then drive them towards watching the games, because that’s how we’re going to grow the business and get these players paid what they’re worth.”
The docuseries is just one ingredient in a larger recipe to grow exposure for the NWSL. The hope is that the docuseries will pick up on the successful momentum from the first year of the league’s historic four-year media rights deal, which includes ESPN, CBS, Prime Video and Scripps Sports.
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Margolius, the series’ director, was also a producer on Netflix’s Under Pressure docuseries, which followed the U.S. women’s national team during their World Cup run in 2023. In an interview with The Athletic before the premiere, Margolius described the new docuseries as a dream project, especially as someone who played collegiately at Harvard University and later professionally in Sweden.
“I played soccer my whole life. It was and is a huge part of my identity,” Margolius said. “Getting to direct this project was, first of all, in so many ways, like a dream come true, but also really easy, because I’ve been a fan of the NWSL for so long.”
Margolius even played against some of the players highlighted in the film, like Orlando’s co-captain, Kylie Strom. The two crossed paths when Margolius was at Harvard and Strom at Boston University. While Margolius’ background was valuable for the process, her goal was to make the players relatable to a wider audience, so she found ways to connect with them on a more personal level while leading the project.
Marie Margolius, second right, directed the series. (Valerie Terranova / Getty Images)
“The thing that allowed me to lead the storytelling process was the ability to connect with the players on a human level,” Margolius said. “We do a lot of sports storytelling. But we always say, it’s actually not about the sport at all. The sport is the vehicle that moves the thing forward. But the reason these stories are so fun to tell and hear and see is the human stuff.”
The series begins in Orlando five weeks before playoffs and concludes with highlights from this year’s busy offseason and expectations heading into 2025. The series is, essentially, a snapshot of the highs and lows of last year’s postseason, walking through the rivalries that were formed, including the Gotham-Spirit battle at Audi Field during the semifinals, and introducing the audience to a wide range of players, from Spirit’s rising star Trinity Rodman and Orlando defender Strom to then-Gotham forward Lynn Williams, who has since joined Seattle Reign.
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The series also explores the many retirements that happened in 2024, as many question who the next faces of the NWSL will be. Rodman was heavily featured throughout the series as one of those fresh faces. There is an awkward moment with Amazon product placement when showing that Rodman was named to the NWSL’s Best XI of the month presented, of course, by Amazon Prime.
Trinity Rodman was heavily featured in the docuseries. (Roger Wimmer / Getty Images)
For fans who followed the playoffs closely, the series can feel repetitive. That’s where the unprecedented access behind the scenes comes into play, offering longtime fans little nuggets to hold onto.
There are the constant jumps to interviews with soccer analyst Heather O’Reilly or Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain, who need no introduction. There are also glimpses into private moments, such as when the North Carolina Courage squad watched Orlando topple the Chicago Red Stars (now Chicago Stars), 4-1, in the quarterfinals. A player is overheard jokingly asking, “Did Chicago not scout them?”
There’s also a scene where veteran players O’Reilly and Alex Morgan chat at Kelley O’Hara’s retirement game at Red Bull Arena. Discussing retirement, they declared the eight-hour workday as way too long. (Relatable.)
The series, however, only scratches the surface and leaves out the kind of context fans of the league are drawn to. There is a brief mention of disgraced ex-coach Paul Riley, for example, when the series delves into the Portland Thorns’ historic dominance. While there is mention of the Sally Yates report and images shown from the player protests that followed reports published by The Athletic and Washington Post that exposed widespread abuse in the NWSL in 2021, not much else was mentioned about that period for the league.
It seems that was on purpose, as Margolius said the series’ creators made a conscious effort to keep the narrative strictly focused on the playoffs.
“While I certainly had an urge to be original and make this stand out in some way, I was even more conscientious of making sure that I was not changing the storytelling tactics just because it was women at the center of it,” Margolius said during the Q&A on Tuesday. “So often when we cover women’s sports, we tend to water down the competitiveness or the passion or the failure in lieu of very worthy stories, but stories of advocacy and family and the trials and tribulations of being a female athlete.”
Orlando Pride won the NWSL Championship in 2024, defeating the Washington Spirit. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
That’s why, Margolius said, they leaned heavily into the grit and tenacity of the playoffs. That was potentially at the risk of being too linear for some fans.
“In this league, there are stakes and there are heroes and there are underdogs,” Margolius said. “All the things you need for a great story.”
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The series will certainly leave the viewers wanting more — either more access, more stories, or more narratives — but it also leaves room for there to be more. It’s an interesting place for the NWSL, as it grapples with what the league’s future will look like as it grows through more media exposure, high-profile investors and expansion.
For Margolius, the hope is more stories will follow.
“Series like this will inspire more of this type of storytelling and in doing so, we’ll grow the sport,” she said. “That’s the beauty of these types of series.”
(Top photo: Valerie Terranova / Getty Images)
What is a ‘smash and grab’ win in soccer – and which ones did our writers most enjoy?
But what precisely is a ‘smash and grab’ and which ones rank as their most memorable? Here, The Athletic‘s Adam Hurrey offers his definition, and our writers choose their favourites — please add your own in the comments below.
[Team X] 0-1 [Team Y]
Now, this smash-and-grab affair may never have happened, but this is how it should happen.
By heavy implication, only away teams are eligible to smash and grab (at a push, we could allow it to happen at a neutral ground, but other cup-final narratives would likely take over in that situation.)
Their goal has to “live a charmed life”, thanks to the woodwork (struck at least once) and/or the relative heroics of their goalkeeper (the more saves they make, the more straightforward they are allowed to be, history won’t remember them individually). It is mandatory for media reports to observe that the smash-and-grabbers “rode their luck” (ideally “at times”, a clarification that serves very little purpose other than, if anything, to dilute the smash-and-grab credentials) and there is an option to retrospectively declare their display as some sort of “gameplan”, no matter their manager’s tactical ethos.
Smashing and grabbing, in football terms, should be as concise an act as possible, which is why 1-0 wins are the most common result (although a second goal, scored as the other team desperately try to salvage a situation they shouldn’t be in, can be accommodated quite comfortably, although does run a slight risk of the game being framed as the counter-attackers having “picked off” their opponents, which implies a far higher level of tactical shrewdness over sheer, in-the-moment opportunism.)
The goal itself should be scored on the counter-attack (set-piece goals are still eligible to be called “a sucker punch”), a scenario which accentuates the one-sidedness of the game up to that crucial moment. This provides the bonus flourish of a gathering sense of dread amongst the home fans as the attack develops.
The finish shouldn’t be too sumptuous — ideally slid home beyond a full-stretch goalkeeper, not unlike Harvey Elliott’s in Paris.
Late goals are best, but not compulsory, and should ideally leave at least three opposition players prone on the turf in shattered resignation.
Adam Hurrey
May 2012: Bayern Munich 1 Chelsea 1 (AET, Chelsea win 4-3 on pens)
One of the greatest nights in Chelsea’s history was also one of their greatest rearguard displays, perhaps only rivalled by the two legs in the semi-final against Barcelona which preceded it.
Being outplayed by Bayern was inevitable. Chelsea were facing the Bundesliga side on their own pitch and without key players John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles through suspension. Centre-back duo David Luiz and Gary Cahill had been rushed back from hamstring injuries to start their first game in weeks, while academy graduate Ryan Bertrand made his Champions League debut in the final.
Bayern dominated the shot count 23-6, with a further 11 efforts blocked by the desperate actions of Chelsea’s back line. The corner count read 20-1 and yet it was from that solitary Chelsea corner, won in the 88th minute, that Didier Drogba headed the crucial equaliser to take the tie into extra time.
Drogba scored Chelsea’s equaliser against Bayern in 2012 (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/GettyImages)
Then it was all about goalkeeper Petr Cech. He saved an extra-time penalty from Arjen Robben before stopping another two in the shootout, ensuring Chelsea triumphed despite Juan Mata’s early miss.
No one connected to the club cared that they rode their luck to win the European Cup for the first time.
Simon Johnson
May 2001: Arsenal 1 Liverpool 2
Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, the first FA Cup final while Wembley Stadium was being redeveloped, and a dominant Arsenal threatened to run riot against Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool.
Stephane Henchoz somehow escaped conceding an early penalty, and a red card, after blocking a goal-bound Thierry Henry shot with his left arm (a happy knack of his at the time). The referee ignored the block entirely and gave a goal kick.
Unperturbed, Arsenal poured forward. Sami Hyypia was forced into a flurry of last-ditch clearances, while Sander Westerveld excelled. Yes, really. Freddie Ljungberg eventually forced Arsene Wenger’s team ahead 19 minutes from time, but Westerveld thwarted their attempts to add a second for reassurance. And how they regretted that.
Liverpool, one Emile Heskey header aside, had offered precious little. Then, eight minutes from the end, Arsenal laboured to clear a Gary McAllister free kick and watched aghast as Michael Owen converted beyond David Seaman. The England striker ensured there was no need for extra time, too, by scuttling on to a Patrik Berger pass to pilfer a winner in what little time remained.
“When you’ve got Michael Owen in your team,” offered McAllister, “that’s what can happen.”
Dominic Fifield
Michael Owen was the difference for Liverpool against Arsenal (Ben Radford/ALLSPORT)
August 2017: Billericay 0 Kingstonian 1
When Essex millionaire Glenn Tamplin bought Isthmian Premier League side Billericay Town in 2017, he did precisely what you’d expect. He sacked experienced manager Craig Edwards, appointed himself the manager, and spent big money on former Premier League stars Jermaine Pennant, Jamie O’Hara and Paul Konchesky.
This benefited my team, Kingstonian, who picked up Edwards as their manager. And, football being football, the opening fixture of the following season was inevitably Billericay against Kingstonian. The owner-manager against the manager he’d sacked. And an England international (Konchesky) and a Champions League finalist (Pennant) against, for example, a bloke who had done the roofing on my house a couple of years beforehand.
This played out exactly as you’d expect. Billericay had all the pressure, all the ball, all the shots… and absolutely nothing to show for it.
And then, after a previous Kingstonian counter-attack had got a Billericay defender sent off, Ks midfielder Lewis Taylor drove through midfield, got a lucky bounce, found himself through on goal and blasted home with the clock showing 89:58. 0-1.
If you watch the video carefully, you can see me behind the goal, running the wrong way in celebration having momentarily lost the plot.
Michael Cox
May 2014: Derby County 0 QPR 1
Harry Redknapp had lost faith.
“I’d be a liar if I said I could see us scoring. We were hanging on.”
To say Redknapp’s Queens Park Rangers team didn’t have the best of the 2014 Championship play-off final against Derby is to offer one of the great understatements. Midfielder Gary O’Neil had been sent off just after the hour mark, but even before that Derby were the better team. They ended the game with 68 per cent possession and as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, QPR hadn’t managed a shot on target. What’s more, their ’keeper Rob Green had dislocated his thumb. Things looked bleak.
The game looked like such a foregone conclusion that Redknapp had already decided he was going to retire, unable to muster the enthusiasm for another season in the Championship. “With 10 minutes to go, I was thinking, ‘Which golf club should I join this year?’” he said later that summer. “Then, suddenly, Bobby ruined it all.”
‘Bobby’ was Bobby Zamora. In the 90th minute, QPR made a rare foray into the Derby half, winger Junior Hoilett put a cross into the box, Richard Keogh scuffed a clearance and Zamora lashed an instinctive finish into the corner of the net.
There was neither enough time, nor emotional energy after such a crushing moment, for Derby to respond.
“It was the cruellest game ever,” Derby manager Steve McClaren told the BBC afterwards. It’s tricky to disagree.
Nick Miller
June 1988: England 0 Republic of Ireland 1
Was this game quite as one-sided as legend — or at least my memory — suggests? Probably not. But I remember watching as a 13-year-old and finding it truly unbelievable that England had so many chances but Ireland won it 1-0.
England went into Euro 88 as one of the favourites — almost justifiable for once, after a highly impressive qualifying campaign — and Ireland, having qualified for their first major tournament, were perceived as plucky underdogs who were just there to enjoy the ride.
But what transpired in Stuttgart was one of the greatest days in Irish football history as Ray Houghton’s sixth-minute goal was followed by an astonishing rearguard action from Jack Charlton’s team.
Ireland celebrate Ray Houghton’s goal (Peter Robinson – PA Images via Getty Images)
It is best remembered for the performance of Ireland goalkeeper Pat Bonner, who made a series of brilliant saves to deny Gary Lineker and his much-vaunted England team-mates. English TV commentators inevitably talked about “the luck of the Irish” but Bonner was outstanding that day.
Incidentally, I did debate whether the term “smash and grab” can apply when the only goal of the game comes early, rather than late. Adam Hurrey, of the Football Cliches podcast, says it can. And Adam’s word on such matters is final.
Oliver Kay
February 2021: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Crystal Palace 2
Sometimes a commentator just captures the moment.
“They couldn’t, could they?” intoned Sky Sports’ Bill Leslie, after Crystal Palace engineered the ball down their left wing and Andros Townsend slung over a hopeful ball towards the back post.
Some context. To say that Palace had been second-best in this Premier League game against Brighton, the club’s greatest rivals, would be to underplay their inadequacy to an almost criminal degree. Brighton had enjoyed 75 per cent of possession; they had fired off 25 shots to Palace’s two; and had taken 52 touches in their opponents’ area. Yet somehow the score was tied at 1-1.
Hence Leslie’s incredulity when, in the fifth minute of added time, Townsend’s pass looped towards Christian Benteke at the back post. But this is where things got silly: Benteke, keeping his eye fixed on the cross, peeled off Dan Burn and swung his right boot at the dropping ball. The connection was clean and his shot found the far corner of Robert Sanchez’s net.
Look away now Brighton fans…! 🙈#OnThisDay last year, Christian Benteke struck this superb volley in the dying minutes to win the M23 derby! 💥 pic.twitter.com/JIUNoU8YL8
It was the second time that Palace had touched the ball in the Brighton box — the first had been Jean-Philippe Mateta’s ridiculous back-heeled opening goal, at a time when Mateta was very much not the Mohamed Salah-esque attacker of 2025 — and completed the single most outrageous piece of footballing larceny I have ever witnessed. It was also probably the funniest.
Its status in Palace folklore even prompted the club’s website to ask Leslie about his commentary three months later. “It was impossible that they didn’t lose that game,” he reflected.
And yet they won it.
Andrew Fifield
March 1996: Newcastle United 0 Manchester United 1
It’s hard to remember, so many years and disappointments later, what optimism felt like. Kevin Keegan had been stoking it on Tyneside for a while by then, giving a city that had lost its way something it hadn’t felt for years: belief.
Newcastle were top of the league, four points ahead of Manchester United with a game in hand. The title, incredibly, was a possibility, if they could just keep Alex Ferguson’s team at bay, if they could just keep notching up points, if they could just win this next match… against Manchester United.
It was at St James’ Park and Keegan’s ‘entertainers’ – Ginola, Beardsley, Asprilla, Ferdinand – were at their peak. For 45 minutes Newcastle battered their guests, a word Ferguson later used himself. Except for one thing. Newcastle were unable to do what they were known for: score.
At half-time it was still 0-0, Peter Schmeichel having kept his team in it with some astonishing saves. Ferguson got the hairdryer out and Keegan told his players they were fantastic, but they weren’t fantastic enough. In the 51st minute, Eric Cantona scored a volley to make it 1-0. Dreams crushed.
That season scarred a generation of Newcastle fans. We really started to think we could be somebody, but reality returned with that 1-0 loss and the 4-3 defeat to Liverpool shortly afterward.
Sadly, that season calcified in many of us, such that young fans who, for example, think we could win at Wembley in 11 days’ time, seem almost alien in their hope.
Andrew Hankinson
April 2021: Manchester City 1 Leeds United 2
Manchester City, en route to being crowned Premier League champions, had won 27 of their 28 previous fixtures, in all competitions, when Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United arrived in town. Pep Guardiola’s side had lost only three of their previous 48 games, running back to the start of that season.
Leeds started well, opening the scoring through Stuart Dallas before half-time, but that was swiftly undone by his best friend, Liam Cooper, getting sent off moments later.
Everyone justifiably expected a second-half rout: Leeds had barely created a chance with 11 players, let alone 10, but they somehow held on until the 76th minute when Ferran Torres broke through to equalise.
Dallas played his part in what became a rearguard action, but then arguably his crowning moment as a Leeds footballer arrived. Exhausted by the mental toil of keeping this elite team out at the other end, Dallas, as he always did, found it within himself to dig out one last raid.
He would outrun both John Stones and Fernandinho, hold off the former and then stick the ball through Ederson’s legs in injury time to seal one of the unlikeliest results of that, or any other, season.
Beren Cross
Stuart Dallas was Leeds’ unlikely hero at Manchester City (Michael Regan/AFP via Getty Images)
December 2019: Wolves 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2
It was the first month of Jose Mourinho’s time at Tottenham Hotspur. He had taken over an experienced squad, but one that had run out of physical and mental energy and needed a lift. They needed to find a new way to win. Especially away from home.
On a rainy Sunday in December, they went to Molineux to face a Wolverhampton Wanderers side unbeaten in 11 in the league. Lucas Moura put Spurs ahead but Wolves dominated the whole game. Every time Adama Traore ran at Tottenham, he had them panicking. He scored the equaliser and Wolves looked like the only team who could win. Even Spurs’ tactical fouling struggled to stop him.
But in added time, Christian Eriksen curled a corner kick towards the penalty spot and Jan Vertonghen was unmarked to head past Rui Patricio. Vertonghen, like the whole Spurs team, had had a very difficult afternoon. But he ended up a winner in the end.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
(Top photo: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
U.S. Soccer president Parlow Cone seeks another term with more backing than ever
When Cindy Parlow Cone took over as president of U.S. Soccer in 2020, the federation and the sport in the country felt as fractured as it ever had.
The next five years under Parlow Cone’s leadership — which included a tight re-election campaign in 2022 — presented numerous challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic, an equal pay lawsuit, two collective bargaining agreement negotiations and the Sally Yates report. Somehow, U.S. Soccer emerged from it all looking like a more united organization, and one with real momentum heading into the 2026 World Cup.
For Parlow Cone, who has spent her life in the sport, the work started with one idea: building trust.
“You can’t build it overnight,” Cone told The Athletic in a phone interview from Atlanta, where U.S. Soccer held its annual general meeting this week. “When I won the last election, there were many who still didn’t really know me, didn’t know what I was all about. And I’ve been trying to be as transparent as I can be and as consistent, and I think we’ve built trust through saying what we’re going to do and then actually following through on that. It sounds simple, but it’s really important. If you want to build trust, you have to build it slowly. I couldn’t change everything overnight. I had to share my vision and share what we were as a federation at the time, what we were capable of doing, and (saying) ‘this is the vision of where we’re trying to go.’ And so I think just setting the expectations and then following through on the things that I said we were going to do has really helped to build the trust.”
Parlow Cone, the first woman to win a full U.S. Soccer presidential election since the federation’s founding in 1913, told The Athletic she will seek re-election for a second full term as U.S. Soccer president.
She does so with the endorsement of numerous stakeholders in the game that backed her bid in 2022, including prominent members of the pro and athlete’s council like MLS commissioner Don Garber, USL CEO Alec Papadakis and former USWNT player Danielle Slaton.
She also goes into this re-election bid with verbal commitments of support from other key constituents, including the NWSL, as well as several youth and adult amateur organizations and state associations that did not necessarily support her in 2022, when her margin of victory—52.9% to 47.1% in a weighted vote—was the smallest in a contested election since at least 1990, according to Soccer America.
She came into the role in 2020, rising from her position as vice president upon former president Carlos Cordeiro’s resignation amid the fallout of a misogynistic legal filing in a gender discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. women’s national team. She finished out Cordeiro’s term, then fended him off to remain president in 2022.
Whether she will face another challenge in 2026 remains to be seen, but Parlow Cone seems to have high levels of support to continue on in her role. Her ability to win over grassroots stakeholders over the course of this term makes the path for a challenger more difficult.
“I am happy to endorse Cindy Cone for re-election for the Presidency of U.S. Soccer,” said John Motta, president of the United States Adult Soccer Association in a statement. “Having been on the board for many years, I have seen Cindy bring U.S. Soccer to levels that we could not have imagined 10 years ago. Her vision to bring in the right people to lead U.S. Soccer has shown great results. We are on the right path, and I support her bid for re-election to bring U.S. Soccer to its greater potential.”
Said Garber in a statement: “I am proud to support Cindy Parlow Cone’s re-election as US Soccer president. Over the last five years, Cindy has been an excellent leader for the organization, helping revitalize the Federation, expand the game at every skill level, and excite even more Americans about the beautiful game. With the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of us, her work isn’t finished, and I can’t think of a better person to grow the game and partner with every stakeholder in the U.S. Soccer family.”
U.S. Soccer’s accomplishments and successes under Parlow Cone are numerous. She guided the federation through the equal pay lawsuit and a $24 million settlement. She successfully negotiated CBAs that included equalizing pay and World Cup prize money. She committed to transparency around the Yates report, which investigated allegations of abuse and misconduct in women’s soccer, and published it in full. She also spearheaded efforts for a national training center outside of Atlanta and helped to negotiate record sponsorship and media rights deals.
Parlow Cone, 46, said she takes pride in how she has challenged the federation to accomplish things beyond what was previously thought possible, pointing to skepticism about equal pay and equal CBAs that included shared World Cup prize money.
“The thing that I love the most is being in a position to impact change,” Parlow Cone said. “And also just being able to bring a different perspective of what is possible versus what we’ve all always done, and really challenging our organization and our ecosystem to think bigger and think about what is possible. Let’s take away all the barriers that we all have to doing one thing or another. If we just think big and think about what is possible in this country for us to do — and then how do we create a timeline to go and do it.”
Parlow Cone said when she started the job, it took her time to gain confidence in the role. She questioned her own credentials and compared herself to her predecessors.
“It was really easy to kind of go into that hole and think about everything I wasn’t,” she said.
Parlow Cone likened it to her days on the national team, when she would compare herself to Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers, arguably the two greatest players in women’s national team history. It took time for her to learn that she brought value to the team, and to lean into those qualities. Similarly, Parlow Cone said she committed as president to building out a team that included experts in fields where she lacked experience. As she put it, she is happy to not be front and center and is “big on enabling people and empowering people to go and do their jobs.”
Parlow Cone oversaw the hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT manager in 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)
Under Parlow Cone’s leadership, U.S. Soccer hired J.T. Batson as CEO and secretary general, and also brought in sporting director Matt Crocker and senior national team coaches Emma Hayes and Mauricio Pochettino. The federation moved sponsorships in-house and increased revenues from $97 million in 2024 to a projected $112 million in 2025 and an expected $141 million in the 2026 budget. U.S. Soccer’s operating revenues are also expected to increase from $192.19 million in 2024 to $294.01 million in 2026.
Mike Cullina, CEO of U.S. Club Soccer and a youth council rep on U.S. Soccer’s board, called Parlow Cone’s leadership style, “flexible,” adjusting from a “de-facto CEO” role she first stepped into to a more traditional role now in supporting U.S. Soccer staff and leadership. Along the way, Cullina said Parlow Cone got to know membership better and built relationships. He praised her process for hiring the CEO position and said her work with Batson has helped to move the organization forward.
“Now as a team they’ve transformed the organization,” Cullina said. “And her role in that was no longer as an operational leader or as a de-facto CEO, it was as a true president, as ‘How do we support you in this way?’ How do we remove barriers to let the staff hire the best people and build this organization in a way that she didn’t need to be — and was more than happy, by the way — to take a step back and allow the staff to do that work. … I hope she’s extremely proud of what she’s done and how she’s leaned into getting it done and adjusted her involvement along the way to be what was needed in the moment.”
It has not always been an easy path. The early days of Parlow Cone’s time as president were hugely tumultuous. The federation’s move from Chicago to Atlanta has meant layoffs and staff turnover. But Parlow Cone said she is motivated to continue as president because of how much more work there is to be done ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and a bid to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup.
“These tournaments just present a massive opportunity to grow the game at every single level and increase investment in the game at every level,” Parlow Cone said. “So my dream is that the legacy of 2026 is that every kid can walk, ride their bike or take public transportation to a safe place to play soccer, which is not true today. How do we transform our landscape to make sure that every kid has the same opportunity that I did as a child? And then, from the youth level to the professional levels, this moment will bring millions more Americans into the fold, but we can’t just sit by and watch it happen. We have to be proactive and strategic and leverage these moments, which our team is working really hard on.
“I do believe that we are a soccer country already, but I also believe that we have a lot of work to do in terms of making sure everyone feels that the sport is for them and there’s a place for them to play.”
The Athletic senior writer Felipe Cardenas contributed to this report.
A youthful US ladies squad lost the She Believes Cup to Japan Thur night in San Diego as the experienced Japan squad simply had too much for the US ladies. Japan became the only team to score within 1 minute of kickoff as they a 1-0 lead less than 1 minute in when Campbell and young centerback ____ miss-communicated giving up an easy goal early. Honestly I thought Campbell was somewhat at fault on both goals as the GK position looks to be one of concern moving forward. The US answered back quickly behind the foot of left winger Ally Sentnor with this masterful strike-her second tournament goal, of the tourney. But Japan scored on a tap in off a free kick drop by Campbell to win it for Japan in the 2nd half.
Bottom line much like Manager Emma Hayes said after – the World Cup is a long way away – and its time to see if the kids can handle the top teams in the world. Of course most of Japan’s players play in Europe which is in midseason while the US NWSL starts in 3 weeks (and was missing Triple Expresso & Girma). The combo of a top 3 team in Japan vs a youthful US team was too much on this night – leading to Hayes’ first loss as US Manager. Still all in all – I think the Cup was a good tool in giving the youngsters time to improve and impress. No doubt wingers Ally Sentnor & Alyssa Thompson are ready to join the A team moving forward. Next up is Gold Medal foe Brazil in early April.
Liverpool coasted through the league phase, finding no issue winning every game except for their essentially dead-rubber game on Matchday 8. The last couple of months have not exactly been smooth sailing for the Reds, though – fatigue has set in a little bit, They have not dropped a ton of games and managed to book a spot in the EFL Cup final along the way, but the restrained control that was once the trademark of Arne Slot’s team has given way for some hard-fought results.
As long as Mohamed Salah is around, though, they will be hard to count out. The Egypt international is up to 30 goals and 22 assists across all competitions, putting himself not only in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or but perhaps putting together the greatest-ever season from a Premier League attacker. It will not be an easy feat against Paris Saint-Germain, but the French champions have been vulnerable over the course of the Champions League season – and that might be the perfect set-up for Salah.
2. Madrid derby, Champions League edition
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will have to go through each other for a spot in the last eight, which is intriguing in its own right. The current state of both teams makes this a very fascinating tie, though.
The reigning champions can take some positives from ousting Manchester City in the knockout phase playoffs, but this season has not exactly been straightforward for the star-studded Real Madrid. Look no further than Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Real Betis in La Liga play, a game in which they were not only outshot 18-9 but fully outplayed by the opposition. That loss came after a handful of key defenders returned from injury, signaling that the imbalance that has plagued Los Blancos for a year and change could linger for a little while longer.
On the flip side, Atletico Madrid have been a surprise contender in both La Liga and the Champions League. They were inside the top eight during the league phase and are currently just one point behind Barcelona in La Liga, finding new life in Diego Simeone’s tried-and-true system. It helps that their goalscorers have been in fine form all season long, with each of Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth scoring 13 or more goals this season. They present a formidable challenge to Real Madrid, who have not beat them yet this season.
3. Are Bayern Munich in good shape?
Bayern Munich may have advanced out of the knockout phase playoffs, but a narrow win over a competitive Celtic side is not exactly the vote of confidence manager Vincent Kompany might be looking for in his first season in charge. The challenge of staying in the Champions League will get harder this week when they take on the team that beat them to the Bundesliga title last season – Bayer Leverkusen.
These two faced each other in league play just a few weeks ago, a game in which Bayern were lucky to leave 0-0. Leverkusen generated 2.16 expected goals but somehow managed not to score, while Bayern took just two shots and were unable to put a single one on frame. The eight-point deficit in the Bundesliga may be too much for them to overcome at this rate, but Leverkusen’s steady form in the league phase teases that they may have the goods to get one over on Bayern.
As a result, Kompany’s side have a lot to prove in this tie. There’s a lot of discussion out there that they can hang in the Bundesliga just fine, but they have not exactly stacked up well against European competitions. The round of 16 offers a chance to correct course – or demonstrate that they are a step behind.
Mike A, T Ray and Shane Reffing the Girls Showcase at Grand Park last weekend. Happy to be back on the fields – even it was cold as heck – Boys Showcase this weekend !! Mohamed, T Ray and me first tourney of the season at the Girls Showcase at Grand Park last weekend
GAMES ON TV
Tues, March 4 Champions League
12:45 pm Par+, Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
3 pm Para+, CBSSN Dortmund (Reyna) vs Lille
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
3 pm Para+ PSV (Ledezma) vs Arsenal
6 pm Fox Sport 2 Cincy vs Tigres UANL Champs Cup
8:30 pm FS2 Pumas vs Alajuelense
Weds, Mar 5
12:45 pm Para+CBSSN Feyenord vs Inter
3 pm Para+ Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
3 pm Para+ PSG vs Liverpool
3 pm Para + Benefica vs Barcelona
8:30 pm FS2 Herediano vs LA Galaxy Champs Cup
10:30 pm FS2 Seattle Sounders vs Cruz Azul
Thur, Mar 6 Europa League
12:45 pm Para+ Tottenham vs AZ
12:45 pm Para+ Kobenhavn vs Chelsea
12:45 pm Para+, CBSSN Fenerbahce vs Rangers
12:45 pm Para+ FSCB vs Olympique Lyonnais
12:45 pm Para+ Sociadad vs Man United
3 pm CBSSN Roma vs Athletic Club
8 pm Fox Sports 2 Inter Miami (Messi) vs Cavalier
Fr, Mar 7
2:30 pm ESPN+ Borussia MGladbach (Scally) vs Mainz
(American’s in Parenthesis)
last Saturday
Crystal Palace v Millwall – 7:15a on ESPN+
Matt Turner has started both Crystal Palace’s FA Cup matches this season as has Chris Richards so we may again see both American’s in action this weekend as Crystal Palace host Millwall in Cup action on Saturday.
Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion 8 am ESPN+
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host fifth place West Brom looking to extend their five point lead for first place in the Championship. Aaronson has cooled off a bit with just one goal contribution in the teams past ten matches but continues to start regularly, including last weeks win over second place Sheffield United.
Atalanta v Venezia – 9a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Atalanta this weekend. Busio has started the last two matches on the bench though come in for solid playing time in both. Last weekend Venezia played fifth place Lazio to a scoreless draw.
Heidenheim v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach travel to Heidenheim on Saturday looking to bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Augsburg. Gladbach are in ninth place and still within striking distance of the top four.
St. Pauli v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna saw a rare start last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-0 shellacking of Union Berlin, though four of those goals came after Reyna had been subbed off in the 70th minute. Dortmund will place St. Pauli this weekend who have lost three straight but still have a six point cushion between themselves and relegation.
AFC Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 10a on ESPN+
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth host Wolverhampton on Saturday in a cup match between the two Premier League sides. Adams has been starting pretty regularly, including Bournemouth’s last two FA cup matches but he was used as a sub last weekend as his team fell to Wolves 1-0 in league play.
Real Betis v Real Madrid – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis will host Real Madrid on Saturday. Cardoso has started nine straight but he did come off the bench early this season as Betis fell to Madrid 2-0.
Go Ahead Eagles v PSV – 12:45p on ESPN+
Perhaps we shouldn’t be tracking PSV at this point as the only healthy American is Richard Ledezma, who reportedly did not make the 60 man provisional roster for the March USMNT camp. However, the team does play on Saturday and need to get back on track after a four match winless streak that has them in second place, five points back of league leading Ajax.
Sunday
Olympique Lyon v Brest – 9a on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann has started three straight and played the full ninety last weekend as Lyon fell to PSG 3-2. The team will host Brest on Sunday.
Manchester United v Fulham – 11:30a on ESPN+
Antonee Robinson and Fulham will travel to Manchester to face a Man U side that defeated Ipswich Town last weekend but remain in fourteenth place in the EPL. Fulham fell to United in their season opener 1-0 but since then have pretty easily looked the better side and are coming off a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton.
Augsburg v Freiburg – 11:30a on ESPN+
Noahkai Banks has not seen the field the last couple of weeks for Augsburg who will host Freiburg on Sunday.
AC Milan v Lazio – 2:45p on Paramount+
Yunus Musah started and Christian Pulisic came off the bench mid-week as Milan fell 2-1 for the second straight match and dropped back to eighth place in the Serie A table. Milan are now eight points back of Juventus for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot.
Monday
Juventus v Verona – 2:45p on Paramount+
Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will look to tighten their grip on Champions League qualification when they host fourteenth place Verona on Monday afternoon.
FA Cup Schedule this Weekend
Champions League
What to know about the Champions League round of 16
When this is offside — we have gone way to far with VAR !!
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Japan snaps USWNT unbeaten streak
Last night’s 2-1 USWNT loss is their first under manager Emma Hayes. (Ben Nichols/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
The USWNT suffered their first loss under head coach Emma Hayes on Wednesday, falling 2-1 to Japan and ceding the SheBelieves Cup title for the first time in five years.
In her post-game remarks, Hayes called the tournament winners “without question one of the best teams in the world, with players that are extremely well played-in together.”Top scorer Mina Tanaka took home the Best Player award, after leading Japan to their first-ever SheBelieves Cup title.
How it happened: Needing only a draw to lift the trophy thanks to goal differential, Japan’s Yūka Momiki opened scoring almost immediately, putting the Nadeshiko up 1-0 in the second minute after a scramble in the USWNT’s penalty area.
The USWNT drew level in the 14th minute behind Ally Sentnor’s second tournament goal, before second-half sub Tōko Koga slotted in game-winner shortly after taking the pitch.
Big picture: While the US walked away defeated, Hayes remained adamant that prioritizing player pool evaluation and showcasing less experienced players over winning at all costs will pay off in the long run.
“You’re comparing Hasegawa to a 17-year-old for us,” Hayes told TBS, referencing 28-year-old world-renown Japan and Man City defensive midfielder Yui Hasegawa. “Let’s have some perspective. I think it’s important to be calm in this moment.”“It’s okay to be disappointed — I told the players that,” she added. “It’s really important to remember moments like this and the learnings that we take from it… [You] learn the most important things when you play a top-class opponent. I’d rather do that now than much later.”
Takeaway: Any loss stings for the world’s No. 1 team, but Hayes’s outspoken commitment to developing young players as the USWNT starts down the long road to the next major tournament leaves fans no option but to trust the process.
Why USWNT’s loss to Japan in SheBelieves Cup could be a ‘good thing’ for Emma Hayes’ team
Melanie Anzidei The Athletic Thu, February 27, 2025 at 8:31 AM EST·
Why USWNT’s loss to Japan in SheBelieves Cup could be a ‘good thing’ for Emma Hayes’ team
SAN DIEGO—The U.S. women’s national team has ended its five-year run as the reigning champions of the SheBelieves Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Japan.
It is a disappointing result for U.S. fans, marking Emma Hayes’ first loss in 15 matches since becoming head coach, but Wednesday’s game against a more experienced rival was a humbling and necessary step for the Americans as they focus on developing a new generation of players.
“I always go back to what our objectives were in the first place,” Hayes calmly told reporters after the game, “and that was to deepen our playing pool with opportunities in high-pressure situations against top opponents, and that’s what tonight (Wednesday), especially, is about.”
It’s no secret this latest camp was designed for Hayes and her coaching staff to observe seasoned U.S. players in a tournament setting. The goal was to determine where players were in their development, and whether they are ready for a regular spot on the senior team, or would be a better fit among Hayes’ burgeoning Under-23 project.
“We have to look at which players are ready for now, which players are ready for later, and which ones will go with the under-23s and which ones will develop with us,” Hayes said. “So, from that perspective, it was mission accomplished.”
Hayes experimented heavily with the SheBelieves line-up, even changing the team’s starting XI entirely from their opening game against Colombia to their second match with Australia, which ended in victory.
There were four senior debuts over three games, and a handful of breakout moments for young players such as 21-year-old Ally Sentnor and 17-year-old Lily Yohannes. Cat Macario, a familiar face in the national team circuit, also had a stellar comeback to the international stage after being sidelined for years because of a knee injury. She even scored for the U.S. for the first time in three years, finding the net in the 2-0 win over Colombia.
“We could look at the progress of Ally Sentnor, a young player coming into the senior camp, scoring a couple of goals, Lily Yohannes, getting her first two starts at senior level,” Hayes said. “There are plenty of new combinations and new connections, which throw up several challenges when you play a well-polished team.”
Those challenges are exactly why Hayes tapered expectations heading into the SheBelieves finale. Japan were dominant in the tournament, scoring 10 goals across three wins. They only needed a draw against the U.S. to lift their first SheBelieves title, but they quickly set the pace with an opening goal from Yuka Momiki in the second minute.
“I completely understood the quality of the opponent we would face,” Hayes said. “They, without question, (are) one of the best teams in the world, with players that are extremely well played-in together, while probably the vast majority of them being in the middle of their season (the NWSL resumes in March). That showed in the game, and it’s OK to be disappointed.”
Both goals in the 2-1 loss came following errors in front of goal. While the U.S. could respond to Japan’s first goal with an equalizer in the 14th minute through Sentnor, they failed to respond to Toko Koga’s strike in the 50th minute.
“Every cycle, there’s always a little upset like this — and it’s a really good thing for this team. No one likes losing. But there’s a lot of progress in our development and how we’re playing, our style, our identity, and really honing in on the details,” U.S. captain Lindsey Heaps said after the game. “We faced a really good team, they made it so difficult on us.
“It’s a hard loss, but we keep moving and we stay positive.”
There were glimpses of brilliance in their performance against Japan. The U.S. kept possession even and had more shots on target, with Heaps nearly scoring off several diving headers. The team was tapping on Japan’s door, but it proved too little too late by full time. As Hayes said, the only way the U.S. would improve against Japan and other top-level teams was to play against them and make those mistakes in real-time. The preference, of course, is to do that during an international friendly.
“This is a big learning opportunity. We’re a young team. We all haven’t played together for very long,” said 20-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who began her NWSL career in San Diego at 17 before being traded to the North Carolina Courage last month. “It just gives us something to go and work for and really dive deep into when we go back to our clubs, and continue to evolve as a team.”
Sentnor had a breakout tournament, scoring her first two international goals and netting an assist over three games to make her the sixth player to contribute in all three matches in a single edition of this tournament, following other U.S. standouts Tobin Heath (2019), Christen Press (2020), Heaps (2021), Alex Morgan (2023) and Mallory Swanson (2023), according to OptaJack.
“The young players, including myself, are just gonna learn a ton from playing against really tough opponents that are super technical,” said Sentnor. “I would have never believed I’d be in this position this early in my career, and the players around me have just helped me so much, so I’m hoping for more caps with this team and more opportunities, but I’m just so grateful for the ones I got this tournament.”
“You need moments to give you a sense of where you are in that path, but our future is exciting, regardless of the result,” Hayes said. “We played one of the best teams in the world, whose nucleus have played together for a long time, and it showed.
“We need to build the group and the larger pool that we think are going to progress us to the World Cup (in 2027), and now we have to develop our game model so that it plays out in with the qualities that we know you need to have to beat the very, very best teams at the top level.”
USWNT player review: Who stood out, stepped back or made a case for the future?
Meg Linehan and Jeff Rueter Fri, February 28, 2025 at 7:01 AM EST·
USWNT player review: Who stood out, stepped back or made a case for the future?
The 2025 SheBelieves Cup is in the rearview. For the first time in six years, the tournament trophy did not end up in the United States’ possession. Instead, Japan took top honors after a 2-1 win over the USWNT on Wednesday in San Diego.
However, this wasn’t the type of U.S. camp that would be deemed a failure or success by results alone. Head coach Emma Hayes selected plenty of her player pool’s more untested members to size up their readiness for her best possible squad.
“I always go back to what our objectives were in the first place — and that was to deepen our playing pool with opportunities in high-pressure situations against top opponents, and that’s what tonight especially was about,” Hayes said after the match. “From that perspective, it was mission accomplished.”
With 270 minutes of evidence to study, here are the players who stepped up, those who left us wanting more and those still waiting to strengthen their cases.
Who impressed?
Ally Sentnor
While Japan’s Mina Tanaka had the SheBelieves Cup MVP on lock for much of the tournament, forward Sentnor may have been the USWNT’s leading candidate for the award — and it wouldn’t have been down to just her incredible golazo against Colombia, either.
The challenge for Sentnor is the crowded forward pool. Despite adding a second goal against Japan, a class finish off a feed from Cat Macario, Sentnor’s really going to have to fight to stay in the mix among Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson. Sentnor likely did enough to book a trip to California in April for the Brazil friendlies, but if the starting forward line is back, her mission becomes ensuring she capitalizes on her chances as a second-half substitute.
“Ally has demonstrated in her rise through the youth national teams and in her first pro year (with the Royals) that she’s got qualities that can decide a game,” Hayes said after the loss to Japan. “She certainly finishes the very minimal chances she might get, and that’s what top players possess. I think she’s got that, and it will build her confidence to have had this tournament and be given a couple of starts.”
Tara McKeown
While Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson established themselves as a strong partnership in the Olympics, there is still space for newcomers to work into Hayes’ plans at center back. McKeown earned her first appearance with the team this tournament. While both Colombia and Japan seemed eager to attack her side of the back line in their first halves, McKeown largely looked the part. She also played a line-breaking assist to Sentnor for the forward’s unforgettable first international goal — a reminder of her ability to help in possession.
McKeown rejoins the Washington Spirit ready to further her case for USWNT inclusion.
“I’m sure she will have learned a lot about anything from her build-up angles and how you break pressure against the best opponents, to recognizing at the top, top level, games are usually decided by very marginal moments,” Hayes said Wednesday — stressing that it was a learning moment not just for McKeown but for the whole team.
Catarina Macario
At long last, the Chelsea forward reunited with her old club coach. Injuries kept Macario off of the USWNT’s squads for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics, but the 25-year-old figures to be a major part of Hayes’ plans moving forward. She showcased how she can change a game across her two appearances, capping a great team sequence in the opener for her first international goal since April 12, 2022.
She later played a crisp assist to Sentnor against Japan that resulted in the USWNT’s lone goal.
Hayes said after the tournament that Macario had shown “moments of brilliance,” but still was not at full fitness. Opponents, be warned.
Lily Yohannes
The hype train for Yohannes was full steam ahead after the USWNT’s opening match against Colombia, even as Hayes urged everyone to give the 17-year-old time and space to develop. Yohannes got the start against Japan — a sign of Hayes’s trust in the biggest game of the tournament — but they were far more effective at containing Yohannes, especially when it came to mid- and long-range passing.
As Hayes said, despite her talent, Yohannes is still developing. Wednesday night showed that there’s still plenty of room for progress against a top team, even with the statement game she had in the USWNT opener against Colombia.
“(Yui) Hasegawa in the middle of the park is probably the best pivot in the world at both the domestic and international level,” Hayes said. “And our pivot is 17 years of age and has played in three caps. So we have to be patient too, in our expectations.”
Yazmeen Ryan
Ryan played more of a supporting role when she was with Gotham FC. She’ll get that leading woman opportunity in her first season with the Houston Dash, but the selfless elements that made her invaluable with Gotham also put her in good stead for this USWNT camp.
Ryan was a proactive carrier upfield to help the United States progress. Her interplay with Macario and Sentnor was especially sharp against Colombia.
Hayes also thought Ryan had her share of moments, both in terms of her passing and distribution and her ability to carry the ball upfield. But Hayes focused primarily on how to develop Ryan to unlock her next level, which included her defensive play, figuring out when to press and when to hold her position.
“I think there’s another layer of learning for her,” Hayes concluded, “but she’s shown some really good signs and shown, once again, the quality in her execution.”
Who missed the moment?
Goalkeepers
It’s never easy to follow up a program legend, and it’s clear that the current pool of USWNT goalkeeping options have big gloves to fill after Alyssa Naeher’s retirement. Jane Campbell and Mandy McGlynn were given the first opportunities in net after Naeher’s exit, and neither made an emphatic case to keep a hold of the No. 1 jersey for the foreseeable future.
Campbell misread the run-up to Japan’s early opener and took herself out of the play by running into teammate Emily Sonnett. On the second goal, her brilliant save on a free kick put the ball directly back into an opponent’s path, making it all too easy on the eventual tournament winner.
McGlynn conceded just once against Australia, but her positioning was clumsy as she was in two minds about whether to close down the shooter or get a strong positioning for a reflex save.
“Our job is to keep pushing and developing,” Hayes said of her goalkeepers after the Japan match, “and time will reveal where they both are. But I know I’ve been in this situation a lot of times in my career. I value patience in development, and I know that we have a plan, and it’s important for us to keep developing — as we are.”
The mainstays from the 2019 squad
With so many new faces in camp, Hayes was careful to balance their inexperience with some USWNT regulars to maintain continuity as they acclimated. These veterans were expected to put in consistent shifts to account for varying forms among their less-tested teammates. Unfortunately, the old guard also struggled in some crucial areas, especially those who remain from the 2019 world champions.
Lindsey Heaps looked especially frustrated in her games against Colombia and Japan. Playing as a No. 10, the Lyon midfielder sometimes gummed up the United States’ sequences as they entered the final third, getting in the way of her midfield’s progressive passing and trying to run into the same spaces as her center forward. The United States captain tried to make an impact aerially and by being in the position to play the final ball, but these were far from her best shifts to date.
Sonnett’s poorly timed slip helped gift Japan a clear shot for the opening goal, but the all-time SheBelieves minutes leader was otherwise her usually dependable self most often. The same can’t be said for Crystal Dunn, whose lack of playing time since the Paris Olympics was evident as she made unusual mistakes by her standard.
Despite her 157 caps, this felt like a camp in which Dunn was fighting for her spot in Hayes’ plans for the 2027 World Cup cycle. Dunn will likely stay part of the mix in this time of transition, but she’ll need to make more of an impact in future camps.
Ones for the future
Hal Hershfelt
Thanks to a stellar rookie year for the Spirit, Hershfelt had pried open a path into the USWNT midfield. Despite making the roster for the January training camp, Hershfelt didn’t get the nod for SheBelieves Cup. That may have been in part due to the return of multiple European-based players, but Hayes also opted to take a look at Claire Hutton this go-round.
Hershfelt still offers the USWNT real bite in the midfield and a knack for winning aerial duels all over the pitch, including on set pieces. While it feels unlikely that the window has been shut on future call-ups, this felt like the exact type of camp for a player like Hershfelt to shine.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Hayes opted for two goalkeepers on her squad in exchange for an additional field player, keeping Tullis-Joyce in camp as a training option. It was unfortunate that we weren’t able to see how the Manchester United netminder could have fared in tandem with the new wave of defenders, as her form in the Women’s Super League has been among the best of any player at her position.
Still, Hayes assured that Tullis-Joyce would eventually get a shot in goal for her team.
“This is just her second camp, she’s still getting to know people,” Hayes said, noting they’ve been keeping tabs on her performances with Manchester United and the areas they’d like to see improvement. “I’m sure Phallon will get her opportunities with us, but the other two (Campbell and McGlynn) have been around the group a little bit longer and built those connections and those relationships. Phallon will get her turn.”
More new kids
Hutton, Gisele Thompson and Emma Sears all got limited opportunities through these three matches, though all three started against Australia. With massive rotation from Hayes in that match, changing all 11 players from the tournament opener (just the sixth time it’s ever happened in program history), cohesion was always going to be a tall ask.
The USWNT will at least have some individual tape for these players, and more for Sears, but Hutton probably came the closest to standing out in the Australia match. Former USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski has relied on the 19-year-old defensive midfielder as the backbone of the Kansas City Current’s success, but much as Hayes has preached patience across the board, a solid performance against the current iteration of the Matildas isn’t the same level as a solid performance against Japan or Colombia.None of them should be worried about their standing with the USWNT, but all three are still in the early stages of being dropped into this environment and tested at the highest level.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.US Women’s national team, Soccer, NWSL
US Ladies Win 2-0 over Colombia, Play Australia Sun 5 pm on TBS, Wed 10:30 pm vs Japan It was nice to see the US look good vs Colombia with a whole lot of new faces on the field. A 2-0 SheBelieves Cup win over Colombia in Houston on Thursday night. Chelsea midfielder Cat Macario (back after 3 years from a torn MCL) and Utah Royals’ Ally Sentnor were the difference for the U.S., the latter scoring in her first start with the senior national team. US vs Colombia Highlights. I thought the whole team looked good – hard getting used to Captain Lindsay Horan being called her new married name of Heaps. The US really dominated play – Gothem’s Ashley Ryan had a couple of nice shots and an assist on the night playing in Rose’s role. Playing as the chief line-breaker behind Sentnor, Lindsey Heaps, and Ryan, 17 year old Lilly Yohannes continually slotted the ball between Colombian midfielders and defenders leading to the first goal. The D lead by Sonnet, Nighswonger were solid and Campbell was really not tested in goal. The US next plays Sunday at 5 pm with a match against Australia in Glendale on TBS. The final day of the competition is Wed vs Japan at 10:30 pm on TBS @ Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Champions League see’s Most American’s Eliminated First it was AC Milan with Pulisic and Musah with a devastating loss at home to Feynord 2-1 knocking them out before the round of 16. Then Celtic with American centerbacks Cameron Carter Vickers and Aaron Trusty showing their quality but still barely losing at Bayern in the closing seconds. And of course the final had my precious Juventus losing a heartbreaking game at home to PSV 3-1 despite a goal from American Tim Weah and a full 120 for McKinney. Of course PSV has 4 American’s but only 1 is playing in RB Ledezma as the others are lost for the season (although Dest might return soon). Either way it was a heartbreaking 2 days leading into the Round of 16 as their were more Americans in the knock-out stages than ever before. As many as 9 American’s started in the knockout rounds and only a couple are moving thru.. 😦
MLS Season Kicks off 30th Season Friday night on Apple
So MLS is back underway in what is Messi’s 3rd year of a 3 yr contract with Inter-Miami. While Messi has sold out stadiums nationwide – MLS refusal to allow his games to be played on normal TV – in my opinion has drastically limited his impact. Yes you still need Apple TV and a $100 MLS Season pass to see MLS regular season games — and most of them are all played at the same time on Saturday nights. Absolutely clueless! I can’t say I am excited for the season — as honestly I watch about 1/10th the # of games I used to watch before Apple. I still love Seattle and try to follow Cincy, Miami and Atlanta United – but its so much easier to watch EPL – lets be honest. Anyway I have included a bunch of stories about MLS, season predictions and more. I will say Champions Cup games are on weeknights on Fox Sports 2 which many people have-I have included them on the TV schedule. Also rumor has it the Sunday night Games might be Free on Apple TV – trying to establish Sunday night Futbol by MLS.
Big Games this Weekend Liverpool @ Man City on Sun 11:30 am leads the big games this weekend, along with New Castle vs Forest on USA at 9 am. American’s will face off Sat at 10 am on Peacock as Fulham & Robinson hosts Crystal Palace and Chris Richards. AC Milan w/Pulisic & Musah travel to Torino at Sat at 12 on Para+ in a must win, while Juve with Weah/Mckinney play Cagliari on CBS Golazo/Para+ at 2:45 pm on Sunday. MLS has LA vs Minn United on Fox at 4:30 pm Sat along with Miami vs NYCFC at 7:30 pm free on Apple TV.
Here’s a bullet-point rundown of the USMNT players whose clubs were in action this week (Monday through Thursday). Well, there were 13 Americans alive in Champions League on Monday, and now it’s down to just 6 (Dest, Tillman, Pepi, Ledezma, Reyna, and Cole Campbell). And of those six, Dest, Tillman, and Pepi are out injured, and Campbell hasn’t been involved with Dortmund’s first team squad in a while. So, it’s basically Reyna and Ledezma now.
I divided players by position groups (for me personally, that helps my depth-chart-oriented brain to process this information most usefully). Within position groups, players are listed in order of when their games took place.
Strikers
19-year-old Kristian Fletcher is on loan at Nottingham Forest from DC United. Fletcher scored for Forest’s U21s on Monday, making it three straight games with a goal.
Kristian Fletcher’s goal for Nottingham Forest’s U21s on Monday. Would prove to be the winner in a 1-0 win over Stoke.
Brenden Aaronson started and played 78 minutes for Leeds United in a 2-1 win over Sunderland at Elland Park on Monday. The game was 1-1 when Brenden came off the field, Leeds got the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Christian Pulisic started for AC Milan and played 63 minutes in their 1-1 draw with Feyenoord on Tuesday. Pulisic sent in a near-perfect cross to set up Milan’s only goal. Milan lost 1-2 on aggregate, and are eliminated from Champions League.
DREAM START AT THE SAN SIRO!
Santi Giménez stays hot for Milan with a scrappy goal inside the first minute against his former club pic.twitter.com/q2tzmpq9go— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 18, 2025
Djordje Mihailovic played the full 90 in the Colorado Rapids’ 2-1 Concacaf Champions Cup win over LAFC on Tuesday, scoring both Colorado goals. First, a penalty, to open the scoring, and then an 80th-minute free kick that curled into the top corner to give the Rapids a 2-1 lead heading into the second leg (highlights).
Gio Reyna played 21 minutes off the bench for Borussia Dortmund in a 0-0 draw with Sporting CP on Wednesday. BVB advanced 3-0 on aggregate, and will continue their Champions League journey.
Cole Campbell was an unused sub for Dortmund against Sporting CP on Wednesday.
Tim Weah played all 120 minutes for Juventus in the 1-3 loss to PSV on Wednesday. Weah scored Juve’s only goal. The goal was initially ruled offside before eventually being given.
Taylor Booth subbed on in the 106th minute to play 15 minutes for Twente in a 2-5 loss to Bodø/Glimt on Thursday. Twente lost 4-6 on aggregate, and are out of Europa League.
Center mids
Gianluca Busio played 33 minutes off the bench for Venezia in their 0-2 loss at Genoa on Monday.
Yunus Musah started and played 83 minutes for AC Milan in their 1-1 draw with Feyenoord on Tuesday. Milan lost 1-2 on aggregate, and are knocked out of Champions League.
Weston McKennie played the full 120 minutes for Juventus in the 1-3 loss to PSV on Wednesday, as Juve bowed out of Champions League.
Benja Cremaschi played 11 minutes off the bench for Inter Miami in a 1-0 win over Sporting on Wednesday.
Johnny Cardoso played 31 minutes off the bench for Real Betis in a 0-1 loss to Gent. Betis won the tie 3-1 on aggregate, and are moving on to the next round of Conference League.
Fullbacks
Reggie Cannon started for the Colorado Rapids and was subbed out in the 90th minute of their 2-1 win over LAFC in Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday (highlights).
Sergiño Dest was not in PSV’s squad for their 3-1 win over Juventus on Wednesday, but he is back in training!
Richy Ledezma started for PSV and played 78 minutes in the 3-1 win over Juve on Wednesday. A report on X claimed that USMNT staff was at the match, primarily to scout Ledezma.
Center-backs
Cameron Carter-Vickers played the full 90 for Celtic in their 1-1 draw away to Bayern Munich. Alphonso Davies’ goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time was enough to eke out a 3-2 aggregate win for Bayern, knocking Celtic out of Champions League.
Auston Trusty also played the full 90 for Celtic in the 1-1 draw with Bayern.
Jackson Ragen played the full 90 for the Seattle Sounders in the 3-1 away win over Antigua GFC on Wednesday.
Miles Robinson played the full 90 for FC Cincinnati in a 4-1 win over Motagua on Wednesday in Concacaf Champions Cup.
Matt Miazga tore his ACL in October, he missed the Motagua game. FotMob lists him as expected to return in late June.
Goalkeepers
Diego Kochen was an unused sub for FC Barcelona in their 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano at home on Monday.
Drake Callender was not in Inter Miami’s squad for their 1-0 win over Sporting KC on Wednesday. The club stated that he wasn’t 100% fit, making him unavailable for this match, but he appeared to be fully participating in training. Miami signed 38-year-old Argentine ‘keeper Oscar Ustari in September; Ustari got the start against SKC and kept a clean sheet.
Roman Celentano played the full 90 for FC Cincinnati in the 4-1 win over Motagua on Wednesday, making 4 saves (and conceding the one goal, obviously).
What were your takeaways from this weekend? What changes would you make to the format of these articles? Hit the comments to discuss.
MLS Predictions from Around the Web
American’s Tim Weah (who scored) and Weston McKinney were rated the best players in Juve’s loss.
Promising Champions League for USMNT stars turns dire in a flash
A once-promising UEFA Champions League campaign for Americans took a gruesome turn in the playoff knockout phase of the new-look competition after AC Milan, Juventus and Celtic’s eliminations took out a half dozen U.S. internationals in the process.
Although Borussia Dortmund have two U.S. players on their squad and PSV have four, both Dortmund players are late-game options at best, while PSV’s three-high profile Americans are all injured. The fourth at PSV, Richy Ledezma, started again at right back in Wednesday’s extra-time ouster of Juventus, but the 24-year-old earned his only call-up to the senior national team in 2020 and maintains eligibility for Mexico.In the meantime, high-profile core stars Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie are done with European competition this season, while Celtic center backs and U.S. hopefuls Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty also won’t be tested by the continent’s finest anymore following last-gasp elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich (and Canadian goal-scoring hero Alphonso Davies).The final blow came Wednesday, when PSV outlasted Juventus, 4-3 on aggregate. This was the second consecutive day in which an Eredivisie side knocked off a team from Serie A in dramatic fashion, following Feyenoord’s surprising triumph over Milan.
It appeared Juventus were on their way through in the 63rd minute, when Weah, playing as a right back as he often does for the club, ran onto a cleared corner kick and connected with power and precision from 25 yards out. The linesman initially called the sequence off, spotting an offside Juventus teammate on the initial corner kick, but VAR intervened and left the center official to deem that Kelly did not influence the play in any phase. The awarded goal allowed Weah to become the fifth USMNT player to score in this season’s Champions League.
Weah was impactful throughout his shift, but a 74th-minute goal from Ismael Saibari forced extra time, while Ryan Flamingo put the tie away in the 98th minute on a scramble in front of goal following a well-executed free kick. The result sees PSV through to the round of 16 instead of Juve and another abrupt ending for Americans in Europe following a largely prolific run through the league phase.
With comparatively little laying ahead for marquee USMNT members in the Champions League now – Dortmund’s Gio Reyna and Cole Campbell join the PSV quartet in the last 16 – it’s worth examining how the full contingent fared up until the playoff round, digging into the numbers and finding a relative standing.
Through Wednesday’s knockout playoff second legs, USMNT-eligible players have logged 5,009 minutes across 82 games, with 53 of those shifts coming as starts. When they played, every American player had a record of at least .500 – meaning their teams won at least as many games as they lost when they were involved.Entering the round of 16, USMNT-eligible players’ involvement ranged from Trusty, who logged 815 minutes with Celtic, to Dortmund’s latest Yankee youngster, Cole Campbell, who made one 13-minute cameo. Extra time in Eindhoven helped the group exceed 5,000 minutes of play, comfortably eclipsing the previous high of 3,985 minutes logged in 2021-22. A year earlier, Pulisic became the first American man to play in a Champions League final, helping Chelsea beat Manchester City in Porto. Barring a surprising run to the final by either PSV or Dortmund, he’s likely to retain that distinction into 2025-26.
Understandably, an uptick in playing time helped the group set another record for goals scored in the Champions League by Americans (13; Pulisic led all U.S. scorers with four), an impressive feat reached well before the competition’s final four rounds. For context, American players scored 12 Champions League goals in the previous four editions – combined.
This season’s efforts ehaven’t been garbage-time scoreline-padders, either. Three goals proved to be game-winners, with Pepi swinging matches for PSV with both of his successful strikes and McKennie making the difference for Juventus on one occasion. Tillman, who keyed a comeback vs. Shakhtar Donetsk that Pepi finished off, also swung a result, playing a needed assist to Flamingo during the league phase. Weah’s strike on Wednesday was undoubtedly meaningful, even if its impact was short-lived.
So where does that baker’s dozen place the U.S. in the national golden boot race? Unfortunately, quite far from the podium places — but in impressive standing when given proper context.
Through the tournament’s playoff round, players from the U.S. are tied for the 13th-highest goal return, at level standing with Norway. Ten contingents above them are UEFA-affiliated nations, while the other two (Brazil and Argentina) have long been assimilated into the European game’s highest levels. As such, the U.S. has provided the third-most goals to this year’s Champions League of any non-UEFA nation, while they’ve chipped in more than any country outside of Europe and South America. Japan is next with 12 goals, while Guinea, Nigeria and Morocco are tied at 10.The fellow 2026 World Cup cohosts are a little further down the hierarchy. Canada is tied for 22nd with nine, most recently Davies’ late decider against Celtic, while all six of Mexico’s goals came from Santiago Giménez. The only other goal scored by a Concacaf player came from César Blackman, with the Panama right back scoring once for ŠK Slovan Bratislava.Some rationale for the Americans’ success this year is the inevitable result of the game’s globalization – an increase in opportunities from players who hail from beyond UEFA’s nations.
The new Champions League format also increases the number of paths into the competition. Teams operating a rung below their nation’s title favorites can still claim one of a healthy number of berths into the tournament field — teams of Dortmund, Juventus and Milan’s caliber at present. There is also more consistent access to the tournament for the best teams of perceived second-tier competitions, like the ones often dominated by Celtic and PSV. Any team that reaches the league phase is guaranteed more games than they enjoyed in the old group-stage format, with every participant playing eight games before the first wave of elimination.Still, none of this makes this week’s trio of eliminations any easier to digest. Milan will feel especially disappointed, having nearly finished high enough in the league phase standings to skip the playoff altogether. Ultimately, a tumultuous season that necessitated a December coaching change extended into Europe. Juventus will also rue its missed chances on Wednesday, having been just over a quarter of an hour away from reaching the round of 16. And while Celtic was a mighty underdog in its clash with Bayern, the Scottish giant performed admirably and nearly forced extra time at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.As such, the USMNT’s best player (Pulisic), one of its most consistent attackers (Weah), two vital midfielders (McKennie and Musah) and two World Cup hopefuls at center back (Carter-Vickers and Trusty) are all left to watch the knockout bracket transpire like the rest of us.Perhaps Reyna has one last star contribution to make for Dortmund. Maybe Ledezma’s shifts at right back will work him into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. After a week like this, however, those silver linings are hard to spot. The U.S.’s best chances to have another prominent player reach the Champions League final have all failed to materialize.(Top photo: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
USMNT’s Christian Pulisic denies rift with Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao
Christian Pulisic has denied any fallout with Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao and described such suggestions as “unacceptable lies”.Conceicao replaced Paulo Fonseca as Milan head coach on December 30 and oversaw a busy January transfer window, when five players — including Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez and loan arrivals of Joao Felix and Kyle Walker — joined the club.
USMNT captain Pulisic has not started the club’s last two Serie A games against Hellas Verona and Empoli, but did play from the start in both of the side’s Champions League play-off games against Feyenoord — which the Italian side lost 2-1 on aggregate.Following suggestions in the Italian media that he had asked to leave the club at the end of the season after a supposed rift with the 50-year-old head coach after last month’s Champions League loss at Dinamo Zagreb, Pulisic has responded via Milan’s social media.“I have never argued with the coach and I have never asked to leave,” Pulisic, 26, said.“I am very happy at Milan and I want to continue wearing this shirt. Reading these lies is unacceptable, but let’s all continue to remain united and fight together on the pitch, for the club and for our fans.”Pulisic has made 33 appearances in total in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals and adding nine assists.Milan, who are seventh in Serie A, are back in action on Saturday with a league match away at Torino (Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
USWNT 2, Colombia 0: Macario scores in her return, Sentnor stuns with first goal
The U.S. women’s national team’s 2025 opened up with a 2-0 SheBelieves Cup win over Colombia in Houston on Thursday night. Chelsea midfielder Cat Macario and Utah Royals’ Ally Sentnor were the difference for the U.S., the latter scoring in her first start with the senior national team. With plenty of rotation and debuts expected across the friendly tournament from head coach Emma Hayes, and a starting XI that was missing some of the team’s biggest names, the victory was a promising start to what should prove to be a year of evaluation.
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Beyond the two goalscorers, midfielder Lily Yohannes had a statement performance, making her first start for the team. Her passing game out of the midfield directly led to Macario’s opening goal, and she proved her mettle defensively against a tough Colombia team. In the waning moments of stoppage time, she nearly connected with Lynn Biyendolo with a pass off the outside of her foot that had a solid chance of being the third goal.
While Hayes has promised that she will allow Yohannes to develop on her own schedule, the 17-year-old’s performance showed she’s perfectly capable of fighting for a more consistent starting role on the USWNT.
Catarina Macario marks her return to the USWNT with a goal against Colombia. (Jack Gorman / Getty Images)
Welcome back Catarina Macario
This has been Macario’s third reintroduction to the USWNT pool, and she took full advantage of the moment. It wasn’t a shock that the European-based players looked a little sharper from the jump on Thursday, but Macario’s connection with Yohannes was immediately promising for the U.S.Her first-half goal was the final touch on a well-worked sequence that started with Yohannes, who sent a ball to Yazmeen Ryan. Streaking in off the right wing to a more central position, Ryan only needed to square it to Macario, who smashed it home from close range. The goal was her first with the national team since April 12, 2022, a whopping 1,045 days.“I just felt like it was a big weight off my shoulders,” Macario told the TBS broadcast after the game. “Just so happy, so thrilled to be scoring for the national team again, to be playing again. … It means the whole world.”It was Macario’s first goal in three years. She missed the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics recovering from an ACL tear.
Macario offers so much more than goal scoring though. Colombia’s physicality didn’t throw her — a promising sign for Macario, who has grappled with injuries for so long — but it did limit her ability to create with the ball at her feet. As Just Women’s Sports reporter Claire Watkins pointed out during the game, Macario’s service on set pieces and corner kicks is something the USWNT could certainly benefit from. It could also potentially free up someone like Mal Swanson. With Megan Rapinoe’s retirement, the team could use a new dedicated set piece maestro, and Macario makes a compelling case.Macario exited in the 64th minute as Hayes continues to evaluate her pool of players. Is the Chelsea midfielder set for a repeat of her 2022 SheBelieves MVP performance? It’s probably going to come down to how many minutes she gets over the next week — but Thursday was a solid start for her 2025 campaign.
— Meg Linehan
Ally Sentnor celebrates scoring her first goal for the U.S. women’s national team. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Who is Ally Sentnor?
In a camp full of players looking to work into Hayes’ plans for the coming years, it’s important to make a lasting impression. Sentnor, 21, certainly made her mark on Tuesday, scoring a golazo early in the second half to put the U.S. ahead 2-0.
This year has hardly started, but she arguably submitted the highlight of her budding career in the 60th minute against Colombia on Thursday. Collecting a pass through the midfield from Tara McKeown, Sentnor beat one opponent on her dribble, then a second, as she cut from the left half-space into the central channel. From there, she looked up and saw an opening, uncorking a knuckling shot from over 25 yards out that caught Colombia goalkeeper Katherine Tapia flat-footed as it curled into the far upper corner.
The versatile attacking midfielder, who was Sports Illustrated’s SportsKid of the Year in 2019, a year before USC basketball star JuJu Watkins, played collegiately with the vaunted North Carolina Tar Heels, overcoming a torn ACL in her freshman year to earn first-team All-ACC honors in her two seasons before going pro. She became the final player taken first overall in the NWSL’s draft before it was eliminated in the most recent collective bargaining agreement, landing with the Utah Royals.In 2024, Sentnor kept on shooting. Utah needed her to step up from the opening whistle of its first match, as the club thrust her into a starring role. She relished the responsibility, tapping into the bag of tricks she worked to refine as a youth player. As she told the TBS broadcast, her diminutive size forced her to hone in on her technique, both in terms of dribbling and shooting quickly with power before her opposing mark could contain her.Sentnor kept busy as a rookie, finishing ninth among all NWSL players by attempting 68 shots in 1,866 minutes. She also played a key role for the United States at the U-20 World Cup, scoring three goals en route to a bronze medal finish last year, the nation’s best showing at the tournament since 2012. She was a deserving winner of U.S. Soccer’s Young Female Player of the Year award and earned two senior team appearances late in the year to cap a memorable year.
It was only her first start for Hayes’ side, but with her unpredictable ingenuity, Sentnor is bound to get a few more looks in this tournament and beyond. Two days after celebrating her birthday, it was a performance she and fans won’t soon forget.
— Jeff Rueter
Lily Yohannes earns her first start for the U.S. against Colombia. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
The Lily Yohannes era begins
Last year, Yohannes made history, becoming the third-youngest goalscorer in USWNT history. The then-16-year-old midfielder, playing against South Korea in a June friendly, calmly slotted the ball through a congested penalty box and into the net at Allianz Field. Although she didn’t score again on Thursday, her composure on the ball made her an undeniable standout.
The Ajax midfielder made her first start for Hayes in the SheBelieves Cup, donning the number 11 shirt in Sophia Wilson’s absence. It was Yohannes who sparked the sequence leading to Macario’s opening goal, spraying an inch-perfect lobbed pass into Ryan’s path.
Throughout the rest of her shift, she played with control and poise beyond her 17 years. Playing as the chief line-breaker behind Sentnor, Lindsey Heaps, and Ryan, Yohannes continually slotted the ball between Colombian midfielders and defenders. It wasn’t a case of an opponent being oblivious to one repeated trick, either. There were more lobbed balls over the back line and into the wings, as well as through balls rolling up the half-space hit with the outside of her foot and swift first-touch passes to pry the ball off an opponent’s boot.
For the fans who toughed out a brisk night in Houston, it was a display that radiated plenty of promise.
— Rueter
Tara McKeown makes her USWNT debut against Colombia in the SheBelieves Cup. (Maria Lysaker / Getty Images)
Trying out new players
Center backs aren’t often expected to rack up assists from the run of play. Their passing is often limited to short-range circulation, while a healthy portion of their passes are speculative launches that, statistically more often than not, miss their intended target.
As one veteran defender told me years ago: “I’m well aware I’m the last player fans pay to see on the ball.” Making her USWNT debut, Tara McKeown provided a compelling counterargument to that point.
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Earning her first senior cap as part of the starting lineup, McKeown played the ball that let Sentnor wreak havoc through Colombia’s midfield en route to her long-range goal. In the hour preceding that sequence, the Washington Spirit defender was tested often by Colombia, with Linda Caicedo and Mayra Ramirez looking particularly eager to test the 25-year-old. The United States’ clean sheet speaks for itself, with McKeown and center back partner Emily Sonnett also keeping possession moving whenever the ball went their way. It was a fine showing that warrants subsequent looks.
Also making her debut, Gisele Thompson came on in the 76th minute. The Angel City left back made her club debut last year, joining her older sister (United States winger Alyssa) to kick off her professional career. By the time she joined the action, the scoreline was already 2-0 with neither team showing the same attacking verve that typified the game’s middle half-hour. With new Arsenal signing Jenna Nighswonger getting the start, we could see Thompson make one of Hayes’ two remaining starting lineups at the SheBelieves Cup.
— Rueter
What’s next?
In the first match of the SheBelieves Cup, Japan throttled Australia with a 4-0 victory. Royals forward Mina Tanaka was a standout, scoring a brace and adding an assist in the win. Thanks to the goal differential, Japan is currently atop the table for the tournament, followed by the U.S.
HOUSTON—For Catarina Macario, the euphoria she felt makes the moment hard to remember.Seventeen-year-old Lily Yohannes had just floated the ball to fellow striker Yazmeen Ryan, who only needed a simple touch to put the ball exactly where Macario knew she needed to be. In one swift motion, Macario shot the ball past Colombia’s goalkeeper, finding the back of the net like she’d done countless times before. This time, though, was special.Macario’s return to the pitch is, of course, a significant milestone. The team’s overall performance against Colombia is also another, as Hayes continues to emphasize player development and experimenting with their roster.The sequence between Yohannes, Ryan and Macario was the first time the trio had played together in a competitive setting. Despite their limited experiences during practice, their chemistry offered a promising glimpse into the possibilities that lay ahead for the national team and its growing player pipeline.“That’s what I was most proud of tonight,” Hayes said. “The team kept really good structure considering they haven’t played together before. What I’ve learned from coaching is, the better structured your teams are, especially at the higher level, the better they feel about expressing themselves within it – but you have to give them that foundation.”
Hayes was happy with the performance (Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
That foundation appears to be bubbling.
Macario’s goal in the 33rd minute came just as the U.S. was finding its footing on the pitch against Colombia. This momentum continued into the second half, punctuated by Ally Sentnor scoring the team’s second goal in the 60th minute. This marked her first international goal, from an assist by Tara McKeown, who also enjoyed her national team debut that night.
“I felt it was a really important goal to really help us finish off the game,” said captain Emily Sonnett, who was honored for her 100th cap ahead of the game. “But I think that just really speaks to the younger players who are coming in, coming off the bench, but also how deep the pool is right now.”
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When Sentnor scored from outside the box, universal joy was evident on the players’ faces. The stadium erupted as players embraced the 21-year-old. Macario’s smile was so wide it was as if she had just scored another goal, too.
“That’s such a big moment,” Macario said. “Whenever anyone scores the first goal for the national team, that’s unforgettable.”
Macario exited the match four minutes later, with an emotional Hayes embracing her for her own unforgettable moment.
Hayes recalled telling her: “Everybody is super happy, super proud, and I’m sure everybody back in Chelsea is, too.”
Champions League Drama on Final Group Day Gives us Interesting Knockout Round Match-ups
Not sure these were the match-ups that UEFA was imagining when they laid out this new Champions League format. Sure Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Leverkusen are all automatic qualifiers in the top 8 but just look at the huge teams having to battle just to get to the final 16? Real Madrid vs Man City in the Knockout Stage ?? Are you kidding? Of course some would argue how could City even make this stage after only winning 2 games in the first 7? Knockout rounds start the 2nd week of Feb while the top 8 wait around till March to play.
Why Don’t The Soccer Gods Get it ?
It certainly was an exciting Champions League Final Group stage day with all the games being played at the same time – serious drama as Man City stayed alive, & AC Milan fell out of the top 8. Too bad you could only watch a couple of them (seriously I had 3 TVs with 2 games with American’s and the Golazo show on). Man you futball/Soccer IDIOTS sure could learn a lesson about actually putting on a tournament. You can’t play all the games at one time – people can’t watch them. Its STUPID!) Imagine starting the games at say 4 pm in Europe, then 6:30, then 8:30, then 10 pm? That’s 4 primetime slots – where the entire world could try to watch say 3 or 4 games at a time. Hey Para+ maybe a 4 way split screen like the NCAAs? You could show 4 games at a time per time slot. European Futbol is so far behind the NFL in this sense – its laughable.
Big TV Games this Weekend
Lets Start with Arsenal vs Man City Sun 11:30 am – of course its on Peacock not USA – thanks NBC – NOT. Anyway can Arsenal keep their hold on 2nd in the table or will they let Man City climb back in the race?
At the same time on Sunday we get the Milan Derby – as Inter and AC Milan face off in the San Siro at 12 noon on CBS Golazo and Para+ – AC Milan fell from 6 to 13th in the Champ League table with their horrific loss Wed despite Christian Pulisic’s 4th Champion’s League goal this campaign (an American record). AC seems to be reeling under new coach Canseco – as most of the players are complaining he’s too mean and has lost the lockerroom? Of course AC was in disarray the last time two faced each other in the Cup when Pulisic saved the day and they won 3-2. Full layout of Americans overseas in games below including Tyler Adams & Bournemouth playing Liverpool Sat at 10 am on USA Network. Bournemouth stands in a tie for 6th with Chelsea and is playing some of the best ball in the EPL now that a healthy Tyler Adams at Dmid. He’s honestly one of the top #6s in the league when healthy. Dortmund and Gio Reyna travel to Heidenheim needing a win Sat at 9:30 on ESPN+. Gio got 26’ off the bench midweek against Shaktar Donetsk and contributed a lovely Backheel assist as BVB went on to win the Champions League match 3-1.
Huge Congrats toFormer Carmel FC Player Maverick McCoy son of former CFC Coach Wade McCoy for signing a USL Academy contract with Indy 11. In fact he started in the preseason friendly yesterday.
GAMES ON TV
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Leading the way
USMNT players aren’t just making the squad, they’re being recognized as leaders
Saturday
Watford v Norwich City – 7:30a on Paramount+
Josh Sargent scored two goals last weekend in his first start since returning from injury two weeks ago. The USMNT needs Sargent to stay healthy and regain his scoring form as they are likely to be down a couple of options for the Nations League competition in the March window.
Udinese v Venezia – 9a on CBSSN and Paramount+
Gianluca Busio and Venezia played Hellas Verona to a draw last weekend and remain four points back of them for safety. Venezia have just sixteen points through twenty-two matches and look likely to head back to Serie B next Fall. They will be facing eleventh place Udinese on Saturday who are looking to snap a five match winless streak.
Stuttgart v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally was back in the starting lineup, one week after getting a rare day off. Borussia Monchengladbach won the match 2-0 to move to eighth in the table and they will now travel to fourth place Stuttgart looking to string together some wins.
Bayern Munich v Holstein Kiel – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Tolkin saw his first Bundesliga minutes last weekend in a substitute appearance for Holstein Kiel who held Wolfsburg to a 2-2 draw. Kiel remain two points back of Heidenheim for the relegation playoff position and will face a stiff challenge this weekend as they face league leading Bayern Munich.
Heidenheim v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna was an unused substitute last weekend in his first match under new management but got 26’ off the bench midweek against Shaktar Donetsk and contributed a lovely Backheel assist as BVB went on to win the Champions League match 3-1. Dortmund have just one win in their last eight league matches and currently sit in eleventh place though just six points back of fourth place Stuttgart. They face a Heidenheim side that are flirting with the relegation zone with just fourteen points through nineteen matches.
St. Pauli v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
James Sands has started the past two matches for St. Pauli, both wins, and the six points have pulled the club up to thirteenth place, six points clear of the relegation playoff position. They will face Augsburg who are one spot, but five points, ahead of them in the Bundesliga standings. It has been a quick transition for Sands who joined St. Pauli in January
AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool – 10a on USA Network
Tyler Adams notched two more assists last weekend in Bournemouth’s 5-0 thrashing of third place Nottingham Forest last weekend. The Cherries are now in seventh place and will face league leading Liverpool on Saturday morning. Adams has started three straight for Bournemouth who are undefeated in their last eleven matches. Liverpool won the first match between the two sides, 3-0 back in September before Adams had returned from his offseason injury.
Newcastle United v Fulham – 10a on Peacock
Fulham and Antonee Robinson fell to Manchester United 1-0 last weekend with Robinson once again wearing the captains armband for the Cottagers. Despite the loss Fulham remain in tenth place, they are eight points back of this weekends opponent, Newcastle United, who are in fifth place following their win over Southampton last weekend.
Leeds United v Cardiff City – 10a on Paramount+
Brenden Aaronson started and went the full 90’ yet again for Leeds United last weekend in their scoreless draw with third place Burnley. Aaronson has started every match since Leeds’s third game of the season and is already over 2,300 minutes in league play. Leeds remain in first place, with a two point advantage over Sheffield United, heading into their matchup this weekend against eighteenth place Cardiff City who defeated Derby County last weekend and are undefeated in their past seven league matches.
Union Berlin v RB Leipzig – 12:30p on ESPN+
Jordan Pefok started yet again last weekend for Union Berlin but has yet to find the back of the next this season. Berlin fell to St Pauli 3-0 and they have suffered defeat in seven of their last nine matches, with just one win in that period. Berlin face fifth place RB Leipzig who are tied on points with Stuttgart.
NEC v PSV – 3p on ESPN+
Ricardo Pepi started for PSV on Wednesday scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 3-2 victory over Liverpool in Champions League play. Unfortunately Pepi was injured before coming off and is now set to miss the next 1-3 months, likely knocking him out of Nations League action. The Pepi injured, combined with Malik Tillman already missing out may mean that Richard Ledezma is the lone American suiting up for PSV as they take on NEC in league play, looking to maintain their five point advantage over second place Ajax.
Sunday
Juventus v Empoli – 6:30a on Paramount+
Weston McKennie wore the captains armband for Juventus midweek and Tim Weah played the full 90’ at rightback as the team fell to Benfica 2-0 but still qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League. Juventus fell to first place Napoli last weekend 2-1, suffering their first Serie A defeat of the season.
Manchester United v Crystal Palace – 9a on Peacock
Crystal Palace fell to Brentford 2-1 last weekend though Chris Richards did get his fifth straight start. Palace are eleven points clear of the relegation scrap and two points behind this weekends opponent, Manchester United who are coming off a 1-0 win over Fulham.
AC Milan v Inter Milan – Noon on Paramount+
Christian Pulisic scored yet another goal, his twelfth across all competitions this season, on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Yunus Musah received his second yellow of the match less than forty minutes in and Milan would fall 2-1 playing down a man the rest of the way to Dinamo Zagreb. Pulisic also scored last weekend in Milan’s 3-2 win over Parma. They will now host Inter Milan who are in second place, three points back of Napoli. AC Milan has defeated Inter twice this season, once in league play as well as in the Supercoppa Italiana final with Pulisic scoring in both matches.
Olympique Marseille v Olympique Lyon – 2:45p on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann has not made it off the bench in Lyon’s past two league matches but did get the start on Thursday as they face Ludogorets Razgrad in Europa League action. Lyon are in sixth place and taking on second place Marseille this weekend.
Real Betis v Atheltic Club – 3p on ESPN+
Real Betis defeated Mallorca 1-0 last weekend with Johnny Cardoso getting his fifth straight start and once again playing the full 90’. Betis pulled into tenth place with the victory and will now host fourth place Athletic Club.
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It has been a Champions League semi-final three times over the past decade and a quarter-final once, but this time Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the competition’s new play-offs round — with the winners over two legs next month advancing to the last 16 in March.That blockbuster tie coming at such an early stage of the competition is surely not what UEFA envisaged when it revamped the tournament’s structure this year, meaning only the top eight sides from the 36-team opening phase qualified automatically for the last 16.But City and Madrid have paid for their poor performances in Europe this season, with the English champions particularly close to going out altogether as they trailed in the last of their eight games.Now, both have the chance to make amends by knocking out opponents they will see as major rivals in their bid to go on and win the competition.Elsewhere among the eight ties, Celtic meet Bayern Munich and there is an all-French contest between minnows Brest and serial domestic champions Paris Saint-Germain.The first legs of the play-off matches will take place on February 11 and 12, with the returns a week later.Sam Lee, Rory Smith, Oliver Kay, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Dermot Corrigan analyse the key talking points from today’s draw.
City in rare position of being underdogs
Real Madrid will hardly be relishing a tie against Pep Guardiola’s men, given how dangerous they can still be, but it is a very different Manchester City this season, one ravaged by basically all of the half-decent teams they have played in the past three months — apart from the Chelsea game last week, when they ruthlessly exploited the spaces afforded to them by their visitors’ high press.
Madrid are unlikely to do that, because they have generally sat back and waited for City and tried to hit them on the break in their recent meetings.
With the remarkable exception of a 4-0 semi-final second leg defeat in Manchester to a side on their way to the treble in 2023, that approach has been enough to undo even City at their top level. This is an “old” City team, in Guardiola’s own words, and they really struggle against counter-attacks.
Guardiola is praying that many of his injured players return between now and the first leg in about 10 days. City can also register three new signings to play in the tie, although as it stands only Omar Marmoush is likely to contribute.
Madrid are favourites, then — overwhelmingly so if those injured City players do not come back to fitness quickly.
Sam Lee
Real Madrid will hope pace gives them the edge
The stark look on the face of Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno when the draw was made said it all.
Madrid were facing Manchester City yet again — for the fifth time in the past six seasons in this competition — in a play-off round they know they should not really be part of. But Carlo Ancelotti’s defending champions are paying the price for losing three of their eight league-phase games, with the slips away at Lille and at home to Milan now especially damaging.
Ancelotti’s big-name attackers Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe could do a lot of damage to a City defence which has suffered against counter-attacks all year but he said outright this week that he did not want another meeting with City, aware that, whatever happens, they will be two physically and emotionally draining games. Especially with all the focus that ex-Barcelona player and manager Guardiola coming back to the Bernabeu always brings.
Vinicius Jr will be a huge threat to a City defence that has been unusually vulnerable this season (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
There is also an awareness at Madrid that, should they progress past City, they will either play neighbours Atletico or Bernabeu old boy Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 — another super high-profile tie which they would rather have avoided at that stage of the competition.
Dermot Corrigan
Bayern avoid City and a nightmare week
Given how Bayern Munich stumbled through the league phase, this could have been a lot tougher.
There is healthy respect for Celtic and their place in the game — RB Leipzig were soundly beaten in Glasgow in November, so nobody will underestimate the challenge ahead — but the two legs of this tie occur either side of a critical Bundesliga game away to champions Leverkusen, and so being drawn against Manchester City really would have made that a nightmarish week. It would also have been appropriate punishment for a sloppy start in this competition. October’s loss to Barcelona was very ugly. The defeat at Feyenoord last week was arguably worse.
The other German side involved in this draw, Borussia Dortmund, are now under new management, with Niko Kovac appointed this week to succeed Nuri Sahin. They will see their draw as favourable, too, given that Sporting CP are still suffering in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s November departure to take the Manchester United job. Expect to see a more cautious and resilient Dortmund emerge by the first leg.
Two weeks ago, Sporting would rightly have fancied their chances — particularly for the opening game in Lisbon — but with that coaching change and the potential for some new-manager bounce, that is now a much tougher proposition. One caveat, though, is that Kovac won’t have Felix Nmecha. The influential midfielder is out for the rest of the season through injury and, barring some dramatic transfer activity in the coming days, his orchestrating will be extremely difficult to replace.
Still, a very good draw for the German clubs. The two extra games are a burden, but they could have been far more attritional.
That sound you can hear is a sigh of relief: relief for Juventus and Milan that they will not have to face each other in the Champions League play-offs; relief for Thiago Motta and Sergio Conceicao, the respective managers, that their team will not have to risk the humiliation of being eliminated by Italian rivals; relief from everyone who sat through the dreadful 2003 final between those two at Old Trafford and is still triggered by the experience.
Neither Milan nor Juventus needed that sort of strain at what has become a distinctly delicate point in their seasons. For the first time since he took charge in the summer, there is a scintilla of pressure on Motta, the man tasked with restoring Juventus to some sort of primacy at home and abroad.
His unbeaten domestic record fell at the weekend, as Juventus surrendered a lead at Napoli; all of a sudden, the 13 — yes, 13 — draws his team have registered in 22 Serie A matches look less like a platform for an imminent recovery and more like a sign of ongoing decay. Remaining in the Champions League for as long as possible is vital not just for the financial rewards, but for morale. A free-running PSV pose a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.
Milan, too, will see Feyenoord as the least worst option. Conceicao has only recently been installed as manager, replacing Paulo Fonseca at the turn of the year, and results so far have been mixed. Not as mixed as Feyenoord’s, though: Brian Priske’s side beat Bayern Munich 3-0 last week, then collapsed to a 6-1 loss at Lille. The chances are Priske will not still be in charge by the time Milan travel to Rotterdam for the first leg.
In truth, though, neither of these two looks likely to be the last Italian side standing in the 2024-25 Champions League.
Atalanta, having missed out on automatic qualification for the last 16 only by a point, would have been confident of beating either of their potential opponents Club Brugge and Sporting. Although the Belgians are probably the more exacting of the two, Gianpiero Gasperini’s team stand as overwhelming favourites to go through.
If they do get through to play Aston Villa or Lille in the round of 16, it’s fair to say nobody left in the competition will want to face them.
Rory Smith
Liverpool, Barcelona and plotting a path to the final
There are still a lot of either/ors, but at this stage it feels like the potential benefits of finishing first and second in the league phase are becoming clearer for Liverpool and Barcelona.
Another draw on February 21, after the play-off round is completed, will determine which of those two will play the winners of the Brest-PSG tie and which will meet either Monaco or Benfica. Beyond that, one of them could potentially face Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Lille or Sporting in the quarter-finals, while the other could potentially be up against Villa, Dortmund, Atalanta or Club Brugge.
Nobody will want to play PSG in the next round — and Liverpool know from bitter experience in the Europa League last season what difficult opponents Atalanta can be — but it feels like finishing in the top two has brought a slightly easier-looking passage to the semi-finals.
By contrast, whoever gets through that Manchester City vs Real Madrid tie will face either Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and then, if they progress again, one of Juventus, PSV, Arsenal and Inter in the quarter-finals.
Christian Pulisic’s spot-kick composure, Tyler Adam’s unstoppable momentum and Josh Sargent’s sparky revival all play a part in this week’s USMNT player tracker.
Throughout the season, we will bring you updates on the USMNT players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe.
With a home-soil World Cup on the horizon, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
Cometh the hour, as usual, cometh the man.
Pulisic was a game-changer yet again for Milan in their important win on Sunday. The USMNT star became his club’s joint top goalscorer in the league as he whipped in the penalty that got them back on level terms with Parma in a close contest they eventually won 3-2 in added time.
It was proof that Milan can count on him to lead by example when the chips are down.
“It is our job to score, we want to help the team in any way, through goals or assists,” he told broadcaster DAZN afterwards. “We have to keep going like this.”
Pulisic places the ball on the spot before equalising for Milan against Parma (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The 26-year-old’s display was not perfect. He was guilty of a few overhit crosses (unusually, none of his five deliveries found their target) and had a complete air swipe when Alvaro Morata’s ball found him in the area early on.
But the man who has never missed a penalty in his senior career had the guts to make the difference when it counted and the example set with his nerveless sixth Serie A goal of the campaign inspired the team.
Pulisic wasn’t the only American making the difference as Milan gave their top-four hopes a boost at San Siro. It was Yunus Musah’s cute pass in the 92nd minute that slipped through the Parma defence to allow Tijjani Reijnders to make it 2-2 before Samuel Chukwueze secured the dramatic winner three minutes later.
Musah’s pass carving through the Parma back line was his second assist of the season. Milan are now only five points behind Lazio, who are fourth with a game in hand on the Roman club.
Musah provided an assist (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
His two assists in their emphatic 5-1 thrashing of title dark horses Nottingham Forest on Saturday made him the first American to create three goals across successive Premier League games.
Adams has spoken about thriving within coach Andoni Iraola’s controlled chaos and he is a key part of the surging momentum that is currently overwhelming opponents.
Adams celebrates with Justin Kluivert (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
His tigerish display at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, as compelling defensively as it was creatively, wrote his name into most pundits’ teams of the weekend.
It is perhaps no coincidence that Bournemouth’s impressive run of form, which has them seventh in the table and in contention to qualify for European competition, stems from his return from injury in November.
“If you could see his eyes looking at me when we’re about to replace him after that second goal, he was not satisfied with that,” said Norwich’s Danish head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup. “That was not what he wanted.
“But we had a plan beforehand that it was a maximum 65 minutes with him, no matter what, because we cannot take any risk. The last thing we need is to have another injury with him. We need to still be careful, but 65 minutes, two goals, that’s a step in the right direction.
“He’s a quality player. It’s not even up for discussion. So of course when we lose him and he’s not available, it will mean a difference to the team. Simple as that. He’s quality and he’s also quality for the players.
“He’s a big voice in the dressing room and he always responds well to the way that we prepare the game. He’s able to suggest some adjustments or small details that we can correct when he’s in the game. To have him around the team means so much to the group.”
Thorup explained to local news outlet The Pink ’Un why he was willing to upset USMNT striker Josh Sargent to ensure the club carefully managed his return to full fitness after the 24-year-old’s brace in Norwich’s 5-1 Championship win over Swansea City.
Sargent scored a brace against Swansea (Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
The cutoff was 22 shots, a figure reached by an unfortunate Bundesliga defender. On Saturday, another player in Germany’s top flight upped his “shots in vain” tally to 22 attempts and has a pedigree that really makes us all expect a better return.
Jordan Pefok was a shrewd dual-national commitment during Gregg Berhalter’s time as USMNT manager. Before Folarin Balogun made his decision between the USMNT, England and Nigeria, it was Pefok who gave the strike corps fresh reinforcements ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
He was in form with Swiss giant Young Boys and a move to Union Berlin in the months preceding the Qatar tournament was supposed to, if nothing else, see another U.S.-eligible forward in good standing to challenge.
As it was, he didn’t make the World Cup squad and has scored just four goals in 48 appearances with Union. This year, he hasn’t rippled the net in 889 minutes of league action.
Poor Pefok. His latest blank came in his team’s 3-0 reverse at St. Pauli on Sunday. He is getting in dangerous areas — an average shot distance of 11.5 yards is peak centre forward behavior — and only four of his 22 attempts have been blocked. That 0.13 xG per attempt rate is nothing to scoff at either. Among the Bundesliga forwards who average a lower xG per shot than Pefok are Harry Kane (0.12), Lois Openda (0.12) and new Manchester City signing Omar Marmoush (0.09).
Granted, all three of those men have been more accurate than Pefok’s 31.2 per cent on-target rate.
At 28, Pefok is unlikely to have a better chance to make a World Cup squad than next summer. Form like this will hardly keep him in the conversation given a deep pool of strikers.
The USMNT defender created a chance and won both of his tackles, according to Fotmob, against Manchester United, but the captain could not inspire Fulham to victory at Craven Cottage, as they lost 1-0 on Sunday.
Name: James Sands Club: St. Pauli Position: Midfielder Appearances: 4
The American stood out on only his second start for St. Pauli, writesSeb Stafford-Bloor.
He played 90 minutes against Union Berlin on Sunday evening as his new club won only their second home game of the season. Sands spent the first half in a midfield two with Jackson Irvine, before dropping into the centre of a back three in the second half after an injury in defence.
His big plus so far has been his versatility, particularly with St. Pauli battling injuries in midfield and defence.
Sands (right) leaps into an aerial challenge with Union Berlin’s Andras Schafer (Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Against Union Berlin, they were missing probably their most influential player, Eric Smith, who usually plays in the middle of the back three and is charged with carrying and distributing the ball. Sands can do much of what Smith does, in both parts of the pitch, and it’s quite a compliment that Smith was not badly missed.
The variation in Sands’ passing was invaluable. The 24-year-old can play short up the pitch and out to the touchline but also possesses the ability to deliver a long diagonal pass to provide a nice switch of play. It was not a coincidence that this was probably St. Pauli’s slickest passing performance of the season and the most balanced attacking I’ve seen from them at Bundesliga level.
By full time, the industrious Sands had also run 11.5km.
The 23-year-old helped Real Betis put a three-game losing run behind them as he impressed in the 1-0 win at Mallorca on Saturday. He won eight duels and made four passes into the final third.
The 18-year-old dual German and U.S. national was excellent on his full debut for the Bundesliga outfit. According to Fotmob, Banks was the most accurate passer (98 per cent accuracy) to play 45 minutes or more in the 2-1 victory against Heidenheim.
Pepi came on from the bench once again to score an important goal as defending champions PSV beat NEC Breda 3-2.
According to Opta, his 1.45 goals per 90 minutes this season (11 goals in 683 Eredivisie minutes) is the second-highest among players to play at least 500 minutes in the top 10 European leagues this season, behind Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick (1.50).
Pepi (left) celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal against Breda (Jeroen Putmans/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
US wins twice and may have found some diamonds in the Rough in January
U.S. got excellent games from both of its No. 9s. Patrick Agyemang tallied in both games, while Brian White opened the scoring against Costa Rica. Young Philly Midfielder Jack McGlynn was arguably the best player in camp and had a goal and assist vs Venezuela & a solid 45 min vs Costa Rica. Patrick Agyemang Goal vs Costa Rica Jack McGlynn goal vs Venezuela. Luna finally got his chance and impressed assisting a goal 2 min after he returned from a broken nose – Poch Funny on Luna Broken Nose & Grit. Brian Jones also looked good at left back and might have earned a callup behind the US best defender Jedi Robinson. I also thought Veteran GK Zach Steffen of Colorado was excellent (Great Save Zach Steffen vs Costa Rica) and might give Matt Turner a run for the gloves in March when the US hosts the Nations League semi-finals. Here are highlights for both games in case you missed. USA vs Venzuela HighlightsUSA vs Costa RicaFull Highlights .
Champions League Drama Continues until the last Matchday of the First Round Wed at 3 pm on Para+
Wow amazing to see PSG come back in the last few minutes to almost eliminate Man City from the competition. What an amazing final day of action it will be as automatic places in the top 8 and top 24 are still up for grabs. The Top 8 of which only Liverpool and Barcelona have secured will get the month of Feb off – while #s 9-24 battle it out for the final 8 slots in the Sweet 16 in March. All of the final day games of group play will be on Wed at 3 pm on Paramount+. Full details & Stories below.
Wednesday – 1/29 Champions League Final Group Matchday
Dinamo Zagreb vs AC Milan, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan look to solidify their top 8 place in Champions League.
Juventus vs Benfica, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV (free trial), ViX: Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juve are 17th of 36 in Champions League going into this final matchday.
PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool FC, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, and PSV are 19th of 36 in the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund vs Shakhtar Donetsk, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and BVB are 14th of 36 in Champions League.
Aston Villa vs Celtic, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic are 18th in Champions League.
VfB Stuttgart vs PSG, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Anrie Chase and Stuttgart are barely inside the playoff places, and can’t afford to lose their match as the UCL league phase draws to a close.
Thursday
Lyon vs Ludogorets, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon are 5th in Europa League standings, but can’t afford to rest on their laurels this final matchday.
Roma vs Frankfurt, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, TUDN USA, UniMás, FuboTV, ViX: Nathaniel Brown may miss this match due to illness, but he and Frankfurt are fairly comfortable in second place of Europe League, and should advance.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Grab a cup of joe
There is a solid lineup of matches this weekend including an early start on Sunday if you want to catch the Milan duo in action. So grab your coffee and let’s get rolling.
Saturday
Norwich City v Swansea City – 7:30a on Paramount+
Josh Sargent has returned from a two month layoff to appear in the last two Norwich matches though both have been losses, most recently 2-0 to league leading Leeds United. Norwich were in eighth place when Sargent went out but have fallen to twelfth place and will face fifteenth place Swansea City this weekend.
Mallorca v Real Betis – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso has started six straight matches across all competitions but Betis have lost the past three including a 5-1 Copa del Ray thumping at the hands of Barcelona and, perhaps more concerning, losses in La Liga play to relegation threatened Real Valladolid and Deportivo Alaves. Betis travel to Mallorca this weekend to take on the sixth place side that have suffered a three match loosing streak themselves.
Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen – 9:30a on ESPN+
Borussia Dortmund are going through another rough stretch, losing four straight across all competitions and have decided to move on from Nuri Sahin so american’s Gio Reyna and Cole Campbell will start life under a new manager on Saturday, though Mike Tullberg has the role only on an interim basis. Reyna has appeared in eleven straight since returning from injury, including starts in Champions League action at Bologna and hosting Barcelona. BVB face ninth place Werder Bremen who are a point ahead of them in the Bundesliga table heading into the weekend.
Mainz 05 v Stuttgart – 9:30a on ESPN+
Lennard Maloney has moved out of the relegation playoff spot and up to sixth place in the Bundesliga table thanks to a transfer that has him moving to sixth place Mainz. Mainz face off against fourth place Stuttgart this weekend who hold a one point lead over Leipzig for the final Champions League spot.
Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest – 10a on USA Network
Tyler Adams went 90 minutes again last weekend and picked up an assist in Bournemouth’s 4-1 win over Newcastle. The win moved Bournemouth into seventh place, a point back of Newcastle and Manchester City. They now take on Nottingham Forest, who obviously are in third place, and tied on points with second place Arsenal.
Napoli v Juventus – Noon on Paramount+
Tim Weah came on as a halftime substitute for Juventus last weekend and scored his fifth Serie A goal of the season as Juventus defeated AC Milan 2-0. Weah then started midweek as Juve settled for the draw with Club Brugge in Champions League action. Weston McKennie started last weekend and went the full 90, then came off the bench on Tuesday with Juventus looking for the decisive goal. Juventus face league leading Napoli this weekend, the teams played to a scoreless draw the last time they met, back in late September.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bochum – 12:30p on ESPN+
Joe Scally got a rare match off last weekend as Borussia Monchengladbach fell to Bayer Leverkusen 3-1. Scally had started every match for Gladbach heading into last weekend. Gladbach will be looking to snap a three match loosing streak as they face last place Bochum this weekend.
PSV v NAC Breda – 12:45p on ESPN+
Richard Ledezma was the only member of the USMNT trio starting for PSV last weekend as they fell to PEC Zwolle 3-1 with Ricardo Pepi coming in off the bench and Malik Tillman not included in the squad. PSV bounced back midweek, hanging on for a 3-2 away win over Red Star Belgrade despite playing nearly half the match down a man. With the league loss last weekend PSV’s lead for first place is down to just one point over Ajax.
Sunday
AC Milan v Parma – 6:30a on Paramount+
Christian Pulisic missed out on Milan’s matchup with Juventus last weekend but did get 15’ off the bench midweek in their 1-0 win over Girona. Yunus Musah started both matches on the right side. After the loss last weekend Milan are in eighth place in the Serie A table and need to string together some wins in the second half if they are going to qualify again for Champions League play.
Crystal Palace v Brentford – 9a on Peacock
Chris Richards has started four straight including last weekend’s 2-0 win over West Ham. Palace have ten points from those four matches and have moved into 12th place, a point ahead of West Ham and Manchester United and a point back of this weekend’s opponent, Brentford, who are coming off a 2-0 loss to Liverpool.
Toulouse v Montpellier – 11:15a on beIN Sports
Mark McKenzie continues to start for Toulouse, he’s nearing 1,500 minutes already halfway through the season. Toulouse and Lyon played to a scoreless draw last weekend as Toulouse remains in eighth place heading into their match against bottom of the table Montpellier who they defeated 3-0 earlier this season.
St Pauli v Union Berlin – 11:30a on ESPN+
James Sands got his first start for St. Pauli last weekend since joining the club two weeks ago. St Pauli defeated Heidenheim 2-0 in the match to pulll three points clear of them and out of the relegation zone. They remain three points back of this weekend’s opponent, Union Berlin and Jordan Pefok who are in 13th place. Pefok has started three straight matches, including last weekend’s 2-1 win over Mainz, snapping a ten match winless streak. Pefok is still looking for his first goal on the season.
Fulham v Manchester United – 2p on USA Network
Antonee Robinson and Fulham were winners again last weekend, defeating Leicester 2-0 to maintain their top ten position in the EPL. Robinson again wore the captains armband which he has been sporting quite a bit lately. Fulham have a seven point lead over this weekend’s opponent, Manchester United, who defeated Rangers on Thursday in Europa League action but fell to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend in league play.
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Which teams are in the hunt to qualify automatically for the Champions League last 16?
18 teams are still able to finish in the top eight and qualify automatically for the last 16:
Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Vila, Inter Milan, Brest, Lille, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Monaco, Sporting Lisbon, Feyenoord, Club Brugge, Real Madrid, Celtic, PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge
Which teams cannot advance to the last 16 automatically, but can still reach the playoff round?
Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting CP, Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk
Which teams have been eliminated from the Champions League?
Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava, Red Bull Salzburg, Sturm Graz, Red Star Belgrade, Girona, RB Leipzig, Sparta Prague and Bologna cannot qualify for the playoff round and will be eliminated from Europe (no dropping down to the Europa League anymore) for the rest of the season.
UEFA Champions League tables — Latest standings from 2024-25 league phase
Top eight spots qualify directly for knockout rounds
Positions 9-24 are matched up in two-legged playoff ties
Positions 25-36 are eliminated from all European competitions
Liverpool — 7-0-0 — +13 GD — 21 points — Advance to round of 16 (seeded)
Barcelona — 6-0-1 — +15 GD — 18 points — Advance to round of 16 (seeded)
Arsenal — 5-1-1 — +12 GD — 16 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (seeded)
Inter Milan — 5-1-1 — +7 GD — 16 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (seeded)
Atletico Madrid — 5-0-2 — +11 GD — 15 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
AC Milan — 5-0-2 — +4 GD — 15 points Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Atalanta — 4-2-1 — +14 GD — 14 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Bayer Leverkusen — 4-1-2 — +6 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Aston Villa — 4-1-2 — +5 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
AS Monaco — 4-1-2 — +3 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Feyenoord — 4-1-2 — +2 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Lille — 4-1-2 — +2 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Brest — 4-1-2 — +2 GD — 13 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Borussia Dortmund — 4-0-3 — +8 GD — 12 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Bayern Munich — 4-0-3 — +6 GD — 12 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Real Madrid — 4-0-3 — +5 GD — 12 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Juventus — 3-3-1 — +4 GD — 12 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
Celtic — 3-3-1 — +1 GD — 12 points — Assured of at least a playoff spot (unseeded)
PSV Eindhoven — 3-2-2 — +3 GD — 11 points
Club Brugge — 3-2-2 — -2 GD — 11 points
Benfica — 3-1-3 — +3 GD — 11 points
Paris Saint-Germain — 3-1-3 — +2 GD — 10 points
Sporting Lisbon — 3-1-3 — +1 GD — 10 points
Stuttgart — 3-1-3 — -1 GD — 10 points
Manchester City — 2-1-4 — +2 GD — 8 points — Can’t qualify for last 16 directly, but may reach playoff round (unseeded)
Dinamo Zagreb — 2-2-3 — -8 GD — 8 points — Can’t qualify for last 16 directly, but may reach playoff round (unseeded)
Shakhtar Donetsk — 2-1-4 — -6 GD — 7 points — Can’t qualify for last 16 directly, but may reach playoff round (unseeded)
Young Boys — 0-0-7 — -20 GD — 0 points — Eliminated
Agyemang & Co. make January case for future USMNT involvement
Jeff CarlisleJan 23, 2025, 09:51 AM ET ESPN
The annual January camp for the U.S. men’s national team has reached its conclusion, and while the full scope of its success or failure won’t be known for some time, the initial reaction is positive. The USMNT came away with wins over Venezuela and Costa Rica by 3-1 and 3-0 scores, respectively. The U.S. looked solid on both sides of the ball and was deserving of its victories.
Yet the takeaways from these matches skew more toward individual performances than the result, although the two often go hand in hand. And while those initial assessments usually focus on up-and-comers, there is an opportunity for the revival of some international careers that were thought to be dormant. It is those players who often have a better chance of an immediate recall than some of the newbies. That’s as good a spot as any to lead off with in terms of which players were the winners of the camp.
Steffen makes his case to be No. 1
Matt Turner has been solid in his recent USMNT performances, but his lack of playing time with Crystal Palace has left enough of an opening that a goalkeeper hitting top form could make a push to take over. Based on Wednesday’s encounter against the Ticos, Zack Steffen could very well be the player to provide that challenge. The Colorado Rapids No. 1 certainly has plenty of experience. He was the starter for much of the 2022 cycle before losing his spot to Turner, which was followed by Steffen’s shocking omission from the World Cup roster. The way back has been difficult. Desperately in need of playing time, and coming off a knee injury, Steffen had to give up on his European dream to return to MLS. There were certainly some early struggles in Colorado, but Steffen has been on U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino’s radar since the Argentine was hired, coming into both of the previous camps, although he didn’t see the field. Given that the January matches were played outside of an international window, an opportunity beckoned against Costa Rica, and Steffen took full advantage.
Steffen’s appearance on Wednesday was his first in a USMNT uniform since the end of 2022 World Cup qualifying, when the Ticos beat the U.S. His memories of this window’s match were far brighter. Steffen delivered three saves on the night, two of which were outstanding efforts to deny Alejandro Bran in the 37th minute and Allan Cruz 11 minutes after halftime. This is just a first step. As Pochettino put it with regard to all the players in the January camp, “They need to push themselves now, they need to come back to their clubs and be the best.” Steffen appears to be ready.
A tale of two strikers
Over the course of the two games, the U.S. got excellent performances from both of its No. 9s. Patrick Agyemang tallied in both games, while Brian White opened the scoring against Costa Rica. Of the two, White is the more polished performer. The timing of his runs is better and his movements more subtle. That sense of anticipation explains how he has been able to score 71 goals in 196 league and cup appearances, first with the New York Red Bulls and more recently with the Vancouver Whitecaps. It makes sense. At age 28, White is entering his eighth professional season compared to Agyemang, who is beginning his third. Agyemang has the higher upside, though. He’s four years younger, and at 6-foot-4, he has the kind of frame — as well as deceptive mobility — that is a nightmare for defenders to deal with. It’s expected that he’ll become more refined as he adds experience.
RSL pair shine in midfield
If there was one enduring image of this January camp, it was the sight of Diego Luna with cotton stuffed up his nostrils after suffering a broken nose thanks to a wayward elbow from Creichel Pérez. Then, just seconds after re-entering the match because of his injury, it was Luna who received the ball in midfield, ran at the Ticos’ defense, and laid in a perfect through ball for White to latch onto and finish. Luna’s perseverance personified the competitiveness and spirit that Pochettino has been preaching since he took the job last September. Afterwards, during a postgame interview with TNT, Pochettino said that Luna had “big balls,” which sent the TNT crew into howls of laughter. In his subsequent interview with the rest of the media, Pochettino’s comments were more G-rated.[Luna] showed great character because he wanted to stay,” the U.S. manager said. “He wanted to play.”he only pity was that Luna did have to come off at halftime because of his injury. Yet his 45-minute stint showed enough for Pochettino to at least keep an eye on the Real Salt Lake midfielder going forward. Luna is ready for the next step and remains the most intriguing prospect to come out of the January camp. He was by no means the only midfielder to shine, though. Emeka Eneli, Luna’s club teammate, was a force in more of a defensive midfield role, providing plenty of steel against a side known for its bite. Eneli also proved adept at connecting his passes and assisted on the second U.S. goal, a very sharp finish from Caden Clark. That said, Eneli looked a bit labored at times in terms of his recovery defense. It is still preseason for all of these players, which explains why there were some uneven displays from the likes of Matko Miljevic, Indiana Vassilev and Benjamin Cremaschi.
Jack McGlynn proved to be arguably the player of the camp, riding his goal and assist against Venezuela into another composed performance in 45 minutes of work against Costa Rica. Not only was his passing sharp, but his eight recoveries led the team. Fresh faces emerge to challenge familiar backline
The U.S. defense contained more familiar names than any other part of the field, and Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman all acquitted themselves well across two matches. The only goal conceded came from a set piece. It was a pair of relative newcomers who caught the eye, though. George Campbell looked strong against Venezuela, even when he ventured forward. DeJuan Jones earned his 10th cap and was given license to get forward as much as possible from left-back. He took advantage, and dazzled with a gorgeous, outside-of-the-foot pass that sprung Agyemang for his stoppage-time tally. Will it be enough to get called up in March for the Nations League semifinals? Jones finds himself battling a numbers game, as do many of his teammates in this camp. There just don’t appear to be too many spots open, but Pochettino has accumulated plenty of data. For the likes of Steffen, McGlynn, Agyemang and Luna, there is a greater level of comfort at bringing them into the full team should the situation arise.
USMNT beats Costa Rica 3-0 with goals from Brian White, Caden Clark and Patrick Agyemang
The U.S. men’s national team recorded a 3-0 win over CONCACAF rivals Costa Rica on Wednesday in Orlando. It was the second consecutive win for Mauricio Pochettino’s reserve squad. Goals from Brian White, Caden Clark and Patrick Agyemang spearheaded the team’s second consecutive win in less than a week.The U.S. team started its January camp matches last Saturday with a 3-1 win over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Pochettino will be pleased with the side’s effort and comprehension of his ideas. Across two matches, the U.S. was generally well-organized and committed to Pochettino’s high-intensity style of play. The Americans were sharper and more direct than both of their opponents, both of whom fielded experimental teams.But for Pochettino, the objective was to win both matches. It sounds simple, but the Argentine head coach has made a habit of referring to the expectation to win that dominates American sports culture. Against Costa Rica, creative midfielder Diego Luna, a player who has not yet maximized his opportunities with the national team, produced the first goal of the night. After taking an inadvertent elbow to his nose in the 17th minute, which left him bloodied, the Real Salt Lake No. 10 threaded a pass to White three minutes later.After the match, Pochettino told TNT’s crew exactly what the conversation with Luna on the sideline sounded like.
“I was very surprised because his nose was broken,” said Pochettino. “I didn’t want to say too much. He said ‘Please coach let me keep playing.’ I asked the doctor who said it was okay. The first action (Luna) had an assist and we scored. I said ‘big balls.’ He showed great character.”
In his first start with the national team since 2022, goalkeeper Zack Steffen made two spectacular saves to keep Costa Rica at bay, including an opposite-hand save while fully stretched. It was a solid performance for Steffen whose form has gradually gotten better since joining the Colorado Rapids in 2024. Steffen was supported by an experienced back line that featured Miles Robinson, Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman.
In the 78th minute, Clark smashed a left-footed strike into the top corner of the Costa Rican net to end a spell of disjointed play from both teams. Poor giveaways and sloppy play affected the second half, but Clark and Ageymang put the game on ice. It was a fair result.“We are very very happy. It was a good performance, very professional,” Pochettino told TNT after the match. “To work with new players and try to find the way to perform with good lines and the quality we showed today, this team when I watch, it looks like we’ve worked (together) for six months. The attitude and capacity to adapt to new ideas has been amazing. The (players) are pushing to be in the national team.”
January camp has come to an end and while not many headlines were made over the last month, plenty of players earned valuable minutes under the new U.S. manager. Pochettino and his staff will now focus on preparation for the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Nations League in March. The U.S. will face Panama on March 20 in Los Angeles, while the other semifinal pits Mexico against Canada.
USMNT beats Venezuela 3-1 in friendly to open 2025: Who stood out?
The United States men’s national team won its first game of 2025, beating Venezuela 3-1 in a friendly at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. A pair of goals late in the first half gave the hosts a comfortable lead heading into the break.
The crowd seemed to skew favorably for the South American visitors, with their efforts to progress upfield garnering far louder support than the home side. Although Venezuela was able to sully the USMNT’s efforts to keep a clean sheet, La Vinotinto didn’t seem particularly likely to threaten the result at any stage.
A host of fresh faces
The international friendly came in the middle of the USMNT’s annual January camp. Mauricio Pochettino gave eight players their senior debuts in the fixture, while all three goalscorers opened their international accounts Saturday.
The United States worked to strike early, with Charlotte FC forward Patrick Agyemang drawing a penalty in the second minute. Matko Miljevic, a midfielder who is currently without a club, stepped up to take the penalty kick, with a poor effort being comfortably saved by goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez. Philadelphia Union homegrown midfielder Jack McGlynn found a breakthrough in the 37th minute, scoring his first goal in his second USMNT cap by placing a shot from roughly 30 yards out just inside the post.
Agyemang scored on his debut two minutes later, finishing a one-man fast break by outrunning his defensive mark before catching Faríñez with his legs akimbo for a tidy nutmegged finish. The goal saw Miljevic get credited for an assist, as his defensive disruption sprung the ball free into Agyemang’s path.
“Such a surreal moment,” Agyemang told TNT after the game. “I think every kid dreams to make a debut for their national team. To be able to score, I can’t put it into words. I think the excitement is still there. I can’t even believe it.”
Miljevic got a debut goal of his own in the 64th minute, progressing the ball into the attacking third and passing wide to McGlynn before running toward the top of the box and placing a finish to Faríñez’s far post.
All players to debut Saturday were: Agyemang, Miljevic, George Campbell (defender, CF Montréal), Max Arfsten (defender, Columbus Crew), Brian Gutiérrez (midfielder, Chicago Fire), Caden Clark (midfielder, CF Montréal), Emeka Eneli (midfielder, Real Salt Lake) and Indiana Vassilev (forward, St. Louis City).
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An emphatic introduction
Agyemang could not have made a stronger first impression under Pochettino. The Charlotte forward was among the biggest breakout domestic players in the 2024 MLS season, scoring 10 goals and adding five assists, outperforming his expected goals by +1.74.
The 24-year-old striker carried that momentum to start 2025 off right. His movement frustrated the Venezuela defense throughout his 65-minute shift, from the drawn penalty two minutes into the match to his goal just over half an hour later.
After the game, Agyemang was all smiles speaking with the TNT pitchside analysts. After USMNT legend Damarcus Beasley gave a helpful hint as to how to hold the broadcast microphone, the striker spoke about the confidence Pochettino seemed to display ahead of his debut.
“Obviously, it’s a little intimidating coming into your first camp,” Agyemang said. “Pochettino told me straight away, ‘I like your game. I want you to play exactly how you know to play. Don’t have to feel pressure to do anything specific. Know your defensive roles, but at the end of the day, just show what you can do.’ And I was able to do stuff.”Striker is among the strongest and deepest positions in the USMNT pool these days. Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent and Ricardo Pepi are regularly called into camps and scoring with their clubs when healthy, while Brandon Vázquez returned to MLS to ensure he was a club’s main man during the final 17 months before the 2026 World Cup.Still, Agyemang could feasibly work into Pochettino’s plans in short order. Standing 6-feet-4, he became the tallest USMNT goalscorer in eight years and is a threat to win aerial balls given his size. However, he profiles more closely to Balogun’s approach to the role, a more finesse-based forward who can sprint past any opponent and prefers having the ball played to his feet rather than winning headers in the box and in build-up like Pepi, Sargent and Vázquez.(Photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Champions League projections: Are we heading for El Clasico in the last 16?
With just one round of fixtures remaining of the inaugural 36-team Champions League league phase, two-thirds of the competition are still awaiting their fate. Nine teams, including Girona, RB Leipzig and Bologna, are definitely out. One club — PSV — will definitely finish between ninth and 24th, consigning them to a two-legged play-off in February, while Liverpool and Barcelona are safely through to the round of 16. For everyone else, it comes down to the last game.All 18 fixtures take place at 8pm GMT (3pm ET) on Wednesday. With an average of 58 goals across the previous gameweeks and so many sides jostling for position, get ready for two chaotic hours. ith the help of The Athletic’s Opta-powered Champions League projections, we attempt to map out the final day.
City still have it in their hands
For all the drama of Manchester City’s spectacular collapse in Paris — the ninth time they have lost after leading this season — it leaves Pep Guardiola’s side in much the same position as where they started.
Their chances of elimination before kick-off were down at nine per cent according to The Athletic’s projections; that has jumped to 36 per cent following their 4-2 defeat, but the picture remains clear. Beat Club Brugge on Wednesday and City are through. Anything less and they suffer an incredibly embarrassing early exit.
Matters are slightly more complicated for Paris Saint-Germain, but a win over Stuttgart on the final day will do it. They should also be through with a draw given one of Club Brugge and City, who face each other, will finish below them — either City on points or Brugge on goal difference.
That being said, a trip to take on last season’s Bundesliga runners-up will not be straightforward. Stuttgart are also chasing points — or at least protecting their goal difference — to confirm their passage through. Sebastian Hoeness’ side have hit good form in recent weeks, with a comfortable 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava making it four victories in a row and Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling recovering from injuries over the winter break.
Will Guardiola and Luis Enrique’s sides both make it through to the knockout stage? (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
The real fun starts when trying to predict potential opponents for the knockout games. City’s most likely position is 21st, meaning they would play the 11th- or 12th-placed team in their play-off. According to the projections, that is most likely to be Bayern Munich or Juventus — but 18 other teams could finish in either of those two positions and City could finish in a further eight qualifying spots.As it stands, Liverpool and Barcelona’s reward for finishing first and second would be a heavyweight last-16 tie with one of Bayern, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Celtic.Fortunately for Arne Slot and Hansi Flick, the table should shift significantly on matchday eight.
Barcelona’s legendary turnaround
Despite seven wins from seven, having conceded just two goals, Liverpool still do not have top spot sewn up, but it took another minor miracle to take it to the final day.With a sensational 5-4 win over Benfica — twice coming from two goals down before securing a stoppage-time win — Barcelona sealed their place in the top eight, still with a 9.9 per cent chance of overtaking the league leaders on the final day per The Athletic’s projections. They need to beat Atalanta and hope Arne Slot’s side are defeated at his former Eredivisie title rivals PSV.Barcelona’s comeback was extraordinary in more ways than one. This was only the second time a team have won a Champions League game despite conceding four goals — along with Borussia Dortmund’s 8-4 win over Legia Warsaw in November 2016 — while it was the third time Barcelona have scored five goals in a match in nine days.What’s more, Raphinha’s bizarre finish to pull it back to 3-2 was only the third header scored from outside the box in the competition’s history.If the Brazilian’s first was fortunate, his match-winning goal was typical of one of Europe’s most prolific forwards this season. Racing clear and finishing confidently at the near post, it was Raphinha’s 31st goal contribution of the season in just under 28 full games of action. Once again, his fitness and relentless running in behind (illustrated by the graphic below) paid off.
Hansi Flick’s side are almost guaranteed a top-three finish and given the uncertainty on potential opponents, it might even be worth rotating for the visit of Atalanta next week, Barcelona’s eighth game of the month.
Anything Barcelona can do…
Not content seeing their domestic rivals take the limelight, Atletico Madrid launched a late comeback of their own at the Metropolitano, snapping Bayer Leverkusen’s 11-game winning streak with a dramatic 2-1 win.Julian Alvarez‘s late strike was the ninth decisive goal that Diego Simeone’s men have scored after the 90-minute mark this season, having beaten Barcelona and PSG with seconds to spare. It was also the fourth time that former City forward Alvarez has popped up with a winner and he now has as many Champions League goals (six) as he has managed in La Liga.The 24-year-old was clinical again, needing just five touches in the penalty area to continue his hot streak in front of goal, illustrated in his shot map for the season below.
It’s a result that lifts the Spanish side above Leverkusen in the table, but both are in strong positions for automatic qualification. Following a fourth successive win in the competition — the first time they have managed that since 2016 — Atletico have an 82 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight.Leverkusen are not far behind, with a 75 per cent chance before a winnable game against already-eliminated Sparta Prague.
A famous win for Feyenoord
Arguably the biggest winners from this week’s action were Feyenoord, who are mathematically safe after an impressive 3-0 win over Bayern Munich. It hasn’t been plain sailing domestically for coach Brian Priske, who was dealt the unenviable hand of succeeding Slot, but a stunning point at the Etihad sits alongside last night’s result as one of the finest in the club’s recent history.
Santiago Gimenez celebrates his second goal against Bayern Munich (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Santiago Gimenez opened the scoring with an emphatic finish after a flowing move that started from the goalkeeper — just one of three shots that Feyenoord kept on target all evening. The Mexican has scored 11 goals since his return from injury in late November, adding a second from the spot just before half-time.Bayern were wasteful — as Harry Kane, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala missed from point-blank range — illustrated by the expected goals (xG) step chart below. They also controlled 80 per cent of the ball and completed almost four times as many passes on the way to their third away defeat in the Champions League this season despite perfect home form.
Remarkably, Feyenoord’s chance of progressing automatically to the last 16 (13 per cent) is now greater than the model predicts for Bayern (nine per cent). Victory against winless Slovan Bratislava shouldn’t be an issue for Vincent Kompany’s side on the final day but results need to go their way if they are to creep into the top eight.To whoever draws Bayern in the play-off round: unlucky.
Best of the rest
Inter practically sealed their passage through to the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Sparta Prague. Still with a record of having let in just one goal, there is now just a two per cent chance that the Serie A champions fall into the play-off spots.
Atalanta continued their storming campaign with a 5-0 win over Sturm Graz, their second five-goal win of the tournament. They have a 66 per cent chance of holding on to a top-eight berth, with a tricky trip to Barcelona on the final day.
Aston Villa fell to a disappointing defeat at Monaco, leaving their automatic qualification in the balance. They need to beat Celtic at Villa Park while hoping one of the other six teams on 13 points, or any of the three sides above them, drop points. Opta gives them a 52 per cent chance of climbing back into the top eight and a 48 per cent of heading into a playoff with — as it stands — Sporting CP or Stuttgart.
Real Madrid recorded a much-needed 5-1 win over Red Bull Salzburg to keep them safe from a shocking league-stage exit. They have a 93 per cent chance of finishing in a play-off spot — a massively daunting opponent in February. And it may have been too little too late, but Leipzig and Bologna picked up their first Champions League wins of the campaign. Thijs Dallinga and Samuel Iling-Junior scored within 60 seconds for the Italians to complete a remarkable comeback win over Dortmund that saw Nuri Sahin lose his job.
Tyler Adams boosts USMNT optimism with return to top form, has Bournemouth flying
The mark of a good defensive midfielder is when you hardly notice their presence. They’ve snuffed out an opponent’s attack before the crowd can begin to anticipate a box entry. Their passing is so metronomic that it puts a viewer in a daze. Even the most game-changing of defensive actions look tidy when handled with masterful precision.Tyler Adams is a good defensive midfielder, as has been established for nearly five years now after his breakthrough with RB Leipzig. Despite this, he lacks that “blink and you’ll miss his work” air about him. The reason for this is simple: his clubs and country fare noticeably better whenever he’s involved.Bournemouth is the latest beneficiary of Adams’ play. They played their first seven games of the season without Adams as he recovered from back surgery in July. Since then, Andoni Iraola’s side has seemingly gone from strength to strength: 10 games unbeaten, dating back to a 4-2 win at Wolves on Nov. 30, with a 2.2-points-per-game clip over the period that only trails Nottingham Forest among Premier League sides.Adams’ return has been highly anticipated by Bournemouth in part because he was hardly available in his first season. The club signed him after Leeds United were relegated, hoping he would be a more dependable midfield anchor than Jefferson Lerma, who was leaving for Crystal Palace.
Tyler Adams has contributed to Bournemouth’s superb recent form. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
So great was their faith in the former New York Red Bull that he was their only defensive midfield reinforcement in the three windows following Lerma’s exit. The need for cover was immediately pronounced, as Leeds’ overuse of Adams left him with a torn hamstring that ended his season in early March. Even as he missed nearly all of 2023-24, Bournemouth focused its recruitment on the forward and defensive lines.After his surgery rehab, Bournemouth has been more willing to ease him back into action. He was slowly reintroduced in late October: one unused appearance on the bench, then two substitute shifts, then his return to the lineup in mid-November.
Starting with that galvanizing win at Molineux, Bournemouth’s 10-game heater yields ample data suggesting Adams has played a significant part. Since Nov. 30, Bournemouth has increased its ball recovery rate by 3.1% (to 58%) from the previous 12 matches, improved the average xG per shot faced from 0.105 to 0.085, and upped its pressing intensity of passes allowed per defensive action made (or PPDA) from 11.2 to 9.3.
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“It’s a controlled chaos,” Adams told TNT Sports after last weekend’s win at Newcastle. “We want to make the game as chaotic as possible but controlled for us. We try to overwhelm the opponent as much as possible but for us, it feels normal. We’re running all over the place.
“We know I have the freedom to step, I know center backs are coming with me. It’s trust, but you have to have the nuance to it as well. You can’t go flying into tackles all over the pitch. You have to be smart, because we know we can leave ourselves vulnerable at times.”
Adams has looked back to his best. His 12.43 ‘true’ tackles per 1,000 opponent touches — combining raw tackle data with instances when a defender is either shaken by the ball-handler or commits a foul in the process — since Nov. 28 trails only Alexis Mac Allister and João Gomes among all Premier League players (min. 500 minutes played). His ‘true’ tackle win rate of 55.3% exceeds both of them, while he also ranks highly in interceptions and blocked passes per 1,000 opponent touches (4.5, 5th among 61 qualified midfielders) and aerial win rate (64.3%, 15th).
Even more eye-catching than the data are the results themselves. Since returning, Adams has participated in: a 1-0 win over Tottenham, a 3-0 win at Old Trafford, a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, and last weekend’s 4-1 blowout at St. James’ Park. Adams was particularly immense in the most recent result, making a mark all over the pitch in a vintage display.
The run has made Iraola among the hottest names in coaching. It has also reinforced the abilities, individually and as a collective, of Adams and his teammates.
“The system that we play, you have to be a certain type of player to fit into the style,” Adams said last weekend. “You have to have the mentality to press, run, and compete.”
Thankfully for Bournemouth, those traits fit Adams to a tee. The next trick is to keep him available for his national team’s biggest tournament in over three decades.
One can assume that Adams and USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino have spoken several times since the Argentine’s appointment in September. Unfortunately, Adams’ back injury prevented him from featuring in either of Pochettino’s first two camps before year’s end.
Adams last played for the national team that he co-captains in early July, when he started the Copa América group finale against Uruguay. The match felt doomed before it kicked off, as the previous game’s shock defeat against Panama made advancing from Group C a near impossibility. It was the only time that Adams played a full 90 minutes in the tournament, having played the opening half against Bolivia and Panama.
As The Athletic wrote in the weeks following the USMNT’s early exit, Adams clearly looked below his usual standard across the competition. His lack of involvement in the preceding months left the USMNT’s crucial midfield cog with significant rust. It’s quite understandable why: Adams had logged just 118 minutes for Bournemouth and 96 minutes for the United States dating back to Jan. 1, 2024.
Elimination at the Copa America group stage ended Gregg Berhalter’s tenure. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images for USSF)
In the Copa, Adams was far less effective than usual when tackling opponents. Comparing to another small sample — his 360 minutes in Qatar — his duel win rate dropped from 61% to 53%; his ‘true’ tackle win rate fell from a robust 64.7% to a paltry 37.5%. Concerningly, he was forced to commit fouls more often, possibly a side effect of being below his opponents’ fitness standard: from 1.96 fouls per 1,000 opponent touches at the World Cup to 2.89 per 1,000 touches at the Copa América.
This almost certainly wasn’t a case of a player regressing over 18 months. Adams won’t turn 26 until mid-February. Instead, his and Bournemouth’s shared inability to avoid injuries in the months preceding the tournament left him without time to adequately prepare. Compare that to the months preceding the 2022 World Cup, when he’d logged 1,167 Premier League minutes for Leeds in the season’s first half, and it’s clear how much more ready his body was for hard-labor tournament shifts.
Bournemouth and the USMNT have a shared interest in ensuring that Adams’ recent stretch of consistent, high-level play can be sustained for longer than a couple of months at a time. The United States will need all of its best players in fine form to make a deep run when the 2026 World Cup comes to North America. When drafting the USMNT’s projected strongest lineup for that summer, it’s hard to come up with even a few names who are as vital to making it all work as Adams.
For Bournemouth, that may also mean finding adequate cover before the January window closes. Billing was loaned to Napoli as other attacking options surpassed him on the depth chart. The fact that Adams has quickly partnered well with Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie shows that any two starters from the trio complement each other. During this 10-game run, however, no other player beyond these three has logged a single minute in the engine room.
Tanner Tessman’s emergence has given the USMNT midfield options. (Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/Getty Images for USSF)
For the USMNT, Adams may require rest and rotation whenever he has been heavily utilized before an international window. Thankfully, Pochettino has more depth in defensive midfield than his predecessor Gregg Berhalter. Johnny Cardoso, Tanner Tessman and Aidan Morris have all progressed since the 2022 World Cup. None is quite as industrious of a ball-winner as Adams, but each can take a shift to ease the toll on Adams’ legs.Adams is invaluable to the USMNT, a quintessential “glue guy” with strong leadership attributes and level-headed relatability. Having him as part of each ensuing Pochettino camp will ensure he’s in sync with his teammates even if his minutes must be managed during friendly windows.With respect to the next handful of windows, none comes close to matching the magnitude of the 2026 World Cup. Entering that tournament with Adams below optimal fitness, or seeing him miss outright due to injury, would be among the worst imaginable setbacks Pochettino could face.(Top photo: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie has what he wants this January – no transfer talk
Weston McKennie arrived, like clockwork, into Manchester City’s penalty area and timed his volley with precision. It was apt for a player who sometimes compares himself to a wristwatch. In one glorious instant, to extend the metaphor, he became a very valuable one. McKennie’s December goal to seal a dramatic Champions League win for Juventus against City reminded everyone at the Italian club about the wisdom of keeping the 26-year-old American after yet another summer of speculation over his future.
Fast forward a month and the winter transfer window has brought a pleasant change for the Texan. Speculation? What speculation? Rather than links with a move elsewhere, as has been the case in previous windows, all the talk surrounding McKennie in Juventus’ home city of Turin this week is about how he can help the team win arguably its most important game of the season at league leaders Napoli tomorrow.With typical honesty, McKennie admits his career path has long toughened him up to the process.“It’s definitely nice,” he said of the lack of exit rumors, in an interview with The Athletic on Thursday.“I have dealt with it most of the time in the summers, so cross my fingers that it doesn’t pop up again come this summer time.
Coach Antonio Conte’s Napoli team sits top of Serie A (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“To be here is always a dream for me, at this high level and a club with so much history and the caliber of players in the past, and to even play with some of those players and legends. So it’s nice to not hear any noise about it for now.”Even during the second summer of suggestions he was just not quite good enough for Juventus to keep, McKennie seemed to remain sanguine. Now, he is eyeing a personal best for goals in a season, with four in all competitions already (his top tally is six, in his 2020-21 debut campaign with Juventus), and admits he is enjoying proving his worth.“Like anything in life, once you experience it a couple of times, you know how to deal with it,” he says. “I learned at a young age, when I made my first move from FC Dallas to Germany (joining Schalke at age 17), that football is a business and people, or teams and clubs, will have use for you until they don’t have use for you and then you’re just an investment.“It’s just like a watch: you buy a watch and hope it appreciates in value and when it’s time to resell it, you can resell it. You may not use it as much anymore after a little bit.
“After many experiences of it, you get used to it and just try to respond. The only thing you can do to respond to it is prove people wrong and that’s something I feel like I’ve been able to do in the past two seasons and I hope it continues.”
Some supporters have chosen a different object to reflect McKennie’s appeal.
One commenter beneath an Athletic article compared him to a useful Swiss Army knife and it is easy to see why. During his time at the Turin giant, he has played almost every outfield position. Although he prefers a central-midfield No. 8 role, this season has often seen the right-footer deputize ably at left-back.
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It means a different set of demands than operating in midfield, but McKennie says it has never felt like an onerous switch.“I’ve always been someone that wants the best for the team and the club. I’m not a super-selfish person, so whatever I’m asked to do I don’t mind doing,” he says. “As long as I’m playing, I’m happy.“I don’t find it hard to adapt. I feel I’ve always had a good understanding of the game and played for a while now, so it’s pretty easy. If you’re playing the right-back position or left-back you stay with the line, you press when you can, or don’t press, get out of situations, you make passes just like in any position.
This January, McKennie seems more settled at Juventus during the transfer window (Diego Puletto/Juventus/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
“If you play midfield, you do the same thing: press when you can, make sure you stay in the middle of the field and make passes. If you play striker, you just make sure you’re not offside, so you’re staying with the line again. You don’t need to overcomplicate anything.”Unsurprisingly then, McKennie has not spent his spare time studying videos of other left-backs.“I don’t watch football,” he says. “When I’m finished with training, I go home and watch movies, TV shows, and disconnect completely. I’ve never watched a World Cup or Champions League final. Nothing.“It’s something I’ve always done. We watch enough film in training to have an understanding of things. I love football, trust me — it’s given me the life that I have: to be able to travel and not have to worry about things maybe other people have to worry about. To be able to help my family when I can — but football is not my life.“I like to do other things outside of football, I’m a human being. It’s not a case of 24/7 eating, thinking, breathing soccer. I have a life outside of the game.”
McKennie certainly speaks often from experience and he is slightly older than the 25.7 average age of his club’s squad.Juventus have one of the youngest rosters in Serie A this season and as one of their ‘elder’ statesmen, the USMNT international believes he knows how they will curb their costly habit of drawing games.
On one hand, coach Thiago Motta’s outfit is unbeaten in 21 league matches this season, but they sit only fifth in the table, two points off the top four places that mean Champions League qualification, after eight wins and, remarkably, 13 draws.“We’re not in a terrible position, but it’s not great either,” McKennie says. “When you hear a team has gone unbeaten, they’re usually in first place. In our case, that’s not it. I think it comes down to little moments of concentration and shooting ourselves in the foot. We can close out a game and win a game, but there can be that little slip-up or missed clearance that seems to be happening at the moment.“Obviously it’s a bit different because we’re a young team compared to the (Juventus) teams before us and so there’s also an experience difference. We don’t go out there to tie games. But obviously, teams before us had the (Giorgio) Chiellinis and (Leonardo) Bonuccis, (Paulo) Dybalas and Cristianos (Ronaldo). They have won big things and they knew how to win.
Cristiano Ronaldo brought his skills to Juventus in 2018 (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“Winning is not always going to look pretty and it may not always look the way people want football to be played. But if you’re winning 1-0 and there’s five minutes on the clock, then sometimes it’s the right thing to take the ball to the corner and waste time.
“We are eager and young and want to score goals so we are still trying to attack and sometimes leaving little holes here and there. But we’re making mistakes we can’t make.”
To go with his nous, McKennie has maintained an attacking threat this term despite playing in defence. As well as those four goals, including that sensational strike against City, he’s contributed three assists.
“I have always had it,” he says. “I have had it in storage, I guess you could say.
“Everything in life is like when it’s clicking, it’s clicking, and if it’s not, then it’s not. You can take many players in the world of football, or other sports, that have one crazy season when everything just falls for them and they’re always in the right place at the right time.“I have worked for that and trained my whole life to be in the best position to do that, but it’s like I say: when it clicks, it clicks. Hopefully, it continues and I can potentially pull off a season-best.”McKennie is a regular for the national team but, like most senior squad members based outside of the U.S., was not involved in new head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s camp this month that featured wins over Venezuela and Costa Rica and was a chance for other players, many from Major League Soccer, to show the Argentine and his staff what they can do.“It seems like it was a successful camp and I wouldn’t be surprised if I see one or two players from this camp in the next camp in March,” McKennie says. “I’m glad the players who were in camp were able to do their part and keep the pride for the team.”If results under new management have started to restore the team’s standing, it was necessary after a sobering summer when they flopped at a home Copa America, being eliminated at the end of the group phase.Now the dust has settled on that tournament, how does McKennie, who started all three of the USMNT’s games, reflect on the experience?“Obviously, we could have done way better than what we did,” he sighs. “I think we all know that. Silly mistakes. I can speak for myself, in that I didn’t have the best tournament or help the team as much as I knew I could.
“I’m just trying to have the type of performances I have for Juventus and translate them to the national team. That’s how you become a top player, someone that’s consistent and not just someone who conforms to one or the other. I don’t want that type of legacy.”
Still, McKennie emphasizes the importance of not dwelling too much on the past.
Looking forward, this weekend brings a challenge in the shape of a trip to in-form Napoli and the chance to get a result that could move Juventus back into those Champions League qualification spots.
“We definitely want to go there and leave a mark,” McKennie says. “It’s not like we’re afraid to go down there and play. The Juventus name holds some weight as well. But the name of Juventus can only carry you so far and it’s the players that have to take the next step and pull out a win and not another draw.”
Napoli are riding high during a campaign with three former Premier League players, including Scotland internationals Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, previously of Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively, in their midfield. After his spell in England on loan at Leeds United in the second half of the 2022-23 season, what does McKennie make of more English-based players, a group joined this week by Manchester City’s Kyle Walker signing for Milan, moving to Italy.
Scott McTominay has adapted well to life in Serie A (Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
“From my experience in England, you can expect players that run a lot, are technically sound and are rough,” he says. “The Italian league has always been known for its defence and I think players like that making jumps here and other big players from other countries doing the same coming to teams like Napoli, Milan and Juventus just shows the quality is growing.
“Italians really love Italian players and want to keep Italians in their league, but I think it’s become a little bit more open-minded and foreign players are adapting better. They enjoy it and the lifestyle is amazing here. It’s not always gray (weather), like England. You can have some sunlight and you’re close to many good things, so I think that’s why more players are coming here and being successful.”
On Saturday evening, McKennie hopes he and compatriot Tim Weah can help Juventus spoil the mood in Naples, but beyond that, he is as wary of looking too far forward as he is about going over old memories, good and bad.
“It’s like my Manchester City goal,” he says. “I was tagged in lots of stories for it on my Instagram that night and I probably saw it like 100 times. That was enough for me. Searching it back and looking for it? No.
“Juventus is a club that always has expectations and needs to be in the Champions League. But right now we’re not trying to focus on what the end of the season looks like. Think too far ahead and you can lose that concentration.
“It’s like when people ask me about the World Cup (next year, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, and staging the majority of matches). I always say life is life and anything can happen. I can speak about it all I want and (then) maybe I’m not even playing at it or on the roster.
“At the end of the day, we can only take on what is in front of us.”
(Top photo: Sportinfoto/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Happy New Year – The Ole Ballcoach is back! Sorry I needed a solid Holiday break. But now that the US is playing this weekend and Champions League is back I figured its time to get back to it.
US MLS Only Team faces Venezuela Sat 3 pm on TNT, Telemundo and Max
A full MSL squad of mostly youngsters on hand for Poch as they face Venezuela on Saturday during the January Camp for the US. While Europe is going full speed – this is a fine time to get the MLS players together in camp and see if 1 or 2 can make a name for themselves. I like defenders Neal in the middle and Tolkin at left back to battle for inclusion on the full team soon while Luan and Mcglynn also have a chance to show something. Worth the watch just to see the youngsters I guess. Here’s my guess on starters.
Champions League Starts back up Tues/Wed
So it certainly has been an interesting Champions League we enter game 7 and the teams fight for those top 8 valued buy slots and top 24 overall in hopes of continued playing. Champions League Standings thru 6 games full schedule below. I will update UCL Stories on Sunday.
My Dinner on the Way home from Training at the Badger Indoor Facility Thursday night was a Bowl of Brunswick Stew from Racks BarBQ in Carmel on the corner of 131st Street & Hazelldell Parkway. Tell em the Ole Ballcoach Sent you and get 20% off!! Grab some Ribs and Pork and Stew on the way home from Training or Winter Indoor League at the Badger Fieldhouse. You won’t regret it !!
Brunswick Stew from Racks BBQ in Carmel
Huge congrats to our Carmel FC 2009 Boys coached by Jeremy Slivinski for their fine showing at the Disney Showcase in late December as they just missed the Championship round by 1pt after a 1-1-1 mark against some of the best teams in the Southeast.
10 am USA West Ham vs Crystal Palace (Richards, Turner)
10 am peacock Leicester City vs Fulham (Robinson)
10 am peacock Brentford vs Liverpool
11:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach vs Bremen
12 noon Para, Fox D Juventus (McKennie & Weah) vs AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah)
12:30 pm USA Arsenal vs Aston Villa
12:30 pm ESPN+ Leverkusen vs Borussia Monchengladbach (Scally)
2:45 pm CBS Galazo Atalanta vs Napoli
3 pm ESPN+ Getafe vs Barcelona
3 pm TNT. Tele USA Men vs Venezuela (Friendly)
6 pm FS1 FC Juerez vs Cruz Azul (Liga MX)
10 pm Apple ? Inter Miami vs America
Sun, Jan 19
9 am USA Everton vs Tottenham
9 am PEacock Man U vs Brighton
9 am peacock N Forest vs Southampton
10:!5 pm am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Palmas
11:30 pm USA Ipwich Town vs Man City
2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Empoli
Mon, Jan 20
3 pm USA Chelsea vs Wolverhampton
12:45 pm Para+ Monaco vs Aston Villa
Tues, Jan 21 Champions League
12:45pm Para+ Atalanta vs Sturm Graz
3 pm Para+Liverpool v Lille
3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Leverkusen
3 pm Para+ Bologna vs Dortmund (Reyna)
3 pm Para+ Red Star Belgrade vs PSV (Pepi, Tllman)
3 pm Para_+ Club Brugge vs Juventus (McKennie & Weah)
3 pm Para+ Benefica vs Barcelona
Wed, Jan 22 Champions League
12:45 pm Para+,TUDN RB Leipzig vs Sporting CP
12:45 pm Para+ Shakhtar vs Brest
3 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Girona
3 pm Para+ Celtic (CCV) vs Young Boys
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Dortmund UCL
3 pm Para+ Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb UCL
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg UCL
3 pm Para+ PSG vs Man City
7 pm TNT US Men vs Costa Rica friendly
Thur, Jan 23 Europa
12:45 pm CBSSN Porto vs olympiakos
12:45 pm Para+ offenhiem vs Tottenham
3 pm Para+ TUDN Man United vs Rangers
3 pm Para+ Fenervbahce vs Man United
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What a Fantastic Year Jedi Robinson is having for Fulham – 3rd in the league in Assists the Fulham captain with 9 from Left Back. Rumors rampant that a January transfer might be in order – Liverpool perhaps. Only if he’s guaranteed to play for me .
USMNT’s Christian Pulisic avoids injury, scans reveal no muscle tear
USMNT captain Christian Pulisic has avoided injury after being substituted off with muscle fatigue on Tuesday.Pulisic was substituted off at the break for Milan during their Serie A match at Como, having appeared to sustain an injury to his left calf area, but scans on Wednesday ruled out a muscle tear.The former Chelsea winger was seen clutching the back of his leg after a collision with Como defender Marc-Oliver Kempf just before half-time. The American received a kick to his left calf and immediately signaled to the bench that he needed to be substituted. He was replaced at the break by Alex Jimenez.Pulisic is having a productive season for Milan, with his 10 goals and seven assists from 23 appearances both team highs. The 26-year-old sustained an injury to his right calf in early December that kept him out for around a month and caused him to miss five games for his club.Pulisic returned on January 3 and helped his side win 2-1 against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup semi-final, scoring a penalty. He also scored in the 3-2 victory over rivals Inter in the final as Milan lifted the trophy for an eighth time.Pulisic’s international team-mate Yunus Musah was introduced as a half-time substitute during the Como game, which Milan won 2-1. That victory lifts Sergio Conceicao’s side to seventh in the Serie A table, five points behind fourth-placed Lazio.Milan’s next game comes against fifth-placed Juventus on Saturday.
It’s mid-January which can only mean one thing, time for a USMNT friendly which generally has little consequence and even littler attendance. Ah yes, January camp. It will be Mauricio Pochettino’s first foray into the wild world of friendlies that the national team participates in outside of FIFA windows. Over the years there has been much said about why this is a valuable or useless exercise.
On the valuable side there’s the idea that it gives MLS players who might be in the national team picture a chance to get into shape ahead of the domestic season. There’s also the fact that it’s a chance for the manager to call in players who otherwise wouldn’t get a close of a look with the national team so he can evaluate them during their club offseason. Poch will also be able to evaluate how his tactics will work with players he typically wouldn’t call in against teams whose manager is evaluating how his tactics will work with players he typically wouldn’t call in. Plus, it’s fun [sic] to watch soccer on a sleepy January afternoon.
The useless exercise argument boils down to – basically the same points as to why it might be valuable. That got a new wrinkle this week as Jurgen Klinsmann said words about why the federation scheduled the kinda cynical cash grab camp in the first place. As for this camp, the USA finds itself taking on Venezuela in the first match. The roster includes a lot of talented and promising young players, at the very least, and a few veterans to set the tone. While it might seem that the match is something of a… whatever Klinsmann described it as, there are some players worth paying attention to.
Matko Miljevic was a surprise inclusion not only because his performance in MLS and more recently in Argentina was subpar, but also because he holds the distinction of being banned from a Canadian indoor soccer league for punching a guy while under contract with CF Montreal. MLS barely tolerates players having health conditions so his contract was terminated. He moved to Newell’s and his play there sees him now out of contract. Poch is doing him a bit of a favor by including him so it will be interesting to see if he gets any playing time as an attacker or otherwise does anything ignominious on the pitch. Attacking midfielder Diego Luna is another player to keep an eye on during this window. He’s coming off of a breakout year and took home Young Player of the Year for Real Salt Lake. Luna had 8g/12a in 2219 minutes and is a player with solid potential should he continue to improve his game.
Tactically, the USA should manage to keep a lion’s share of the possession. That means watching to see how the team might break Venezuela down could very well be the main aspect of the game to pay attention to. Otherwise, expect some new faces and a bunch of subs as the game goes on.
The 2026 World Cup is 17 months away. Nations around the world are in the thick of qualification, hoping to secure a place in the expanded 48-team field. Meanwhile, as one of three automatically qualified host nations, the United States men’s national team is using this time to maximize their home advantage.
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Since Mauricio Pochettino took the helm of the USMNT in September, he’s had two camps to size up several World Cup hopefuls. His squads in October and November had considerable overlap, with several mainstays looking like World Cup certainties, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson.
His squad for the January camp skews far more speculatively as the Argentine surveys the depth of his player pool, with games on Saturday against Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday and on January 22 against Costa Rica in Orlando.
More than a dozen spots are seemingly set in stone but don’t discount the chance of a late riser crashing the World Cup squad. At this point in 2013, few would have projected that Jürgen Klinsmann’s roster in Brazil the following year would include John Brooks, Julian Green or DeAndre Yedlin. Likewise, Gregg Berhalter’s squad for Qatar in 2022 included a couple of players (Joe Scally and Haji Wright) with minimal international experience.
Julian Green’s selection in 2014 stunned many but he scored against Belgium in the round of 16. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Internationally, Theo Walcott came from nowhere to be picked for England in 2006, Samuel Eto’o was a raw newcomer for Cameroon in 1998, and Pele was unknown to the wider world when he destroyed the field as a 17-year-old in 1958, leading Brazil to its first title.
In that spirit, here are a dozen players who haven’t debuted for the USMNT but have an outside chance of piquing Pochettino’s interest. Realistically, only one or two (if any) of these players will make the squad for the 2026 World Cup. Considering the hardship the team endured in 2024, any player who could raise the overall level can’t be discounted — and remember, things move quickly in international soccer.
It’s all an open tryout, with every action for club and country being closely assessed.
(Players participating in this year’s January camp are indicated with an asterisk (*) by their name upon first mention.)
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Forwards
The state of the forward roles is healthier than four years ago. Pulisic and Tim Weah have cemented themselves as dependable first-choice options on the flanks. After the 2022 cycle was headlined by struggles at center forward, the striker pool now has several players starting regularly and scoring often — Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Brandon Vazquez and Wright, who can also play out wide.
Nevertheless, the depth on both wings is concerningly thin. We can’t overlook alternatives at center forward, either. In-form strikers have previously landed on USMNT World Cup squads, including Herculez Gomez, Robbie Findley and Edson Buddle in 2010, before Chris Wondolowski made the cut in 2014.
Patrick Agyemang* is among the most intriguing members of Pochettino’s squad for January camp. The 24-year-old had led the line for Charlotte FC in 2024 with downhill determination and impressive finishing. No MLS player was more direct in possession, as 34.3% of his 338 carries made it at least five yards closer to goal. He also outperformed his expected goals (xG) by +1.74, finishing the regular season with 10 goals and five assists. He is a rung below the favoured quintet of USMNT strikers, but Agyemang has a unique skill set that works well against a low defensive block and is less reliant on accurate crossing service.
Patrick Agyemang has intriguing potential. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The established forward pool includes a few players who regularly look to get on the ball, including Pulisic and Gio Reyna (who will hopefully play more as a No. 10 instead of out wide). That leaves a need for confident off-ball operators who can collect long passes on the wing and allow the team’s top goalscoring options to get into dangerous areas to collect the next ball. Two uncapped options fit that profile, albeit with some differences in their approaches.
Since Balogun committed to the USMNT in 2023, few multi-national eligible players have been more coveted for this program than Luca Koleosho. The 20-year-old winger, born in Connecticut to a Nigerian father and an Italian-Canadian mother, could have four options for his senior international career. All but Nigeria have called Koleosho into a youth camp.
Koleosho is a consistent starter for Burnley in the English Championship. He has mostly been used on the right but can operate on either flank and, while his end product still requires refinement, the less glamorous parts of his job come naturally. He carries the ball well (as illustrated above), can dribble past opponents with ease and is excellent at receiving passes in danger positions. He hasn’t committed his international future but playing in a North American World Cup under Pochettino is a sweet sales pitch.
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Griffin Yow is another capable off-ball operator, and has a bit more polish than Koleosho. Yow, 22, was a member of the 2024 Olympic squad and is regularly involved with Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League. He is a confident shooter, taking 3.2 attempts per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, and offers proactive front-line defending — vital for closing out a game.
Midfielders
McKennie, Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah are regulars for their clubs, making midfield the strongest area of Pochettino’s squad. Several alternatives have established themselves in the pool, most notably Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, Malik Tillman and Aidan Morris. However, injuries have plagued several of these options, and a more specialized alternative could come in handy.
Daniel Edelmanwas a surprise omission from the Olympic squad, having captained the under-20s to a 2022 CONCACAF Championship triumph that secured a place in the field. Nevertheless, 2024 was a strong year for Edelman, who came through the New York Red Bulls youth system. He became a consistent midfield anchor as the team returned to MLS Cup for the first time since 2008. Tidy in possession and tireless out of it (as illustrated in the graphic below), he could provide cover at defensive midfield.
Emeka Eneli* had a breakout second season with Real Salt Lake, finding a true home in defensive midfield after initially playing as a full back. His passing kept RSL whirring and he also provided a proactive defensive presence. At 25, he’ll need to make a strong first impression to reach the World Cup. He could emulate the mid-career breakthrough path previously taken by another RSL midfielder, Kyle Beckerman.
Few American players made more headlines in 2024 than the Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan, who broke Freddy Adu’s record as the youngest player to make an MLS appearance after signing a pre-agreement with Manchester City. He’s still a prospect, having made three MLS appearances while spending most of his time in MLS Next Pro.
Cavan Sullivan’s youth and inexperience make him a World Cup longshot. (Caean Couto/USA Today)
Still, Sullivan has been appraised to have as high a ceiling as any player in the pool, nearing a level previously hit by Pulisic and Reyna. If — and it’s a big if — Sullivan is selected, he could be in line to make some World Cup history. He will be 16 years and 256 days old when the tournament kicks off, and any appearance would make him the first man to appear in a World Cup before their 17th birthday. The current record holder is Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland, who scored in a victory against Spain in 1982, days after making his tournament debut at 17 years and 40 days. Last summer’s remarkable European Championship performances from Lamine Yamal, who turned 17 during the event’s final week, have put youthful excellence firmly in the spotlight.
Perhaps more likely is that Cavan’s older brother Quinn Sullivan cracks the rotation in time for the tournament. While his younger sibling commanded more attention, Quinn, 20, was among Philadelphia’s best players. He scored five goals and added 11 assists (eight from open play, illustrated below), with the latter figure leading all MLS players under 21.
He’s in direct competition with Reyna, Tillman and Brenden Aaronson, but shouldn’t be counted out if he continues to refine his approach in the final third.
Defenders
While the midfield is teeming with options, the USMNT’s defensive depth chart is concerningly lean by comparison. Ironically, only left back — the weakest position for decades — seems has a clear starter and one or two established backups.
The program’s lack of depth at right back was exposed in 2024, as Sergiño Dest’s injury left the USMNT short at the Copa America. The senior team has a few established center backs — including Chris Richards, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tim Ream and Auston Trusty — but its dearth of young up-and-comers influenced under-23s coach Marko Mitrović to use two over-age spots in the position (Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman) at the Olympics.
George Campbell* will partner with new club teammate Jalen Neal (who has six caps) as part of the January camp, with Neal being acquired by CF Montréal last week. Campbell logged nearly 2,300 minutes as Montréal finished ninth in the East and was solid (35th among MLS defenders with 900 minutes or more) in the ratio of aerial duels he won. Campbell also performed above average with his tackling win rate, and his short-passing acumen could help fit into a possession-heavy game model.
Another option from MLS is Jackson Ragen, a finalist for MLS’ defender of the year award in a breakthrough season with the Seattle Sounders. Ragen is a steady bedrock, winning 67% of his aerial duels while being more difficult to dribble past than most in his position. The 26-year-old is also adept at consistently breaking lines with his passes and is a threat to win headers on set pieces.
Although uncommitted internationally, Anrie Chase could bolster the position group if he elects to represent the U.S. instead of Japan. The 20-year-old center back has broken through with Stuttgart this season, logging 734 minutes in the Bundesliga and 138 in the Champions League. Chase is a very good ball-playing defender (as illustrated below) who has performed around the league average defensively.
Although he has represented Japan at youth levels, Chase told Sportiva that he “(hasn’t) ruled out the possibility” of representing the United States.
While Antonee Robinson is arguably the best left back in this season’s Premier League and is capably backed up by Kristoffer Lund, securing Nathaniel Brown’s international future would benefit the pool. The German American has started regularly for Eintracht Frankfurt since early November, scoring three goals and registering three assists in 10 Bundesliga appearances at left wing back. He has been no defensive slouch in this (relatively small) sample, either, and could be a worthy understudy beneath Robinson.
Considering the lack of alternatives to Dest, perhaps it’s time to right historical wrongs and look at Ryan Hollingshead. Among the finest American players to never feature for the USMNT, the 33-year-old has probably been the best right back in MLS since joining LAFC in 2022. He can also provide cover on the left, and can carry the ball on either flank (below).
He’s as much of a longshot as anyone on this list (save, perhaps, for Cavan Sullivan), but a grizzled veteran finally getting his chance is the stuff of Hollywood.
goalkeepers
The age of excellent bald American goalkeepers is long behind us, with eight years having passed since Tim Howard’s international retirement. Worryingly, the better-coiffed successors to Howard have struggled to find regular action at a high level. Matt Turner has made just two appearances on loan at Crystal Palace (both in cup competition). Gabriel Slonina’s loan at third-division Barnsley was cut short due to a finger injury and he is back at Chelsea. Ethan Horvath was replaced in Cardiff City’s lineup in early September.This position feels concerningly close to being an open competition. While Patrick Schulte* will hope to add to his two caps this month, a couple of uncapped alternatives also warrant examination.
Matt Freese* was among the best goalkeepers of any nationality in the 2024 MLS season, helping New York City FC outlast Cincinnati in the playoffs, including some shootout heroics. Freese “prevented” 11.1 goals compared to the xG on target he faced, trailing only goalkeeper of the year Kristijan Kahlina. He still has some work to do to claim crosses, and his new club coach (Pascal Jansen) didn’t ask his goalkeepers to play many short passes at AZ, but he has a similar profile to Turner and has fared far better than Zack Steffen in the same league.
The successor to Slonina in Chicago, Chris Brady made strides to improve his cross-stopping approach in 2024 during another poor season for the Fire. He also refined his approach in possession playing out of the back (above), and figures to further that development under new Fire coach (and former USMNT boss) Gregg Berhalter. Brady won’t turn 21 until March, but may be closer to more regular senior international involvement than Slonina.
Other uncapped ‘keepers to watch include Roman Celentano, who is a starter for perennial contender Cincinnati and is a dependable shot-stopper, and Diego Kochen, who is now first-choice for Barcelona Atletic (the club’s B team) and among the most promising teenage ‘keepers in the world.
(Top photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
USMNT’s next opponent Venezuela: Where sports and politics intertwine
On Saturday, the U.S. men’s national team will face Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The friendly is an opportunity for the United States to build positive momentum under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino. With the 2026 World Cup finals, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico, a little over a year away, Pochettino will look to identify squad alternatives from a group of players with little fanfare.
For the visiting South Americans, the match comes amid intense political upheaval back home. Last week, Venezuela’s autocratic president Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for another six-year term, despite accusations that he stole the latest election. Opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez (forced into exile in Spain) and Maria Corina Machado (recently detained and then released by Maduro’s security force) have urged Venezuelans to continue to fight for their freedom.
Venezuela’s dream of qualifying for its first-ever senior World Cup is still alive. Now they must balance their ambition to play on the sport’s biggest stage with the stinging reality of the country’s future.
(Editor’s note: The story below was originally published on Oct. 8, 2024)
As Venezuela gleefully navigated their way towards the 2024 Copa America quarterfinals in the United States, playing attacking and fearless football, the players’ South American homeland was bubbling with tension amid heightened political turmoil.A democratic election was set to take place on July 28 in which Venezuela’s authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro would face a formidable challenge from the country’s opposition party. There was hope that a fair election would finally take place in Venezuela.The country has been gripped by the left-wing populist ideology that Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, have used to rule since 1999.For an even longer period, the men’s national soccer team has been a source of disappointment.Venezuela has never qualified for a senior World Cup, and the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF), which has for decades been riddled with corruption, has failed to maximize opportunities for the sport to grow there. The occasional run of good form and some positive results against South America’s giants have always been overshadowed by Venezuela’s penchant for poor performances in World Cup qualifying and Copa America.In a country where baseball is far and away the most popular sport, football/soccer has always teetered on the edge of obscurity. But recently, by way of a young and energetic team, Venezuela had gotten up off the proverbial mat.
Venezuela’s Yordan Osorio celebrates victory against Jamaica at the Copa America (Aric Becker / AFP via Getty Images)
When the Copa America kicked off in mid-June, Venezuela were seen as a dangerous side with nothing to lose.Led by Argentine manager Fernando Batista, the side known as La Vinotinto, because of their wine-red home kit, won a group that included Mexico, Ecuador and Jamaica. Venezuelan expats in the United States followed the team feverishly, many of them crying tears of joy as Batista’s side battled their way into the knockout stage.The 2026 World Cup, to be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, has been expanded to 48 teams for the first time in the tournament’s history. Six of South America’s 10 nations will qualify automatically. The side finishing seventh will take part in a six-team intercontinental play-off tournament, from which two sides will earn the right to play at the World Cup.This new format has potentially opened the door for Venezuela to finally qualify for football’s biggest international competition.
Venezuela began qualifying last September with a 1-0 loss against Colombia, but then earned wins over Chile (3-0) and Paraguay (1-0), and an inspired 1-1 draw with Brazil.Two more draws, at home against Ecuador (0-0) and away to Peru (1-1), temporarily placed Venezuela within the automatic qualifying berths. But ‘Mano tengo fe’ (‘Brother, I have faith’) not only became a rallying cry for Venezuelan supporters of their national team, it also gave those who yearn for political change in the country hope that their voices and votes would be heard.
Protesters against the Maduro regime take to the streets of Venezuelan capital Caracas in July (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Venezuela were knocked out of the Copa America quarterfinals by Canada on penalties on July 5. Three weeks later, violence erupted throughout Venezuela following the elections on July 28.Maduro claimed victory, and his third consecutive term, despite the Democratic Unitary Platform’s (PUD) outright negation of the results. The PUD then announced their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had earned 70 per cent of the vote, a landslide win. But the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled Maduro the winner. Before the election, Maduro had warned of a “bloodbath” if he lost. That came to fruition even as he celebrated his controversial victory, as clashes connected to protests led to the deaths of at least 23 people. Following the election, governments around the world refused to recognize Maduro’s win, urging the president to allow the democratic process to take place.Instead, Maduro made threats and jailed protestors and opposition leaders. Four journalists were detained by Venezuelan authorities and charged with terrorism. They all face up to 30 years in prison.
Venezuela’s National Guard move in to quell protests in Caracas in July (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)
Also arrested was Carlos Chancellor, 64, father of Venezuela national-team defender Jhon Chancellor.
The elder Chancellor is a local opposition leader who, according to reports in Venezuela, was the first political prisoner of Chavez.The arrest of Chancellor senior brought to light the close ties between football and politics in the country. In Venezuela, it was suggested by local reporters and opposition leaders that national team players were asked by the FVF to not comment on the election or Chancellor’s situation on social media. The FVF has yet to respond having been asked to confirm those reports.A scan of several of the current squad’s social media accounts lent credence to that suggestion, as players stayed away from Chancellor’s situation and merely posted support for Venezuela as a country rather than a particular political party. Jhon Chancellor, currently playing for Ecuadorean side CD Universidad Catolica, has not commented on his father’s arrest. His official presentation as Catolica’s new signing, however, was postponed when news first broke of his father’s detention.Americo De Grazia, a former government official and a close ally of Carlos Chancellor, first revealed details of the arrest on August 7. “The dictatorship maintains its repression,” De Grazia posted on X. “Maduro remains standing with bullets, not votes.”
Jhon Chancellor (centre) warms up before the Copa America quarterfinal against Canada (Omar Vega/Getty Images)De Grazia himself was detained a day later and, after being reported missing by his family, his daughter revealed he had been taken to Venezuela’s notorious prison El Helicoide. De Grazia has not been heard from since.One Venezuela-based football reporter — who requested anonymity to protect his identity out of fear of reprisals by Maduro’s government — told The Athletic that, upon hearing of Chancellor’s arrest and disappearance, he did not post about it on social media because “doing so is like putting a knife to my throat. The police would be outside of my house 20 minutes after posting that”.Asked about the status of the elder Chancellor’s situation and the silence that followed, the same reporter said that it’s a difficult subject to broach. “That’s a question that the entire country wants answered,” the reporter said regarding Chancellor’s arrest.Venezuelan members of the press tend to avoid asking players, coaches and FVF officials questions related to Maduro to avoid any consequences.
“I don’t think a Venezuelan reporter will dare ask (Batista) or a player a question about the current situation in the country,” the reporter said. “There’s fear, but we have to continue to do our job. I was raised under Chavisimo (the Chavez regime), so I understand all of this, but I’ve never seen it like this. There has always been repression, but not like people being taken from their homes because of a tweet.”
President Nicolas Maduro speaks to his supporters in Caracas in July (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
The 61-year-old Maduro has been accused by the opposition in Venezuela of ruling like a dictator since becoming president in 2013.
In 2020, he and 14 other Venezuelan government officials were charged by the U.S. government with corruption, drug trafficking, narco-terrorism and other criminal offences stemming from Maduro’s connections to Colombia’s leftist terrorist group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
“Today we announce criminal charges against Nicolas Maduro Moros for running, together with his top lieutenants, a narco-terrorism partnership with the FARC for the past 20 years,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S Berman in a statement at the time. Maduro responded on X by accusing the U.S. and Colombian governments of conspiring to “fill Venezuela with violence”.
However, Maduro, to those who support him, is a loyal patriot.
He is also an avid sports fan and has had allies within Venezuela’s sporting organizations for years, including the FVF. The football federation’s senior vice-president, Pedro Infante, is a former Maduro-aligned congressman and the country’s ex-minister of sport. In September, Infante was among 16 Maduro allies sanctioned by the U.S. government in response to voter fraud following the recent elections.Nevertheless, the FVF is enjoying a resurgence as the country’s political strife worsens. Federation president Jorge Gimenez, 37, whose tenure began in 2021, was re-elected in April through to 2028. He ran unopposed. Gimenez is a well-known construction entrepreneur and former president of the Venezuelan club Deportivo Lara.He is widely responsible for regaining the trust of private investors and corporate sponsors after the federation was embroiled in the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal, which resulted in the arrest and trial of former FVF president Rafael Esquivel. He pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to seven counts of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and was later banned for life by FIFA’s ethics committee.“We can have a debate about that private capital, but there has been a modernization of the Venezuelan Football Federation,” said Esteban Rojas, a Caracas-based journalist who covers football for AFP News Agency. “Today, there’s stability within the federation that was non-existent in years past. Before, there was an open war for control.”
Venezuela’s football setup has made significant strides since Gimenez took over. The country hosted the 2024 men’s Pre-Olympic tournament last winter, although Venezuela failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in France.
The senior team has grown younger, though, and the federation has expanded its scouting network beyond the nation’s borders by recruiting players from abroad with Venezuelan heritage. Securing Batista as manager was seen as an astute decision by Gimenez after dismissing former head coach Jose Pekerman in 2023. Batista was an assistant on Pekerman’s staff and is a respected developer of young talent.
Fernando Batista (Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
Still, Gimenez has his own links to Maduro — a worrying sign the FVF may not be free of the latter’s influence. Gimenez, through various businesses he owns, also has ties to the PDVSA, Venezuela’s state-owned oil and natural gas company. His allegiance to the current regime became public in 2020 when he was a passenger on a private jet that flew from Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, to its Spanish equivalent Madrid with several government officials, including Maduro’s vice-president Delcy Rodriguez, aboard. Gimenez has not commented publicly regarding his participation in that trip.
Then, last December, during an event at the Palacio de Miraflores, the headquarters of the Venezuelan government, Maduro introduced Gimenez as “the one responsible for taking us to the 2026 World Cup”.
“I always tell the national teams that you’re the silent godfather of the Vinotinto,” Gimenez replied. “You’ll become the first president to take Venezuela to a World Cup.”Late last month, Rojas asked Gimenez how the federation would be impacted following news of Infante’s sanctioning by the U.S. government. “FIFA and CONMEBOL have not taken a stance,” Gimenez replied. “Everything stays the same for us. What’s important is that we enjoy football and leave politics aside.”But football and politics are one and the same in Venezuela.
A man walks past a mural depicting President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas (Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images)
Argentina are Venezuela’s next World Cup qualifying opponents, with Thursday’s match set for the 52,000-seat Estadio Maturin, Venezuela’s largest stadium.With diplomatic relations strained between Maduro’s government and Argentina’s right-wing administration — Maduro has prohibited Argentine aircraft from flying above Venezuelan airspace — Lionel Messi and the defending world champions will train in the U.S. before the match, at MLS club Inter Miami’s facilities in Fort Lauderdale.And all of this backdrop coincides with Venezuela’s recent dip in form.The team have not scored in their last two qualifying matches, including a 4-0 defeat away to Bolivia, and are winless since defeating Jamaica 3-0 in their final group match of the Copa America. After initially rubbing shoulders with Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay in the CONMEBOL standings, Venezuela are now sixth on 10 points, just a point ahead of Paraguay and Bolivia.After facing Argentina, Venezuela will travel to Asuncion for a pivotal away match against the resurgent Paraguayans next Tuesday (early Wednesday UK time).The dream of qualifying for their first World Cup is still alive, and the faith that Venezuelans have remains strong, but their confidence is shaken.While the opposition party continues to dispute the election result, and with peace still elusive, the stakes have never been higher for the Vinotinto.
(Top photo: Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
Emma Hayes’ priorities for a busy USWNT camp. Plus, Marta’s back in Orlando
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Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan. It was a difficult week for many, especially those in Los Angeles. Hopefully, we can balance the hurt with some hope — welcome to Full Time!
L.A. Wildfires
USWNT forced to move camp
Sports are not immune to the effects of the devastating wildfires impacting much of Los Angeles.
The U.S. women’s national team was set to gather this week alongside a group of under-23 prospects at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., roughly 30 miles south of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods — areas that have both seen extensive damage. Late Friday, U.S. Soccer moved the camps to Inter Miami CF’s training facility in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where the U.S. men are currently training.
L.A.-based teams in the NHL, NBA and NFL have also made schedule adjustments or postponements amid the fires. The NFL moved the wild-card playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, set for tonight at 8 p.m. ET, from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Riley has captained Angel City FC and the New Zealand national team. I watched her play in front of a packed Eden Pack in Auckland, New Zealand, to open the 2023 World Cup and listened to her postgame speech about the meaning of the moment. She laid bare her soul with rainbow nails and tears of joy. That’s just who Riley is. She’s never shied from showing her heart — one that beats deeply for her hometown of L.A.
Last week, the 37-year-old shared something different, posting photos of the rubble that used to be her parents’ home in the Palisades.
Despite the devastation, Riley also shared joy. She posted videos of her parents and, this weekend, wedding photos and videos as she married former Swedish footballer Lucas Nilsson.
“I’ve never felt love like this,” Riley wrote. “We hugged, cried, danced and laughed. My parents are incredible.”
The Orlando Pride finally finished one of their most crucial pieces of business this offseason, re-signing Marta to a two-year deal. There were no mentions of a potential retirement on the horizon for the 38-year-old, or even a last dance, when Orlando won the Shield and championship last year.So our mission — and we should all accept it — is to once again witness greatness while we can. We must appreciate everything else Marta brings to Orlando, the NWSL and the sport in general.And we can start with the contract extension announcement video. Did it have shades of Sam err’s Chelsea announcement with the fake-out of a potential departure or retirement? Sure. But Marta’s intensity is on a whole new level because her emotions for the city and club are so authentic — and because no one loves a good joke more than the captain.Now in the pantheon of images of Marta, alongside all the goals and the celebrations, I’m going to permanently have the one of her dancing in front of fireworks lit up just for her over the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. What an absolute legend.
🎧 The latest from the “Full Time” podcast: Gotham GM Yael Averbuch West discusses the team’s recent flurry of news.
Notables
Hayes looks to remedy a ‘lost generation’
As we’ve said before, this year is one Emma Hayes can actually use to take stock of what the U.S. player pool has to offer.
“None of us know what the roster is going to look like in 2027, so I’m desperate to make sure that we’ve got more players that are in a better position that can help us compete for the highest level,” Hayes said last week.
In addition to the 26 players called into the senior camp this month, 24 under-23 players were named to a “Futures Camp” which will also be coached by a very busy Hayes, who will bounce between training sessions.
The Canadians have been without a permanent coach since the federation’s Olympic drone spying scandal (former head coach Bev Priestman was officially fired in November).
Stoney, 42, most recently led San Diego to a 2023 NWSL Shield and an NWSL Challenge Cup victory before a seven-game winless streak in 2024 led to her firing. Meg says Stoney’s jump to the international game is “no surprise”:
At first glance, it’s a perfect match considering Stoney’s reputation as a defensive-minded coach and Canada’s history of winning games and tournaments on gritty defending. There’s also the sheer fun of potential matchups between Canada and the USWNT with Stoney and Hayes on the touchline.
Stoney said she’s “used to derby games” and welcomes the opportunity to compete against Hayes and the U.S.
Former Utah Royals goalkeeper Carly Nelson alleged she experienced “emotional and psychological abuse” during her time with the club in a post on social media Friday.
Nelson, who’s from Utah, joined the Royals after being traded from the Orlando Pride in December 2023. Nelson was regularly listed as an excused absence on game day and later took an extended mental health leave. A year after joining the club, the team announced that Nelson would not return for the 2025 season.
Nelson says there’s more to the story. Utah said it takes any allegations counter to “creating a positive and supportive experience” with the “utmost seriousness and urgency.”
Full Time First Looks
Good news: We recently shared the story of Celine Haidar, the 19-year-old Lebanese midfielder who suffered a serious head injury during an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Haidar has since woken from a coma she was in for nearly two months.
Life after playing: In 1998, Julie Foudy was in the prime of her playing career with a potential path to medical school on her horizon. However, a chance encounter with a sports broadcast producer set her on a decades-long career in commentating. Now, the World Cup winner is helping other former and active players do the same.
On the move:USWNT forward Jaedyn Shaw is headed to the North Carolina Courage. Equalizer Soccer was first to report the move, which is expected to be announced this week. The move reportedly came at the 20-year-old’s request.
Attempting to make sense of a confusing Premier League season
There is little let-up in football’s ever-expanding schedule, but its sprawling nature allows just the occasional pause for reflection.
The past week has brought some big occasions in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. Next week offers the unfamiliarity of European competition in January. This midweek Premier League programme has crept up almost undetected, yet much has changed since the last round of fixtures: managers have come and gone at West Ham United (Julen Lopetegui out, Graham Potter in) and Everton (Sean Dyche out, David Moyes back for a second spell); the beginnings of an unusually busy winter transfer window at Manchester City; a heightened state of anxiety at Arsenal in advance of Wednesday’s north London derby.
Just past the halfway stage, how has the Premier League’s 2024-25 season been for you?
If you are a Liverpool fan, then the answer will likely be one of cautious excitement. Nottingham Forest? Unexpected thrills. Bournemouth, Fulham or Brentford? Fun. Newcastle United? Much better than five weeks ago. Chelsea? Much worse than five weeks ago. Manchester City? The type of nightmare you thought was in your distant past. Manchester United or Everton? The type of nightmare that has haunted your present for too long. Southampton? Chastening. Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur? Maddening, in different ways, but ask them again after 10pm on Wednesday.
Some seasons take shape almost immediately. This one has been more peculiar. Manchester City’s nosedive in late 2024 is one reason for that, but there have been others. One team after another has looked strikingly impressive for four or five weeks before stumbling into difficulty. The only consistency — of the right type — has come from Liverpool and, to widespread amazement, Nottingham Forest.
What do we read into this? Are Liverpool really as strong as their commanding lead implies? Are Forest, who have the lowest share of possession in the top flight, as good as their run of six consecutive wins suggests? What on earth do we make of Manchester City’s struggles? And is all of this the sign of the high-quality, ultra-competitive league we demand? Or one where standards have slipped?
One consequence of Manchester City’s golden era under Pep Guardiola is that it has distorted expectations. It has normalised the abnormal.
Of the eight highest points totals recorded in the Premier League era, seven have come in the past nine seasons: Manchester City three times (including a record-breaking total of 100 points in 2017-18), Liverpool three times (only one of which yielded the league title) and Chelsea once (under Antonio Conte in 2016-17). The only previous team to have surpassed 91 points in a 38-game top-flight season was Chelsea under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 (95 points).
This season has so far felt more… normal. As impressive as Liverpool have been so far under Arne Slot, they have not had quite the imperious look of their team that won 97 points under Jurgen Klopp in 2018-19 (only to finish a point behind City) and 99 points a year later. That side, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in the forward line, was relentless. This one, with Salah joined by any two from Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, looks slightly less formidable.
But that has been the way of things of late. Between 2009-10 and 2015-16, no Premier League champion reached the 90-point mark. There followed a period between 2016-17 and 2019-20 when the title was won with totals of 93, 100, 98 and 99 points. Manchester City’s subsequent four titles in a row were won with 86, 93, 89 and 91 points. The standard remained extremely high, but in points terms, not as high as Klopp suggested in 2019 when he told reporters Liverpool would have to be “perfect” if they were to be champions.
Right now, Liverpool are on course for 92 points — a tally Arsenal and Forest, their closest challengers, can only reach by winning 17 and drawing one of their final 18 matches. They have also won six games out of six in the Champions League, beating Real Madrid, Milan and Bayer Leverkusen among others.
But as Slot pointed out on Monday, it is folly to imagine the second half of a season will simply mirror the first. “There’s more at stake,” the Liverpool manager said. “That’s what sometimes you feel. That’s why you sometimes see more shocking results in the second half of the season and that’s why we need to improve.”
The chasing pack will hope that Liverpool, held to a 2-2 draw at home by Manchester United last time out, can be pegged back. Forest, already performing beyond their wildest pre-season expectations under Nuno Espirito Santo, will hope to clip the leaders’ wings at a loud, passionate City Ground on Tuesday evening.
Every UK bookmaker already has Liverpool at short odds-on to be champions — a view shared by Opta’s “supercomputer” predictive model, which puts their chances at 88.9 per cent. But even their most bullish supporter might say that sounds rather presumptuous given they face away trips to eight of the 10 teams ranked immediately below them in the table at present. Both Manchester City and Arsenal can testify to the difficulty of a trip to Bournemouth. In both cases, an unexpected setback at the Vitality Stadium proved hard to shrug off.
Manchester City’s slump was so extreme, winning only one out of 13 matches in all competitions between late October and late December, that Opta rate their chances of a fifth consecutive league title at just 0.2 per cent. Pep Guardiola has been even less optimistic than that: “No chance”.
Mikel Arteta will not entertain talk of a regression in Arsenal’s standards, but he accepts his team have left themselves with an awful lot of work to do and that they must ensure they are ready to capitalise — “we have to continue to be like a hammer, be there every day, every day, every day”— if Liverpool stumble. So far in 2025, his own team have not looked ready to honour their side of the bargain.
The usual answer, in any given season, at just about any point in history, is that it is not as strong, as competitive or as entertaining as it used to be — an inevitable view, accompanied by the sweet smell of nostalgia, but one at odds with the reality of the league’s growing financial (and consequently on-pitch) strength.
Manchester City have drastically underperformed this season, but before that two-month tailspin, they had lost just one of their previous 50 matches in all competitions (the FA Cup final against Manchester United last May). They have also won their past three games in a manner that suggests they will be a force in the second half of the season — and that, even if the damage to their Premier League title defence looks irreparable, they remain one of the strongest teams in Europe.
Last season’s European competition brought a few jolts to Premier League pride, with no English club getting beyond the quarter-finals of the Champions League or the Europa League, while Serie A and the Bundesliga claimed the highest coefficient ranking (and with it an extra ticket for this season’s Champions League).
Manchester City’s struggles apart, this season’s new-look Champions League, with Liverpool top, Arsenal third and Villa fifth in the 36-team Champions League standings, has brought a resumption of what passes for normal service these days.
Twenty First Group, a sports intelligence firm that advises clubs and investors, uses a machine-learning algorithm to generate a rating for every team in world football. From there, it calculates the strengths of each league.
Using its “World Super League” model, the Premier League is nearing its peak in quality this season, with a rating of 761. Only once before (the Premier League in 2022-23) has any league’s average quality been rated higher.
Some of us have a tendency to hark back to the late 2000s when the Premier League’s “Big Four” of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United were consistently reaching the later stages of the Champions League. Twenty First Group’s model proposes that, in terms of overall strength, La Liga was stronger at that time and remained so until 2016-17 (and that the Bundesliga was second-strongest between 2009-10 and 2012-13), but that the Premier League has been strongest since 2017-18. All of that sounds reasonable to me.
To put Twenty First Group’s data into perspective, in 2008-09, only nine Premier League teams were ranked among the world’s top 50. The fact this number fell in the first half of the 2010s, to a low point of seven between 2011-12 and 2013, reinforces the feeling that competition regressed quality-wise around this time, overshadowed not just by La Liga but by the Bundesliga.
Since the late 2010s, it has risen significantly, with 14 Premier League teams currently ranked in the world’s top 50. Broadly speaking, though these rankings fluctuate from week to week, this suggests a mid-table team in the Premier League is roughly as strong as a top-five team in La Liga or a top-six team in Serie A.
So they should be given their financial advantage. Six Premier League clubs featured in the top 10 of Deloitte’s Football Money League, which ranks clubs by revenue. Extend that to the top 30 and there are no fewer than 14 Premier League clubs. Brighton & Hove Albion (23rd) made more money in 2022-23 than all bar four clubs in Italy, three in Spain, three in Germany and two in France.
When you look at the inequality that the Premier League’s financial power has brought to the transfer market across Europe, with so much talent flowing towards these shores, it is surprising English clubs are not even more dominant.
But that is another argument. What this is not, despite some localised difficulties in Manchester in particular, is a weak Premier League. The data suggests the level at the summit is not as strong as it has been in recent seasons, but that the average standard across the league is higher.
Manchester City’s struggles can be said to have undermined the quality of the league in one way but underlined it in another. The number of teams taking advantage of their struggles in late 2024 — Bournemouth, Brighton, Tottenham, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Everton — is evidence of a league in which every club has talent on the pitch and on the touchline. If you coast, you will be punished.
Five weeks ago, Alan Shearer wrote a column for The Athletic expressing concern for Newcastle, saying his former club now seemed to be “drifting” under their Saudi Arabian ownership and at a crossroads under Eddie Howe’s management.
He felt the initial post-takeover momentum and a sense of purpose had been lost. With Howe’s team 12th in the Premier League, after two wins in their previous 11, many supporters were privately expressing the same concerns.
And look at them now. They have won their past eight games across all competitions, including away to Manchester United and Tottenham in the Premier League and Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. A run of four winnable games lies ahead in the Premier League — Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth at home, Southampton away, Fulham at home — and suddenly their fans are dreaming of returning to the Champions League (and, even more longingly, glory in the Carabao Cup).
Newcastle’s ups and downs reflect the unpredictability of a league in which fortunes and form seem to be fluctuating like never before.
Sometimes it seems to come down to discrepancies in the fixture list, allowing teams to capitalise on a gentle run of games before the going gets tough again. But often it is nothing of the sort; Brighton and Fulham emerged with great credit from a daunting run of games, only to stumble in a series of matches they were expected to win. Aston Villa lost just one of their first nine games, juggling domestic and European commitments impressively, but have been stop-start over the past couple of months.
By mid-December, Chelsea seemed to be emerging as the team best placed to challenge Liverpool, having won six and drawn two of their previous eight matches. Since then, they have drawn with Everton and Crystal Palace and lost to Fulham and Ipswich Town.
It is a league full of talented but flawed, imperfect teams, almost all of them potent in attack (and particularly on the counter-attack) but few of them anything like so adept when forced to play on their opponents’ terms.
That is where Forest have been so impressive. They have had, on average, the lowest share of possession of any Premier League team so far this season, but they defend in numbers and attack as incisively as anyone. As Slot said in his pre-match news conference on Monday, Nuno “has done a great job at implementing a style of play that suits their players”.
Slot admitted he was surprised in September when Forest inflicted what remains his only Premier League defeat as Liverpool manager, but said that result was no longer “such a shock to me as it was then”.
The trip to Nottingham on Tuesday looks like a serious test of Liverpool’s credentials. Should Forest beat them for a second time this season, the sense of excitement at the City Ground will develop into something more, leaving those long-suffering supporters to wonder just how far this season might take them.
Football has changed an awful lot since the late 1970s, when they conquered England and then Europe (twice) under Brian Clough, but the opportunity to dream is still there.
There are parallels with the 2015-16 campaign when Leicester City came from nowhere to win the Premier League title. Those parallels include the underperformance of several leading teams. Back then, Chelsea were in post-title meltdown under Mourinho; Manchester City and Manchester United were drifting in their final campaign under Manuel Pellegrini and Louis van Gaal respectively; Arsenal were doing likewise as Arsene Wenger’s tenure neared its end; Liverpool were only just getting going under Klopp; Tottenham were progressing quickly under Mauricio Pochettino but, unlike Leicester, were unable to capitalise on the opportunity.
After 20 games, Forest have the same number of points (40) as Leicester had by the same stage of their historic title-winning campaign. The difference is that Forest are six points off the top, having played one more game than the leaders, whereas at that stage in 2015-16, Leicester were only two points behind first-placed Arsenal.
Chris Wood’s 12 Premier League goals have helped Nottingham Forest to third in the Premier League (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
That was the season that, more than any other, perpetuated the idea of the Premier League as an ultra-competitive league where anyone can beat anyone. It was also a season in which, as shown on the European stage as well as domestically, the bigger clubs fell drastically short of expectations, creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity that Leicester seized in the most wonderful style, not just winning the title, but doing it by a 10-point margin.
Could 2024-25 bring something similar to the East Midlands? So many of the ingredients are there in a competition laced with unpredictability. There is jeopardy almost everywhere, not least in the risks that so many teams take when trying to play out from the back.
Forest, as Slot pointed out on Monday, have no interest in inviting such jeopardy. They appear happy to leave the chaos to others and stick to the serious business of winning matches.
As do Liverpool, content to keep racking up the points and avoid the kind of melodramas seen elsewhere. On one hand, the “best league in the world” hype demands wild twists and unpredictability. On the other hand, it requires its top teams to demonstrate quality and supreme focus and to keep standards high.
So far, at least, Liverpool have only looked interested in setting standards. If it is real unpredictability you want in the second half of the campaign, someone is going to have to do what Forest did to them at Anfield back in September. On a cold January night in Nottingham and throughout the months ahead, Liverpool will hope to keep the drama to a minimum.
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Will Tullos)
he six moments of madness that sum up a Clasico defined by disarray
You rarely see a team score directly after an opposition corner — a heavy touch somewhere along the way, a misplaced pass or defenders tracking back in numbers often result in lost momentum and missed opportunities.
The Supercopa de Espana final between Real Madrid and Barcelona on Sunday saw both teams score from the other’s corners in the first half alone.
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That summed up a chaotic first half (extended by 10 minutes of stoppage time) and set the tone for a match that often had the feel of an exhibition. It ended in a record-extending 15th Supercopa for Barca, who put four goals past Madrid in consecutive games for the first time in Clasico history, running out 5-2 winners.
Here, The Athletic breaks down six moments that summed up a match defined by disarray.
It took less than five minutes for Madrid to open the scoring through some direct play from Kylian Mbappe and some slack defending from Barcelona (a consistent feature of the first half for both teams).
Hansi Flick’s side had forced two good saves from Thibaut Courtois through Lamine Yamal and Raphinha in the opening four minutes. Raphinha took the corner that was the result of the second of those stops, which Federico Valverde cleared. The ball fell in between Vinicius Junior and Marc Casado, with the Brazilian winning possession and charging forward before finding Mbappe.
Vinicius Jr’s pass put Mbappe into a one-vs-one against left-back Alejandro Balde (no offside concerns this time), who was indecisive. Mbappe feasted on that indecision, cutting inside and then out before clipping a finish over goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to make it 1-0.
The goal was thoroughly avoidable from a Barcelona point of view but, before the chaos, they had discovered two Madrid weaknesses. Raphinha’s shot came after Gavi ran off Eduardo Camavinga’s shoulder to get to the byline and float in a cross for the former Leeds United winger, who wandered into the space left between makeshift centre-back Aurelien Tchouameni and right-back Lucas Vazquez.
A combination of Camavinga’s slackness and that area of uncertainty between Tchouameni and Vazquez proved to be Madrid’s downfall later in the half.
There was some calm for the following 15 minutes, a period littered with errors from both teams and Mbappe going down with an apparent knock (the 26-year-old eventually played on), which made the game seem like an exhibition instead of an emotionally charged Clasico and final. But the tide was starting to turn, with Barca repeatedly dragging Madrid players out of position.
Their reward was a Lionel Messi-esque moment of Yamal magic that levelled the scores.
The goal was made possible by Robert Lewandowski’s neat pass and Yamal filling the space created by Gavi’s off-the-ball movement to drag Camavinga out of position.
The equaliser did not bring composure to the game. As a re-energised Barcelona pressed higher, Madrid were forced to go long, resulting in another bizarre sequence two minutes later.
A throw-in, after Szczesny came out of his area to clear a long ball, saw Vinicius Jr find Jude Bellingham, who passed to Vazquez on the right. Vazquez’s shot was blocked by Balde, but Madrid worked the ball to Valverde for another try. His attempt was weak but got deflected behind for a corner.
Tchouameni outjumped Kounde from the set piece to force a save by Szczesny, with the rebound spinning away beyond the post with Vazquez lurking.
This second corner was cleared at the near post before a third one was met by Tchouameni again, this time with space for an acrobatic kick from the France international which got blocked.
All in all, a sequence that would not have been out of place in a mid-season friendly played in the Middle East.
Barcelona’s clever play, and more slack defending, led to a third chaotic moment in the 33rd minute. Throughout the opening half hour, Lewandowski dropped to receive the ball with back to goal, with Camavinga or Antonio Rudiger stepping out to close him down, leaving space in behind for Barca to exploit.
On this occasion, a long ball from centre-back Pau Cubarsi was chased by Gavi instead of Lewandowski, with Rudiger winning the header. The tactical disorder of the game saw this fall straight to an unmarked Lewandowski, with Camavinga confused about whether to go after him or track Gavi.
As Barca recycled possession, Gavi stayed forward, with Yamal and Lewandowski occupying Camavinga’s attention. When Kounde’s cross deflected off Ferland Mendy into the box, Gavi was in position to reach the ball first and Camavinga, having failed to initially track him, lazily stuck a leg out, catching the Spain midfielder with his studs.
Having exploited that first weakness, Barca smelled blood and exploited a second less than two minutes after Lewandowski scored from the resulting penalty as Raphinha ghosted into the space between Tchouameni and Vazquez again to head home a Kounde pass.
Madrid’s desperation grew. They threw men forward, leading to yet more gaps in midfield.
These following screengrabs from the second and fourth minutes of added time in the first half emphasise just how much space Barcelona now had to dictate proceedings, and the potential pitfalls of Carlo Ancelotti playing Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Bellingham and Rodrygo together in attack.
Madrid were not done contributing to the chaos, though.
Exhibit four from the first half arrived after Madrid worked the ball to the right, loading up on Balde. This negated Barcelona’s high line and allowed Bellingham to slip Rodrygo in. He then cut one back for Vazquez, who tried to backheel it.
Balde intercepted but mishit his clearance, with Casado beating Mbappe to the ball but heading towards his own goal. Szczesny, unsure whether to catch or clear with his feet, was caught in an awkward position. Rodrygo, who was offside, slipped and allowed the ’keeper to gather.
That was quickly followed by a fifth moment of chaos — one which seemed unavoidable by this point.
Ronald Araujo, who had replaced an injured Inigo Martinez in the 28th minute, hacked at a routine clearance from a Mendy through ball to give Madrid a corner in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Rodrygo played a one-two with Camavinga before trying to find Valverde on the edge of the box.
Yamal anticipated his underhit pass and intercepted just beyond the D, with Raphinha and Balde now sprinting forward alongside him. Yamal found Raphinha, who cut inside Valverde. Balde then took the ball off his Brazilian team-mate’s toes before slamming a finish into the bottom corner to make it 4-1.
That end to the first half could not have been worse for Madrid — and they did not enjoy much respite after their trip back to the dressing rooms.
On 48 minutes — 90 seconds after Rodrygo volleyed a Vinicius Jr cross behind via the woodwork — Barca had their fifth goal.
Lewandowski dropped again to drag Rudiger out of position, allowing Casado to feed the ball to Raphinha after he ghosted in behind Tchouameni — the same errors from the first half happening again. He then did what Mbappe had done to Balde for the Madrid goal, stepping inside and outside an opponent, Tchouameni in this case, before lashing home.
You would imagine making it 5-1 would be enough to kill the game, with Barcelona happy to control proceedings and Madrid defaulting to damage limitation and Ancelotti did bring on centre-back Raul Asencio to replace Vazquez — but Barca gave them a glimmer of hope with a sixth moment of chaos in the 54th minute.
Raphinha attempted a ‘trivela’ pass just as Madrid began pushing men forward after a set piece. This was blocked by Asencio and fell to Bellingham, who beat Pedri in the air and passed to Mbappe as he ran in behind. The Frenchman took the ball past an onrushing Szczesny, who caught Mbappe’s trailing foot just outside the area.
After a VAR review, referee Jesus Gil Manzano sent the Barca ‘keeper off.
The resulting free kick was not taken until a full three minutes later, with Barcelona given time to bring on Inaki Pena to play in goal.
Pena was promptly beaten by Rodrygo, who arrowed a shot in off the replacement goalkeeper’s fingertips and the inside of the post to make it 5-2.
The remaining 30 minutes, with 11 men chasing the game against Barcelona’s 10, brought the calmest period of a frenzied contest, although did still have its moments.
The football cliche that previous results do not matter seems particularly relevant to El Clasico: the last 10 matches in the rivalry going back to the start of the 2022-23 season have produced a combined 40 goals and five wins for each team.
But with two lop-sided wins in a row against their rivals in the two most recent meetings, Flick’s team seem to have thrived in that chaos.
Lily Yohannes celebrates scoring in her debut for the U.S. against South Korea last June. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Lily Yohannes and Catarina Macario have bonded in their short time together on the national team. (Ary Frank / Getty Images for USSF)
Defender Casey Krueger said last month that she thinks the U.S. is moving forward without her. (Elsa / Getty Images for USSF)
Christian Pulisic didn’t have his finest performances for the U.S. during the Nations League Finals. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The USMNT needs to huddle up and iron out some issues before cohosting the 2026 World Cup (Alex Gallardo/Imagn Images)
A pair of defeats on home soil was a disappointing twist for Mauricio Pochettino. (Alexis Quiroz/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Landon Donovan sees the USMNT getting further away from its identity. (Photo by Rob Kinnan/Imagn Images)
Tab Ramos doesn’t like what he sees from the current U.S. men’s national team players. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
Goalkeeper Matt Turner endured another disappointing afternoon. (Alexis Quiroz / Jam Media / Getty Images)
Jesee Marsch was infuriated by two refereeing decisions. (Eliecer Aizprua Banfield / Jam Media / Getty Images)
The Nations League semifinals made for a night of long faces for Christian Pulisic and the U.S. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
Canada was left to grimace after a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the Nations League semifinals. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino endures defeat to Panama in the Concacaf Nations League. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)
Pochettino’s gameplan was not enough to overcome Panama’s energy and spirit. (Robin Alam / ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Weston McKennie claimed the USMNT needed more “nastiness” against Panama. (Robin Alam / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
Thursday’s defeat rekindled memories of the Copa América defeat to Panama that ultimately sealed Gregg Berhalter’s fate. (Hector Vivas / Getty Images)
Jack McGlynn and Tim Ream are dejected as Panama celebrate their late winner (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Romero reached the 2014 World Cup final despite being second-choice at his club (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Henderson, who is in the current England squad, and Turner warm up for Palace (Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Turner during Thursday’s defeat by Panama (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
Lonergan playing for Everton against Western Sydney Wanderers in a 2022 friendly (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images for Bursty)
Turner catches a cross during Palace’s recent FA Cup win against Millwall (Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
USMNT and Iran pose together at the 1998 World Cup. (Photo by Nader Davoodi ATPImages/Getty Images)
Rafa Márquez gave Mexico its first World Cup qualifying win in Columbus in 2016. (Paul Vernon/AFP/Getty Images)
Patrick Agyemang, center, was a star of January camp for the U.S. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The NWSL was one of the first leagues to return to play amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jeffrey Swinger / USA TODAY Sports)
Canada defender Vanessa Gilles said she’s unlikely to return to Angel City from Lyon at this time. (Maria Lysaker / USA TODAY Sports)
UEFA released the video of the penalty on its website on Thursday (UEFA)
Alvarez’s penalty was ruled out after a VAR intervention (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Reyna challenges St Pauli’s Siebe Van Der Heyden in the air on Saturday (Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)
Wright returned at Oxford on Saturday (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Pulisic attempts to evade Lazio’s Nuno Tavares and Mario Gila Fuentes (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images)
Johnny Cardoso celebrates scoring Real Betis’ equaliser (DAX Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Horvath denies Ollie Watkins at Villa Park (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Marie Margolius, second right, directed the series. (Valerie Terranova / Getty Images)
Trinity Rodman was heavily featured in the docuseries. (Roger Wimmer / Getty Images)
Orlando Pride won the NWSL Championship in 2024, defeating the Washington Spirit. (Bill Barrett / Getty Images)
Drogba scored Chelsea’s equaliser against Bayern in 2012 (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/GettyImages)
Michael Owen was the difference for Liverpool against Arsenal (Ben Radford/ALLSPORT)
Ireland celebrate Ray Houghton’s goal (Peter Robinson – PA Images via Getty Images)
Stuart Dallas was Leeds’ unlikely hero at Manchester City (Michael Regan/AFP via Getty Images)
Parlow Cone oversaw the hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT manager in 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)
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Catarina Macario marks her return to the USWNT with a goal against Colombia. (Jack Gorman / Getty Images)
Ally Sentnor celebrates scoring her first goal for the U.S. women’s national team. (Brad Smith / Getty Images)
Lily Yohannes earns her first start for the U.S. against Colombia. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
Tara McKeown makes her USWNT debut against Colombia in the SheBelieves Cup. (Maria Lysaker / Getty Images)
Hayes was happy with the performance (Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr will be a huge threat to a City defence that has been unusually vulnerable this season (Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Pulisic places the ball on the spot before equalising for Milan against Parma (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Musah provided an assist (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Adams celebrates with Justin Kluivert (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Sargent scored a brace against Swansea (Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Sands (right) leaps into an aerial challenge with Union Berlin’s Andras Schafer (Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Pepi (left) celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal against Breda (Jeroen Putmans/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff CarlisleJan 23, 2025, 09:51 AM ET ESPN 
Will Guardiola and Luis Enrique’s sides both make it through to the knockout stage? (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Santiago Gimenez celebrates his second goal against Bayern Munich (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Tyler Adams has contributed to Bournemouth’s superb recent form. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
Elimination at the Copa America group stage ended Gregg Berhalter’s tenure. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images for USSF)
Tanner Tessman’s emergence has given the USMNT midfield options. (Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/Getty Images for USSF)
Coach Antonio Conte’s Napoli team sits top of Serie A (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
This January, McKennie seems more settled at Juventus during the transfer window (Diego Puletto/Juventus/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo brought his skills to Juventus in 2018 (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Scott McTominay has adapted well to life in Serie A (Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
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Julian Green’s selection in 2014 stunned many but he scored against Belgium in the round of 16. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Patrick Agyemang has intriguing potential. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Cavan Sullivan’s youth and inexperience make him a World Cup longshot. (Caean Couto/USA Today)
Venezuela’s Yordan Osorio celebrates victory against Jamaica at the Copa America (Aric Becker / AFP via Getty Images)
Protesters against the Maduro regime take to the streets of Venezuelan capital Caracas in July (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Venezuela’s National Guard move in to quell protests in Caracas in July (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)
Jhon Chancellor (centre) warms up before the Copa America quarterfinal against Canada (Omar Vega/Getty Images)De Grazia himself was detained a day later and, after being reported missing by his family, his daughter revealed he had been taken to Venezuela’s notorious prison El Helicoide. De Grazia has not been heard from since.One Venezuela-based football reporter — who requested anonymity to protect his identity out of fear of reprisals by Maduro’s government — told The Athletic that, upon hearing of Chancellor’s arrest and disappearance, he did not post about it on social media because “doing so is like putting a knife to my throat. The police would be outside of my house 20 minutes after posting that”.Asked about the status of the elder Chancellor’s situation and the silence that followed, the same reporter said that it’s a difficult subject to broach. “That’s a question that the entire country wants answered,” the reporter said regarding Chancellor’s arrest.Venezuelan members of the press tend to avoid asking players, coaches and FVF officials questions related to Maduro to avoid any consequences.
President Nicolas Maduro speaks to his supporters in Caracas in July (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Fernando Batista (Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
A man walks past a mural depicting President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas (Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images)
Orlando Ramirez / Imagn Images
Chris Wood’s 12 Premier League goals have helped Nottingham Forest to third in the Premier League (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
The Ole BallCoach 