ATLANTA — The United States men’s national team’s readiness for the World Cup has moved into its concluding stage. Both individual showings will be closely examined, and the overall team unity will be too.
Consequently, Saturday’s fixture against Belgium offered a stark evaluation of the USMNT’s current standing, as the Americans suffered a crushing 5-2 loss. Admittedly, it was just a single match, yet the U.S. appears nowhere near prepared for the actual competition commencing in June.
During the initial half, the U.S. presented a strong challenge. Weston McKennie maintained his excellent streak, netting the Americans’ goal to give them a 1-0 lead. However, despite the U.S. defense performing admirably into the latter half, it proved powerless against an electrifying display by Belgian winger Jérémy Doku, resulting in the sudden termination of its five-match undefeated run.
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This encounter prominently featured the utilization of the USMNT’s central defenders as its primary point of interest. Both Miles Robinson of FC Cincinnati and Chris Richards from Crystal Palace were sidelined due to groin and knee injuries, in that order, while Noahkai Banks, the FC Augsburg defender, continues to be undecided about joining the U.S. team. Additional concerns exist regarding the defensive line. Tim Ream of Charlotte FC has not performed optimally this season thus far, and Mark McKenzie needs to significantly improve his consistency with the USMNT. These circumstances compelled manager Mauricio Pochettino to return to the familiar 4-3-3 setup, with Ream and McKenzie serving as the defensive anchors.
Ultimately, the central defenders were not the primary problem. Instead, this represented a collective humiliation that will do little to instill assurance in this U.S. team. Specifically, the Americans’ flank defense was dreadful. Belgium frequently located Doku isolated on the wings, either during transitions or through extensive shifts in the attacking focus, and even when facing two defenders, he consistently managed to harass the USMNT. A prime example was Amadou Onana’s decisive goal in the 53rd minute. McKenzie did a reasonable job containing Doku’s movement, but the Belgian drew almost the entire U.S. defensive unit towards himself, thereby creating openings for other players. Doku passed the ball to Charles De Ketelaere, who then teed it up for Onana to shoot into the net.
Truthfully, Doku is an exceptional athlete. He wouldn’t be contracted to Manchester City otherwise. However, this USMNT squad has established ambitious objectives for itself at this summer’s World Cup. Should the U.S. aim for a significant advancement, it will be required to defeat an opponent of Belgium’s quality, likely multiple times. The fact that Timothy Weah was typically the player exploited by Doku is rather unexpected, considering his frequent deployment as an outside defender this season. It prompts the question of whether any other member of the U.S. contingent might have performed more effectively. Alex Freeman could assuredly not have done any poorer.
Nevertheless, the U.S. also needed to improve its wide support, intercept late entries into the penalty area, and avoid merely observing the ball. This responsibility rests with the entire collective, not solely the defense, and represents a fundamental defensive principle. The U.S.’s apparent inability to execute in this domain is likely the most troubling facet of their display. A reversion to a three-man defense – even with a reduced number of central defenders – is likely advisable.
Inquiries also persist concerning the U.S. midfield. As Tyler Adams couldn’t travel domestically due to a quadriceps injury, a chance arose for Johnny Cardoso. Following a challenging initial five months of the season with Atletico Madrid due to his own health issues, Cardoso has elevated his performance at his club to become seemingly essential. The issue with the USMNT is that Cardoso has never managed to duplicate that performance standard.
During Saturday’s game, Cardoso displayed moments of brilliance. He completed all 13 of his passes flawlessly. His astute interception enabled McKenzie to get clear for his goal and redirect Antonee Robinson’s corner kick. Additionally, he executed a crucial tackle in the 17th minute, preventing a Belgian counter-offensive. It was therefore unexpected to witness his substitution at halftime, with Cristian Roldan entering the match.
For a squad that struggled with ball retention in the opening half, this seemed an odd choice, raising doubts about the team’s reserves. The latter half saw a flood of goals from Belgium, as the U.S. persistently demonstrated its incapacity to defend individual matchups. The custodian, Matt Turner, a surprising inclusion over Matt Freese, was repeatedly left vulnerable. What will also cause Pochettino to hesitate is that he utilized his substitutes generously, and the situation deteriorated further. The sole positive moment occurred when Ricardo Pepi redirected a defensive pass, enabling Patrick Agyemang to net a comfort goal.
Is there cause for alarm? Not at this juncture. Four years prior, the U.S. suffered a 2-0 defeat to Japan in its second-to-last exhibition match before the 2022 World Cup, a game far less competitive than the final score suggested. On that occasion, then-coach Gregg Berhalter gathered insights regarding which players he could rely upon to perform at the World Cup and which he could not. Pochettino will be required to do likewise.