Majority of the head-to-head showdowns between the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico have been filled with aggressive tackles, altercations, and anger, but Sunday’s latest victory for Gregg Berhalter’s men saw them play conservatively and confidently.
Goals from Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna helped the Americans lift their third-straight CONCACAF Nations League title in a 2-0 “Dos A Cero” win at AT&T Stadium. The result extended the USMNT’s unbeaten run against El Tri to seven matches across all competitions, continuing a recent dominance against their southern neighbors.
It also marked a great Nations League conclusion for the USMNT heading into this summer’s Copa America tournament against CONMEBOL’s finest.
“Today was a final and you could see the guys are super focused all throughout the day,” Berhalter said postmatch. “To me, we knew what type of game it was going to be and that was important. We wanted to maintain calm and play our football and credit to the guys because I think the intensity stayed in a really high level for the whole game and that was really important, especially against Mexico.”
“That was what we were focused on,” Berhalter added about the USMNT’s focus to register a three-peat. “It doesn’t happen too often. I think in North American sports in the last 50 years, pro sports, it’s probably happened six times, so it’s rare. And congratulations to the guys. Congratulations for playing a great final.”
After a lackluster showing against Jamaica in last Thursday’s semifinal round, the USMNT delivered a strong shift all-around on Sunday night. Adams’ second-career international goal was a stunner and one that not many USMNT fans probably expected to decide the outcome between the two sides.
Reyna’s finish proved to be a backbreaker for Mexico and was the latest positive moment for the eventual Player of the Tournament. After struggling to find his rhythm in England with Nottingham Forest, Reyna now has a strong international window under his belt to try and build off of in the final two months of his club schedule.
“I think he [Reyna] had a great performance, 75 minutes, and he hasn’t had that much game time in a while,” Berhalter said. “And for him it was just a mental thing. He was determined to grind through it and power through it and I thought he was doing really well. And you see it got to the point, right where we’re going to take him out, where he actually did cramp up and it was evident that he needed to come out. But I think all tournament long over the last two games, I think he did a great job.”
“Something along the lines that he was proud of me,” Reyna said about Berhalter’s postmatch comments for him. “It was a long night. A lot’s been happening since the game, man. I couldn’t tell you word for word, but it was just something nice.”
Defenders Chris Richards and Tim Ream excelled on the back end, while midfielder Weston McKennie led by example in the heart of the USMNT’s formation. Haji Wright, Christian Pulisic, and Tim Weah didn’t get on the scoresheet, but did their jobs in working tirelessly in the final third and connecting with their teammates throughout the match.
It was a professional performance from the USMNT and one that will certainly be remembered for some time. Berhalter is hoping that his team replicates Sunday’s performance on a consistent basis, knowing that bigger opportunities are coming in 2024 and beyond.
“For me it’s really focusing on that type of performance every game and that’s what it’s going to take to be successful at an event like the World Cup,” Berhalter said. “But I know the guys in the last World Cup, as soon as they got to camp, it was like focus, focus, focus. They were on it. And same thing in this camp as the camp went on…For me it’s about really taking advantage of every single opportunity we have because before we know it, 2026 is going to be here.”
The USMNT will be joined by Uruguay, Bolivia, and Panama in Group C of this summer’s Copa America.
So, I would love to hear what the players thought about the conditions of the sewn together sod-strip grass rug, on top of astro-turf, BS, poor excuse for an actual, well cared for professional football natural grass pitch.
Seemed like Pulisic went down more often from snagging his cleats on seams in the pitch than from a Mexican’s sticking their foot into his shins.
Granted this was a mediocre Mexican side, I have seen previous versions of el Tri move the ball with so much more flair and precision, attacking open space on the counter, winning 50/50 balls, and scrapping like real pros. But I wonder if both the US and Mexico would have played prettier soccer on a real natural grass pitch.
The first half was actually pretty craptastic from both sides. I mean if you compare to the way Colombia played against Spain in their recent friendly. or compared to any of the top 5-6 teams in the world when they are on their game. We really looked dull and almost completely devoid of ideas in the attacking third, or middle third of the pitch. Errant long balls, left and right, brick footed touches coughing up possession after two or three sideways, tentative passes. Nothing to write home about. Really.
Nice wonder strike from Adams in minute 45 rescues an otherwise largely pedestrian and ugly first half.
We took the momentum coming out of the locker room and started looking a bit more fluid in the attack. The Mexican commentators bemoaned the fact that this was a sub-par el Tri side, and as the second half progressed and the second goal came, (Excellent split second, unconscious reaction strike from Gio. Sublime.) – the same Mexican commentators were praising the depth of the US team. Praising how we were bossing the game and sticking it to them. As subs came on, Cardoso at the half, then Blogun, Tillman and Aronson, they were literally drooling over that act that we had so many players playing at high level, in the first divisions of great European leagues. For their money there was no step off in intensity, and talent from our subs. Mexico just can’t match us man-for-man at every position right now, nor off the bench. Now, how we will do with this level of play v. Brazil or Argentina? That is another story. Much more work to be done. We have the pieces for a phenomenal side. Can Berhalter and the rest of our coaches bring it all together in time for Copa America, and then the World Cup? Here’s to building on dreams. I. Believe.
Apparently they hired a company I think for Jerry World but maybe all the turf stadiums to manage the grass. This was the first test, Copa America will be round two, Club World Cup will be next. Then hopefully they have it right for World Cup. The good thing for those is there won’t be two matches on the same night, which can’t be good for wear.
Only saw the last 30 minutes but U23s draw France 2-2. Goals from Yow and Cowell in the last ten minutes. To be fair looked like France turned off a bit after going to 2-0 but still couldn’t keep out the equalizer from Cowell after Yow scored. Not sure what players were still in for France at the end.
Just want to vent a quick word of disgust at both the mexican fans’ behavior, and the lack of willingness of media to talk more about it. After all the silly 3 step approach or whatever, we still have objects thrown from the stands that hit our players and coaches after we score. In a stadium in our own country. Unbelievable. Hats off to our guys for having to put up with that, and still perform the way they did. Congrats USMNT!
Completely concur. Shameful behavior.
Ditto. No place in the game for that kind of behavior, not on or off the field, not in any stadium. Anywhere.
The three step approach is the worst. It does nothing to punish the people who are doing it, but punishes everyone else. Notice it didn’t get any more quiet after the pause, obviously all the people leaving were the Mexico fans who are also tired of it. Maybe I missed it, but it seemed like it wasn’t a loud chant until the 80th minute when it was clear there was no coming back for El Tri. Until Concacaf puts an actual punishment in a major tournament it won’t stop. Honestly there isn’t anyone that doesn’t know they aren’t supposed to do it. The next time it happens the match is forfeit and Mexico will forfeit the rest of the tournament. That’s it. It will stop. It happens in a friendly Mexico will play all friendlies for 12 months behind closed doors home or away. Take away the Feds cash they’ll find a way to get their supporters to stop.
I was thinking that maybe the opposing side gets a goal for every time they have to stop the game. That should shut them up.
Gary-
Or at least a PK. I agree. That’d put a stop to that crap pronto.
jb,
The throwing of cups and bottles has been going on with Mexican fans in games with the US going back 25-30 years. In games at Azteca, the police raise shields to protect US players taking corner kicks. This was put in place after US players discovered the contents of the thrown cups and bottles was beer that had already passed through the human body, and posed a health hazard. It was around that same time the USSF chose not to schedule any ‘friendlies’ with Mexico in LA, where that same boorish behavior occurred. But with CONCAFAF, it’s all about maximum gate revenue, so we just have to come to expect this in games with Mexico in areas with a heavy Mexican population.
Pn: I’ve always wondered how that works. Do they fill it in the restroom and then just set it at their feet hoping they don’t kick it over, smelling it’s aura all match or do they just fill it right there in front of everyone when the moment arises?
For me, one of the most promising aspects of this victory was how we scored–from distance. Too often it seems to me like the US concentrates and working the ball around so well that we can score from a tap in. So often I have seen our forays end without a shot even though we have gotten the ball into a good position. In a number of past games with Mexico they have beat us by hitting some long shot golazo. My philosophy is that it is very hard to score if you don’t shoot. When you do shoot, there is always the possibility of a deflection or rebound that can lead to goals. In short, I have thought for some years that the US should shoot more. If a player has an opening for a shot from the top of the box or inside it, he should shoot unless there is a better shot available for a teammate. So, it was good to see the US scoring twice on long shots for once.
cross-and-hope is low percentage soccer which is an odd way to end tentative possession soccer. to me they need to (a) sometimes just go straight to goal (dest sometimes does this) and then (b) other times do something like what adams did, kind of feint a harmless methodical switch, put them to sleep, then turn upfield and take a whack when they doze.
that and when i watch italian teams like ACM who play our style, they will have guys in the wing slots show back, but sometimes instead of heading to the flag, the runner leaving the ball back curls the run inside and you play him behind the backs.
it needs to be less predictable, less of everyone standing around or playing it around the perimeter. individuals mix up your runs. have different positions making different runs. go to goal sometimes. take a shot top of the D sometimes. mix in some diagonals over the top.
@Quozzel: I was struck again by the thought: how the %$^& has no club grabbed and featured this guy?
he is owned by Dortmund and has been injured a lot. Let time do its work.
The bad: for as good as he was against Jamaica, Haji was terrible last night…and IMHO it wasn’t really his fault. He is not really a true CF – at least not in Gregg’s system. Despite his size he doesn’t hold the ball up well enough, he doesn’t drop-and-combine-and-haul-ass-to-get-back-into-the-attack well enough, and his movement up top is the worst among the five main strikers in our pool. CF’s have to do a lot under Gregg; Haji’s a lot better deployed as a wing forward or second striker who can face the goal. Play him to his strengths and he’s a major plus, play him as a lone CF with his back to goal and he struggles.
The good: diva sh!tbag or not – and his defending, again, was generally poor-to-nonexistent, though it didn’t look like he was being called on to do a ton of it – Gio showed once again he has a skillset nobody else on the roster does and the ball is best placed at his feet. A pessimist would note that except for the goal and a couple of flashes he was pretty much nonexistent in the second half – but again, though, that’s not really the player’s fault, IMHO. It’s hard to be 90-minutes-fit when you’re not getting club minutes.
But watching Gio the last year for us – where he’s routinely one of the best 2-3 players on the field and a game-changer for us – I was struck again by the thought: how the %$^& has no club grabbed and featured this guy? Yes, yes, poor effort defending and tracking back, too much ‘tude, etc, etc…but genuine string-pulling maestro 10’s are also unicorns. If that was Gio with rust all over him and maybe 45-minutes-fit, how good would the guy be if he was actually playing?
Gio needs the right system and the right coach, sure but, really, who doesn’t? It’s like, damn, GM’s: the dude can help somebody, why isn’t he helping you? He. Is. Right. There. Somehow rotting on the bench for Nottingham $#^&ing Forest.
And the really good: Tyler Adams is back, and he didn’t break this time! (Knock on wood, long may it continue.) And at some point in the past year, without playing, he somehow picked up a shot from distance and the ability to make a positive pass…where did that stuff come from? Those were my two main beefs with him, and where I thought he might have a real problem with Johnny Cardoso coming on like he is because Johnny does those things really well. Considering I wasn’t sure we’d ever get Tyler Adams back at all, getting a seemingly New & Improved version of Tyler Adams was particularly eye-raising. Not that I’m complaining.
And the bonus: while it didn’t translate into a goal or an assist, Christian Pulisic was on a different level last night and has looked that way all year with Milan. Go watch the tape: we used to talk about Pulisic’s “potential”…but we aren’t seeing potential anymore. He was menacing all night every time he was on the ball. We’re seeing a finished product entering his prime and maybe even our first truly world-class player. Mexico had no one remotely like him.
I’d like that re-watch to check Gio’s defending, because I didn’t actually think it was that bad watching live. It wasn’t as good positionally as Adams (who is?) or quite the defensive effort of a in-form Musah, but I remember him making runs back, blocking some crosses, etc. I didn’t love him dropping between the CBs to get the ball and crowding Ream, but we don’t know what he was instructed to do exactly either. And I second the wonderment about why he isn’t playing regular club ball. Cmon agent, find him a team that wants him and will start him!
His defending was very good all game and has always been good for the US. Gio being a bad defender and not trying for the US is a myth.
Tele, he does put out in the uniform, yes! but to not recognize the growth in Gio’s game on D is not fair to him. Even Clint Dempsey said as much pregame, basically that we all know Gio’s gifts on O, but that it’s on the other side of the ball where he’s currently experiencing a growth spurt, or something like that; that he’s really liking what he sees from Gio on D.
Give Gio credit for evolving as a player! To not recognize it is a ripoff on his professional arc imho
I’m truly hoping to see Nuno reward this performance with a start. Gio’s defense was that good. Gio has performed like this vs. Mexico before. he needs the chance to put in those kinds of shifts consecutively, to stack them up, my opinion
q, I agree with all you said except re. Gio’s d last night. truly, it was excellent. I just rewatched. he even made a late weak side cover and clearance, superb play he had make in our box. just being in the weak side spot late in his shift to make the play was big or maybe it’s a Mexican goal
Beach, go back and watch the first Nations League final against Mexico and tell me me Gio wasn’t a good defender in that game. That was two years ago. Then go back and watch Nations League semifinals and finals from last year. Do you really think Gregg put him in that deep lying position without knowing he is a good defender? He played the position he played yesterday for the same reason Paul McCartney played bass for the Beatles. Gregg wanted to win so he put Gio in that role instead of Weston and they won.
Tele: No, we think Gregg put him in that deep because he (“Gregg”) is an incompetent coach- and that’s putting it mildly. We were just lucky that Mexico stinks. You need Gio’s creativity and he should never play that deep again. Gregg, knowing that he’s an incompetent, at least knew he had to make this adjustment in the second half.
“Gregg wanted to win so he put Gio in that role instead of Weston and they won.”
Tele,
Gio was there to help cover for Tyler. Once Johnny came in, you’ll notice that Gio got forward a lot more.
Gio is, in a metaphysical sense, a better defender than Weston. Weston’s dynamism was better used elsewhere.
Gio is more likely than Weston to take the ball off of an opposition attacker with minimal disruption to his serenity. And perhaps more important, it is very hard for an opponent to take the ball back from Gio. Once he has the ball it usually then winds up in a good place for the USMNT. There’s a lot of ways to play defense. One of them is to make sure the opponent does not get the ball.
Peter P, who’s “we”? The person I was responding to is a Berhalter fan and doesn’t like Gio so you certainly aren’t speaking for him.
A quick note on Adams’ passing forward. When he was at Leipzig I saw him make some very good passes forward and wondered at the time why he wasn’t used more in that way. I remember one pass he made from midfield that split the defense over about 30 yards and was a beautiful through pass.
Teams figured out to pressure him, that greatly reduced his ability to make those passes. It’s probably why he lost his starting role at RBL. If you give him time and space he’ll hit some passes for sure.
Rewatch the Final re- Gio’s defending.
As for why no other team has “grabbed” him, it should be clear by now that Dortmund have long had a certain valuation on him and are sticking to it. After he got injured, his value dropped but BVB held onto him because, I assume, they felt they could get him back to that valuation eventually.
What is the rush?
He’s barely turned 21 years old. His hot challenger, Malik, is OLDER than him by 6 months.
And yet many of y’all see Malik, Luna, Paxton, etc., etc. as the future and Gio as a has been. ??
BVB are not stupid about young talent, Haaland, Bellingham, Dembele, Pulisic, Sancho, etc., if they know anything it is how to get the money they want out of these kids.
It’s possible that when Gio gets back to Dortmund from his Nottingham vacation he will be sold right away, it’s also possible that there will be a big clear out and Gio will be part of a revamped lineup if Terzic is re-assigned.
Another thing you seem to forget is that these has been a lot of serious talent competing with Gio at BVB and a lot of coaching turmoil. I realize the concept of waiting your turn is a bit alien to most Americans but that’s basically what Gio has had to do at BVB. I have seen no indication that BVB have ever been really interested in getting rid of Gio before his time. And why should they?
Look at him now. Imagine if he has a good Copa America.
Tell me that BVB have taken the wrong approach with their commodity.
With their track record with young talent I’m not going to question their approach. The thing is they operate on a BVB timeline not a USMNT timeline.
You’re impatient and you want him yesterday; BVB can afford to wait a little longer for him to develop. This is professional football. Follow the money.
Agreed Vacaui, Dortmond will sell Reyna once they know they can get maximum payback on their investment. Right now, it seems the NL boosted Reyna’ stock. If he continues to impresses in the Copa, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dortmond gets a few offers to consider over the summer.
and worse GR extended out his deal where they can only push this high price stuff further. it’s a weird thing where he’s obviously surplus but gets the big club price tag which runs off a lot of teams. at which point he needs to be a starter to be worth the money and the risk. which he’s not. and while windows like this do him some good i doubt many teams want to buy him at a high price off them.
“and worse GR extended out his deal where they can only push this high price stuff further. it’s a weird thing where he’s obviously surplus”
obviously surplus? Bullshit. You have yard sales to get rid of your surplus. When Gio wanted out ,teams tried to lowball BVB and get Gio on the cheap and they weren’t having it. And, in fact, BVB would have just kept him and not sent him to Forest if not for Gio agreeing to the extension buying them more time to develop him.
“but gets the big club price tag which runs off a lot of teams.”
I think BVB knows a lot more about how to handle Gio’s career development than you do.
” at which point he needs to be a starter to be worth the money and the risk. which he’s not. and while windows like this do him some good i doubt many teams want to buy him at a high price off them.”
If Terzic can’t get them into the Champions League by the time Gio gets back from his English vacation, Terzic, Reus, Sancho, Mallen and others may be sold off or just gone.
Gio will still be 21, comparatively inexpensive and BVB can build a new team with him as a key piece. This will probably be around 2025-2026.
If Gio has a good World Cup, he’ll be 22-23, and BVB will have another hot shit, shiny object to sell.
Like I keep telling you, BVB manage and develop their players based on a BVB agenda, not a USMNT agenda.