The U.S. workforce didn’t get the end result it needed within the ultimate sport of the Octagon, however it achieved a aim it set for itself 4 years in the past to qualify for the World Cup after an eight-year absences. That black cloud has now been lifted and for that the followers ought to have a good time. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta places it into perspective and in addition talks about what lies forward after qualifying.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
March 30, 2022
8:10 PM
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THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL workforce will return to the FIFA World Cup after formally sealing qualification on Wednesday evening in Costa Rica. Whereas Gregg Berhalter’s workforce misplaced 2-0 to the Ticos, the aim differential proved to be an insurmountable impediment for the hosts. The end result was simply sufficient for the People to qualify and Costa Rica will now face New Zealand in a playoff for one of many event’s ultimate spots.
Gregg Berhalter fielded the very same beginning XI as he did final week towards Mexico at Azteca. For the primary 45 minutes, the efficiency was roughly the identical. The U.S. was snug defensivel,y however the assault was not scientific sufficient. Towards Costa Rica, the U.S. workforce even managed to keep up 60% of the possession within the first half.
The second half proved to be far tougher, nevertheless. The U.S. workforce had a terrific sequence of possibilities within the forty ninth minute however Keylor Navas proved to be as much as the duty with a sequence of saves. Two minutes later, the Ticos would have their revenge when Juan Pablo Varagas would head dwelling a nook to ship Estadio Nacional into eruption.
Within the 59th minute, the Ticos put the sport out of attain with one other aim from a scramble after a set piece. Steffen punched a ball into the field away, however it didn’t get far sufficient away. He was pressured to make one other fast save which he additionally didn’t push out of hazard. The rebound went a cross the field and a low cross went via a slew of American defenders earlier than discovering Anthony Contreras on the again submit for an in depth end.
The U.S. workforce wasn’t capable of mount a comeback however it was capable of settle the sport down and restrict additional harm. It was a disappointing end result for the U.S. workforce however it was greater than sufficient to make sure passage again to the World Cup.
Listed below are some ideas on the sport
U.S. was gassed/ Costa Rica hungry
The U.S. workforce performed a wise first half. They maintained possession, restricted Costa Rica’s possibilities, had strings of passes within the attacking third, however have been nonetheless unable to maneuver forward. Mixed with the sturdy first 5 minutes of the second half, the sport was very harking back to the Azteca sport final week. However, in contrast to Mexico, a hungry Costa Rica workforce was capable of make the U.S. workforce pay.
The U.S. workforce additionally seemed out of fuel. It’s straightforward to neglect that the U.S. workforce opened camp in Houston, performed in Mexico, returned to Orlando to coach and play, after which returned to Costa Rica to play. 4 worldwide journeys and three video games inside per week . This was at all times scheduled to be the toughest qualifying window for the U.S. workforce when it comes to energy of schedule after which additional challenges have been added when a nasty abdomen bug ripped its manner via 30 members (gamers, coaches, employees) of the U.S. touring delegation all through the window. There have been additionally accidents to Weston McKennie, Brenden Aaronson, Sergino Dest, together with solely the latest return of Gio Reyna which restricted his minutes.
It’s to not make excuses both. If something, it was all a optimistic that can make the workforce and its gamers higher over the long term. The workforce discovered powerful exams of regeneration, the necessity for rotation, and the challenges of taking part in on the highway.
On the flip aspect, the U.S. additionally discovered how troublesome it’s to play towards a motivated opponent with momentum. Costa Rica was lengthy regarded as out of the working in qualifying with Panama seeming a lock for the fourth-place playoff spot. However because the 1-0 loss to Canada to start out the November window, Costa Rica rattled off six wins and a draw over its ultimate seven video games to surge into the fourth spot. Simply attending to the fourth spot had followers of the workforce very excited for this sport.
Costa Ricans are nonetheless pumped up… pic.twitter.com/gQMm53cBM8
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) March 31, 2022
Sure, Costa Rica performed plenty of reserves towards the U.S. workforce however because the saying goes: a rising tide lifts all boats. Costa Rica’s improved performances made the whole workforce higher – starters and bench gamers. The bench gamers can even scent a World Cup spot and wish to show their case to earn a spot on the workforce. The U.S. workforce talked about profitable in San Jose, however the workforce was visibly drained and its motivation was to not lose by six targets.
The U.S. workforce might need fielded extra expertise on this sport, however momentum and motivation are simply as necessary in single video games (in contrast to a protracted season the place expertise sometimes wins out over the lengthy haul).
U.S. workforce passes the check
A lot has been written about how younger this workforce is. When followers take a look at rosters, they see gamers hooked up to tremendous large golf equipment like Chelsea, Juventus, RB Leipzig, Lille, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester Metropolis. The expectation is that these gamers may have a better time in CONCACAF.
There may be additionally reality that enterprise a qualifying marketing campaign with a squad this younger is troublesome and presents its personal challenges regardless of the standard of gamers. At large golf equipment, sometimes there are veteran gamers to steadiness out the proficient younger gamers. With the U.S. workforce, these younger gamers are then being requested to do all of the heavy lifting with out a lot of a veteran presence. It’s a totally totally different setting.
However this younger group discovered some powerful classes that can solely assist them sooner or later. Principally importantly it handed the check.
World Cup qualifying is totally go/fail and issues typically don’t correlate to the finals. World Cup historical past is filled with groups that had sturdy tournaments that seemed shaky or susceptible in qualifying. On the flip aspect, there are much more examples of groups that have been dynamite in qualifying however crashed within the finals.
Even amongst CONCACAF groups, Mexico was set for elimination in 2014 qualifying just like the U.S. workforce suffered in 2018. The one distinction is that the U.S. bailed them out with a miracle aim from Graham Zusi. Mexico dealt with the playoff vs. New Zealand nicely after which managed to get seven factors from a World Cup group that included Brazil, Croatia, and Cameroon.
The U.S. workforce’s strongest World Cup was in 2002 and that workforce struggled in qualifying in the direction of the top with three consecutive losses late within the marketing campaign that jeopardized the whole lot. It took a fluke of outcomes on the second to final spherical to qualify. The U.S. certified for the 2006 World Cup with three rounds to spare and failed on the World Cup.
On this go/fail check of qualifying, the U.S. workforce handed. There may be nothing to counsel that both profitable or shedding may have any influence on the upcoming World Cup. If something, coping with adversity, the powerful circumstances of the sport, and the struggles of highway qualifiers will make the gamers higher.
U.S. followers may not wish to have a good time after a loss, however it’s has been a protracted course of in qualifying and the previous 4 years have been a darkish interval for the workforce after 2017. It’s now over, and for that followers ought to have a good time.
Classes discovered
The U.S. must work on issues within the months forward and the teachings from the Costa Rica loss solely made clearer the teachings that have been obvious all all through qualifying.
No. 9 wanted
Rather a lot might be written about this within the months forward however maybe it’s most disappointing that not a single No. 9 candidate has seized the place lately (predating qualifying). Josh Sargent, Ricardo Pepi, Jordan Pefok, Jesus Ferreira, Gyasi Zardes, Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Soto, and Daryl Dike have all been given possibilities by Berhalter to grab the No. 9 place and none have firmly answered the decision. A couple of have performed nicely in brief runs, however none have but to look to be the everlasting reply in a manner Brian McBride or Eric Wynalda have been generations in the past.
This has been an issue for the U.S. workforce for 15 years. Altidore has missed key tournaments with accidents and accidents price Charlie Davies and Aron Johannsson the prime of their careers.
This isn’t to say that Pepi, Sargent, Pefok, Ferreira, Dike, or Ferreira ought to be discounted. All or any of them might get sizzling within the months forward and turn into a harmful menace come November. However the U.S. workforce isn’t any nearer to having a solution with the top of the Octagonal.
Midfield should be extra dynamic
It was an issue for many of qualifying and once more towards Costa Rica, however the U.S. workforce must generate extra alternatives for the variety of passes it completes within the ultimate third. The hyperlink between the midfield and the entrance three must be sharper, particularly with the ultimate ball.
McKennie’s damage damage the workforce towards Costa Rica. He’s sturdy on each the offensive and defensive aspect of set items. He additionally offers plenty of vitality. However the workforce nonetheless wants higher passing within the midfield with extra harmful ultimate balls.
Musah is an knowledgeable dribbler and is snug with the ball, however can he be the inventive hyperlink that’s wanted? He confirmed plenty of expertise however was inconclusive on this in qualifying? Can Brenden Aaronson and Gio Reyna turn into choices within the attacking midfield for the nationwide workforce (the place they play with their golf equipment) or are they wingers?
Berhalter will want extra offensive chew from his midfield forward of the World Cup.
Set items
Other than the 3-0 dwelling win towards Honduras when Kellyn Acosta had an enormous sport together with his dead-ball deliveries, set items have been woefully disappointing throughout qualifying – each offensively and defensively.
Christian Pulisic’s deliveries haven’t been nice. Acosta has been inconsistent as nicely. The deliveries additionally don’t discover both Walker Zimmerman or Miles Robinson practically sufficient.
Defensively, the U.S. was poor with its set items towards Costa Rica and on the finish of the Panama sport.
Reversing that is going to be so crucial for the U.S. workforce on the World Cup. When the workforce has to play high quality groups like France or Poland, possibilities might be fewer and set items may help equalize a expertise deficit (as they did for Costa Rica).
Emotion as a instrument
Lastly, the U.S. workforce should study to each play with emotion and a chip on its shoulder. That was at all times a trademark of the workforce in generations previous. In single video games, emotion may be extra necessary than expertise. On the flip aspect, the U.S. workforce should additionally should discover ways to take care of emotional opponents.
Think about a World Cup draw the place the U.S. might face an excited host in Qatar from Pot 1 of the draw who may have a fired-up dwelling crowd behind it. Or the U.S. might face Iran from Pot 3 in a politically charged sport with Iran solely a stones’ throw from Qatar. Or the U.S. could possibly be drawn with Ukraine from Pot 4 and the Ukrainians may have the world behind them in the event that they win their playoff. A possible rematch with Ghana additionally looms from Pot 4.
In these video games, the U.S. may have each present emotion but in addition have the maturity to take care of adversity.
In World Cup qualifying, the U.S. workforce struggled on the highway. The U.S. workforce may have followers in Qatar and solely drawing the hosts would give the U.S. a real highway sport on the World Cup. The U.S. has discovered to take care of rivals Mexico at unneutral locations like Denver and Las Vegas, however nonetheless should develop up rapidly to take care of the emotion of a few of the potential outcomes of the World Cup draw.
Friday’s draw
In case you wanted a reminder, listed here are the pots for Friday’s World Cup draw
— ANDRES CANTOR (@AndresCantorGOL) March 31, 2022
Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal
Pot 2: Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, USA, Croatia
Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia
Pot 4: Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Scotland vs. Wales/Ukraine, Costa Rica vs. New Zealand, Peru vs. UAE/Australia.
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