Soldier Field (CHICAGO) — There are no more World Cup warm-ups for the U.S. men’s national team. Nothing left to do but blow the whistle next Friday and see how the team stacks up at the 48-team tournament it is co-hosting.
Saturday’s defeat to Germany was the final pre-World Cup preparation match for a USA squad looking to make some history this summer. The Germans took the lead less than two minutes in on an unmarked header from Arsenal star Kai Havertz — a goal that was canceled out later in the first half by Antonee “Jedi” Robinson’s spectacular full volley.
Unfortunately for the World Cup co-hosts, the U.S. wasn’t able to capitalize on a number of good scoring opportunities before veteran Germany forward Leroy Sané put the four-time champions up for good with just over half an hour to play.
Here are my takeaways from Saturday’s defeat.
1. A Terrible Start Gifts Germany The Opener…
Kai Havertz of Germany scored with ease. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
It was a dreadful, almost unforgivable beginning from the hosts. Giving up a completely unmarked goal less than two minutes in against a team like Germany can be fatal, the type of error that loses teams games at the World Cup. Havertz — who a week ago was playing in the UEFA Champions League final with Arsenal — probably never scored an easier goal in his career.
Sure, the USA’s response was good. We’ll get to that. But the fact remains that Mauricio Pochettino’s team needs to clean things up defensively, and quickly. It took an all-world strike by Jedi to cancel out Havertz’s tap-in, but no team can count on an equalizer like that.
Falling behind early puts any team in a terrible position, forcing them to take risks going forward that can leave them vulnerable to a second, possibly insurmountable, two-goal deficit. The U.S. will get scored on this summer. What this team can’t do is give away goals. If that happens when it matters most, it’s almost impossible to see Pochettino’s squad making a deep run this summer.
2. … But USA’s Response Was Encouraging.
USA’s Antonee Robinson provided some Jedi mastery at Soldier Field. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
It’s hard to score a better goal than Jedi’s. Yet from a pure soccer perspective, it wasn’t the best moment of the game for the Americans. As was the case last week against Senegal, the U.S. attack pinned the Germans in their own end of the field for the final 20 or so minutes of the first half and much of the second, too. The team combined with each other, moved the ball quickly, and frequently got behind the German backline.
Had Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Sergiño Dest and Malik Tillman been a bit more accurate with their shots — at the hour mark against Germany, Jedi’s goal was the only one of the seven U.S. tries on frame — the U.S. could’ve added a few more on Saturday. Germany keeper Oliver Baumann didn’t make his second save of the game until the 87th minute, a diving stop on substitute Brenden Aaronson.
That’s a good sign. Sure, those efforts must be more clinical at the main event, when open looks are significantly harder to come by. But for a team that managed just three goals in four games at the last World Cup, it’s a great sign that it is creating scoring chances in the first place.
3. This Was USA’s World Cup Lineup — With One Exception.
Mauricio Pochettino rolled out what is expected to be the USA’s World Cup lineup. (Photo by John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
The thinking all along was that Pochettino would use last weekend’s tune-up against Senegal as a glorified training session as far as personnel were concerned. That’s exactly how it played out, with 10 players subbed out at halftime of that 3-2 victory in Charlotte and 22 players used overall.
Saturday’s match was always going to be a dress rehearsal for the real thing. Sure enough, Pochettino went with what he almost certainly believes is his strongest possible lineup except for injured center back Chris Richards. The hope and expectation is that Richards will be ready to go when the World Cup kicks off on Friday.
Pochettino made it clear he wasn’t going to risk his best defender’s health in a game that, high-profile as it was, didn’t count. If Richards can’t go against Paraguay in Los Angeles, Miles Robinson will get the nod. That’s obvious.
But what Saturday’s lineup decisions tell us is that fullback/winger Tim Weah — who started all four of the USA’s games at the 2022 World Cup and scored the first of their three goals in Qatar — will most likely begin this year’s edition on the bench behind Sergiño Dest. Which makes sense. On a team lacking difference-makers in the attack, Dest’s all-planet ball skills can change games or even win them; as noted, he came close to scoring on multiple occasions on Saturday. Meantime, Weah will likely be the first sub off the bench, or perhaps even start one of the final two group games if Poch opts to rotate.
4. Does This Result Matter? Take A Look At History.
No, and not just because it doesn’t count in the actual World Cup standings. This U.S. side would be thrilled to emulate the 2002 team that shocked Planet Fútbol by reaching the quarterfinals (controversially losing to Germany) in what is still the best World Cup performance by the American men since the inaugural tournament almost a century ago.
What few remember is that the USA also lost its send-off match that year, a 2-0 defeat to a Netherlands team that hadn’t even qualified for that year’s World Cup in Japan and South Korea. That performance was better than the score indicated, though, and the Americans — led by a legend-in-the-making in Landon Donovan — stunned pre-tourney favorite Portugal in its first group game en route to the last eight. Home fans will be hoping a similar scenario repeats itself this summer.
4 ½. Now, Finally, Onto The World Cup!
It’s now been almost eight years since the U.S. and North American neighbors Canada and Mexico were awarded co-hosting rights for the first 48-team World Cup — the biggest ever in history. Pochettino was hired to lead the Stars and Stripes 21 months ago. All of it has been building to this moment.
Whether the U.S. squad is ready doesn’t matter. Friday’s curtain raiser against Paraguay in Los Angeles is now just days away. The ball won’t lie. But after two of the best attacking performances in recent memory, fans have legitimate reason to be optimistic. We’re all about to see if this team can take them on a ride they’ll never forget.
