The USMNT wrapped up a profitable June with a cushty 4-0 win over Costa Rica in Utah. The squad was closely rotated from the win over Mexico, however Berhalter’s group showcased its depth in a sport the place nobody performed poorly. The end result did not rely for something nevertheless it was a helpful momentum enhance heading into World Cup qualifying. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta presents up his ideas.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
June 10, 2021
8:00 AM
SHARE THIS STORY
THE UNITED STATES nationwide group capped off its Might-June camp in type on Wednesday with a really comfy 4-0 win over Costa Rica – which got here on the heels of its epic win over Mexico within the Nations League last on Sunday.
As anticipated, U.S. supervisor Gregg Berhalter rotated his squad closely from the group that began the win over Mexico with Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream being the one gamers to stay within the beginning lineup for each video games. Antonee Robinson and Reggie Cannon had been the group’s fullbacks. Sebastian Lletget, Yunus Musah, and Tyler Adams made up the midfield. Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, and Daryl Dike earned the beginning up prime.
Costa Rica got here into this sport after a fourth-place end within the Nations League. That disappointing end, nonetheless, doesn’t replicate how shut issues had been as each losses – to Mexico within the semifinal and to Honduras within the third-place sport – had been on penalties. On this sport, the gamers regarded as in the event that they had been prepared for a break.
The U.S. group dominated from the beginning and took the lead within the eighth minute. Lletget began the play with a well-played ball that break up the midfield line and despatched Robinson down the left aspect. The Fulham left-back hit a low cross to Dike who briefly misplaced the ball – which as an alternative rolled to Aaronson who completed within the prime of the objective.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) June 9, 2021
Within the forty first minute, the U.S. nationwide group put the sport out of attain when Mark McKenzie hit a really good go to spring Dike alone in on objective. The previous Barnsley and present Orlando Metropolis striker calmly despatched low shot previous Leonel Moreira for a 2-0 lead. It was Dike’s first worldwide objective for the USA at any degree.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) June 9, 2021
The USA saved up the strain within the second half and put the sport firmly out of attain after he compelled a Costa Rica turnover, moved into the field and hit a low, left-footed shot previous Moreira within the 52nd minute.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) June 10, 2021
The depth within the sport evaporated following Cannon’s objective however the U.S. added one other when substitute Gio Reyna drew a penalty within the 76th minute and transformed the following kick to complete a 4-0 victory.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) June 10, 2021
The preliminary takeaway is that nobody within the U.S. group’s beginning XI performed poorly. It was a dominant effort the place everybody executed their roles – which helped to make for a cushty sport. The final 40 minutes consisted of simply taking part in out the stretch with out a lot depth – and that was dealt with effectively. General, it was a pleasant finish to a powerful run.
Listed below are my ideas
McKenzie’s begin
Whereas pundits and followers have a tendency to spend so much of time analyzing a supervisor’s ways and squad choice, typically a very powerful jobs managers make are in man administration.
Versus any tactical resolution, a very powerful resolution Berhalter made on this sport was to begin Mark McKenzie. After McKenzie began the final three video games – together with going 120 minutes towards Mexico – it will have been utterly justified to provide McKenzie an evening off and play the newly-called up Walker Zimmerman to complete out the pleasant.
Since Berhalter views McKenzie as a key younger participant with a vibrant future, beginning him on this sport allowed McKenzie to finish camp on a private vibrant spot – and put extra distance between him and the errors within the Mexico sport. He’ll now get to move into his offseason recent off a constructive expertise and he ought to arrive with Genk, and with the USMNT once more within the fall, in a extra assured mindset.
McKenzie solely performed the primary half however he did very effectively. It was an awesome little bit of man administration from Berhalter and it exhibits that he’s effectively conscious of the youth on his roster and the necessity to make selections, when attainable, that construct their confidence.
Aaronson MOTM
Brenden Aaronson was named the official MOTM for the win over Costa Rica and he was constantly concerned in harmful possibilities for the USA – past scoring the opening objective.
Enjoying as a winger, he was sturdy in each single aspect of the sport. He had on incomplete go all sport. He gained an enormous proportion of his duels. He was profitable in all however one in all his six dribbles – an enormous quantity. He drew 4 fouls.
Brenden Aaronson: uncooked # for #USMNT in 4-0 win vs Costa Rica90 mins43 touches2 shots1 goal2 key passes21/22 passing10/14 duels won5/6 profitable dribbles4x fouled2 fouls1/1 tackles- clear MOTM
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 10, 2021
Aaronson displays the very best a part of the U.S. group proper now – depth within the assault. If Pulisic or Reyna can’t go on the wing, Aaronson is able to contribute at a excessive degree. That’s saying one thing given that he’s rather more comfy as No. 10 than as a winger.
Provided that the U.S. might want to rotate squads closely in World Cup qualifying, Aaronson’s high quality exhibits that the U.S. group can nonetheless ship a really sturdy lineup on the market even and not using a few key gamers.
Flawless midfield
Whereas Aaronson may need been the MOTM for this sport, the USA gained the sport due to a flawless efficiency from its midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, and Sebastian Lletget.
Adams returned to the lineup in his regular No. 6 function and it was his first sport beginning in any sport since April. Like every supervisor of Adams is aware of, when he will get a number of touches, his group controls the sport. Tonight, Adams had 82 touches over simply 62 minutes of motion. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. group had a 3-0 by the point he was subbed out. Adams merely didn’t lose the ball and gained his duels.
Tyler Adams: uncooked # for #USMNT in 4-0 win vs Costa Rica62 mins82 touches (!)0 shots0 key passes63/67 passing1/2 lengthy balls7/10 duels won2/2 dribbles2x fouled1/3 tackles1 clearance1 interception
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 10, 2021
Lletget, in the meantime, was recent after taking part in as only a sub towards Mexico. Whereas he performed deeper than he usually does, Lletget was efficient offensively early within the sport. His go opened up the play that led to the primary objective. Halfway by way of the primary half, his looping go into the field practically discovered Dike for a harmful header near the objective.
Lletget didn’t win the duel proportion of Adams and Musah, however his passing was spot on and it was an enormous asset within the possession edge – and it permitting the U.S. group to attend for the best second to choose aside the Costa Rican protection.
90 minutes
80 touches
0 key passes
0 photographs
63/66 passing
6/14 duels gained
3/4 tackles
Musah, in the meantime, got here into this sport with a number of consideration after being the one discipline participant on the U.S. group to not play within the two latest Nations League. On this sport, Musah was a real distinction maker – regardless of not scoring or helping. Two key passes, 5/5 in dribbles, and two photographs. Probably the most eye-opening stat from Musah on this sport, nonetheless, is duels – which he gained a staggering 15 of 17 makes an attempt. That alone helped the U.S. group not simply win keep or win possession, but in addition to take action in harmful offensive areas regularly.
Yunus Musah: uncooked # for #USMNT in 4-0 win vs Costa Rica75 mins68 touches2 shots2 key passes41/47 passing2/2 lengthy balls15/17 duels gained (!!)5/5 dribbles succeeded3x fouled2/4 tackles3/3 aerials gained
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 10, 2021
The underside line is that when your beginning midfield trio completes 167/180 of its passes, you’re most likely going to win comfy.
Costa Rica didn’t come to play
As talked about, Costa Rica got here into this sport on the heels of two losses in Nations League – each on penalties. Whereas the U.S. group wished to deal with the pleasant as an essential check to replicated the cadence of the brand new World Cup qualifying format, it’s not actually assured that Costa Rica wished to take action. For lengthy stretches, they regarded like they wished to be elsewhere.
It’s actually comprehensible. Costa Rica remains to be one of many powerful groups of this area nevertheless it doesn’t have the depth the USA or Mexico has. Whereas they’ll compete, to deal with three video games in per week, they should rotate its squad to some extent the place it should have an enormous drop off in high quality (whereas the U.S. can rotate in gamers of Aaronson, Dike, and Musah, none of whom performed within the win over Mexico) or should play its most important group of gamers to the purpose they’re tremendous fatigued.
The deeper groups are way more poised for fulfillment on this new CONCACAF qualifying format.
Dike’s builds case
Daryl Dike was not a part of the Nations League roster however had a really good sport towards Costa Rica – the place he scored his first worldwide objective. Having simply returned to Orlando Metropolis following a profitable mortgage to Barnsley, Dike will now enter into an attention-grabbing summer time.
On this sport, Dike, 20, regarded like a assured ahead and he constructed his case to maybe be a starter for World Cup qualifying. Jordan Pefok (previously Jordan Siebatcheu), in the meantime regarded to have picked up a knee damage and may very well be set to overlook time. That makes Dike much more essential.
Dike was a menace on this sport for Costa Rica and he regarded each bit the difficult ahead the U.S. group wants. Regardless, each Pefok and Dike each pushed Sargent on this window and have seemingly now compelled Sargent right into a scenario the place he might want to reply with targets.
One other large takeaway is that on this sport, Dike performed significantly better than he did for Barnsley. Barnsley merely wished Dike to make use of his measurement and power to win duels and choose up scrappy targets. For anybody who has watched Dike at Orlando, it’s apparent the Oklahoma native is able to rather more. His passing at Barnsley was lower than 50%. With Orlando, he accomplished over 75% of his passes. He has a much more full skillset than he confirmed simply at Barnsley.
Thankfully for Dike, the U.S. group appears to be like to be using Dike’s full skillset.
On this sport, Dike performed 75 minutes, had 22 touches, accomplished 11/14 of his passes (with one key go), gained 4/7 of his duels, scored a objective, and moved very effectively.
In different phrases, Dike regarded prepared to assist this group and any speak of Pefok being far forward of him is untimely.
Participant Rankings
The beginning lineup
Ethan Horvath – Score: 5.5
Reggie Cannon – Score: 7.5
Mark McKenzie – Score: 7.0
Tim Ream – Score: 6.5
Antonee Robinson – Score: 6.0
Tyler Adams – Score: 7.0
Yunus Musah – Score: 7.5
Sebastian Lletget – Score: 6.5
Tim Weah – Score: 6.0
Brenden Aaronson – Score: 8.5
Daryl Dike – Score: 7.5
The Substitutes
Walker Zimmerman – Score: 6.0
Jackson Yueill – Score: 5.5
Gio Reyna – Score: 6.5
Kellyn Acosta – Score: 5.5
Jordan Pefok – Score: 5.5
Sergino Dest – Score: NR
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25812461/136319801.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1 "Jaguars vs Colts: This week in Jaguars historical past")
