The U.S. men’s national team’s preparation for the upcoming Copa America begins on Saturday in Landover, Maryland.
Gregg Berhalter’s squad hosts CONMEBOL side Colombia in the first of two June friendlies for both nations. The Americans will square off with the only remaining undefeated team in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying before hosting Brazil on Tuesday in Florida.
Sergino Dest’s long-term absence will provide opportunities to both Joe Scally and Shaq Moore this camp. Josh Sargent will not feature tonight due to a nagging foot injury, continuing his lengthy absence from USMNT action.
Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, and Weston McKennie headline Berhalter’s squad for tonight’s showdown, with all three coming off positive club seasons. Haji Wright and Gio Reyna are back involved after productive March windows during the CONCACAF Nations League schedule.
SBI will be providing coverage of the showdown throughout the day so be sure to stay tuned as we provide updates, and analysis before, during and after the match.
Here is a rundown of SBI’s pre-match coverage:
- The USMNT are ready for a “physical” showdown with Colombia to begin a busy month of action. (LINK)
- Josh Sargent is OUT for the USMNT’s meeting with Colombia, but hasn’t yet been ruled out of the remaining matches this month. (LINK)
- Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman are among several USMNT players seeking a strong June window. (LINK)
- Yunus Musah reflected on a “good” first season in Serie A with AC Milan. (LINK)
- SBI takes a look at Who Should, and Will Start for the USMNT vs. Colombia. (LINK)
- Tyler Adams is “looking fit” ahead of a potential USMNT return tonight. (LINK)
- Matt Turner is committed to his No. 1 job with the USMNT despite having a back up role at Nottingham Forest. (LINK)
- The USMNT are trying to keep both Tyler Adams and Josh Sargent healthy heading into the Copa America. (LINK)
- Alex Zendejas and Lennard Maloney were among the omissions from the USMNT June roster. (LINK)
SBI’s editorial staff will provide insight and analysis throughout the day in the comments section below. You are welcome to share your own pre-game and in-game thoughts and opinions as well.
Enjoy the Match.
Not good enough!!
how many times have we fallen for the bait and played it into the middle channel in our half of the field? it’s literally what the Colombian D is set up to defend and turnover
and boom, another one like that
and again…Pepi no movement to the ball after showing for it, in the middle channel…just can’t do that
That was horrible. Either the team comes together despite Berhalter in the Copa or they don’t. In a way this might wake them up a bit. Or Berhalter gets the Ax. He continues to show in game tactics and adjustments are poor. He plays a base 4-3-3 that has never really looked good, and refuses to change. I could handle some of these losses of it was a tight game, but against elite opposition the US folds.
CCV a nightmare game, thought to sub in a CB at that point of the game. his first touch of the game was almost a turnover leading to a goal, he never recovered
Wheesh. This team is just disjointed period. Berhalter has been with the majority of these players for over 4 years. In no way should they look like a team that can barely interact with each other. So many errors. Colombia just waiting for someone to cough up the ball and then break. Simple tactics goes a long way at the international level. Our players aren’t Spain of ol or Brazil of old. Those two international sides played like a club team be cause the majority played together at the club team level. Tiki taka only works if your players play with each other most of the time at club level. Otherwise keep it simple stupid.
I have defended Berhalter before, but if this team stinks it up in the Copa then USSF has to make change. This won’t do at the WC on home soil.
turner is lucky that’s not a red.
having a crap day. this is one of many reasons why you should have roster competition. too many guys eg scally mckennie ream out there who don’t have to earn it on any regular basis.
next time a defender slide tackles is the first time all day probably. it’s all just a bit soft and they are being owned on what are basically 50/50 longballs.
Scally has been one of the few who has done a good job.
It’s not so much that Scally has played well. It’s more like he hasn’t totally screwed up like most everyone else on defense. Pitiful, totally pitiful.
simple switch of the point of attack…besutiful
finally
goal
Someone explain to me why Reyna is not more connected ted forward withh Balogun? BJ got it right with a 4-2-3-1. Berhalter still wants to play this 4-3-3 with Mackennie as more of the attacking 8. And to be honest it’s disjointed. Scally has held up really well. Robinson while good on a counter is not very good in tight spaces and his passing is a bit non chalant
And Balogun is on an Island again. Interesting he looked better under BJ then he has under Berhalter.
Probably because we’re as predictable as we were against The Netherlands
hey Bac, interestingly so is Colombia, but 2 shots on goal, 2 goals
they’re as predictable as the tides, xmas tree 5 back, Diaz and a partner high, look to counter dangerously with 4 players…something like that
bb: difference is colombia is predictable in a more aggressive mano a mano way. play it long. win a footrace. few defenders back to stop it. it’s predictable but it’s 4 on 4 after they do it, and we can’t win the longballs to stop it.
so it’s predictable but not in an “11 men back watching you try to do the obvious” sort of way.
I see the difference IV
Scouting report on Turner: press hard when he has the ball at his feet, and try to beat him near post. Ugh.
yep
the insecurity leaks to the whole backline
some rough touches and decisions back there today
need to switch the point in the build out, in the counter, etc.
not much confidence in it
We need athletic CB’s to play a more press style.
Yep don’t feel like watching the rest of this game. They look slow and not up for it. Hate to say this but this team needs this lesson.
Ream is taking to long on the ball.
Matt Turner beat at the near post. I mean that was a heck of shot, but cmon.
ream’s man hmmm
left side of D looks slow, we’ll see, but has to be some kind of structural cover for that yes?
right side, sorry
there isn’t “structural cover” for a team playing kickball or hitting throughballs besides try to give the passers less time and then have defenders who can stay with the speed of play.
that and not giving the ball away so cheap like we are. can’t possess it 15 seconds without hitting it to black, and not even really 50/50 balls.
already not pressing nor playing 4 3 3 IV
2 examples
I’m not defending anyone
bb: so if they screw up in some new way they get “cover” for it because it doesn’t fit my usual complaint? sorry yours is an ad hominem posing as analysis.
they are playing 433 offense — the normal way such things are defined — and then doing a sort of sliding meld of 451/442 on defense.
our problem is not formational, it’s colombia is not content to engage in slow builds that suit positional tactics, they are simply whacking the ball downfield and you can either keep up or not. [this defense might look better if they walked it up.]
if they are going to hit passes from the backline all day this is actually not the day to sit back, this would be the rare day you should chase their backs around.
and what i meant by “defenders” is the people playing defense, who simply can’t win a footrace to a lofted pass.
dutch at times did the same thing. whack it long wide on our wingbacks who like to cheat up. plus colombia isn’t even scared of ream either.
also looks like some 4 2 3 1 2/3 pressure, Gio helped by this imo
defending you might want to take another look at the structure my man, tinkering, changing…now going 4 3 3 pressure last 5 minutes of the half trying to out work them with better fitness…gets nothing but a counter for Diaz the other way, lol
IV, I’m not just moaning on and on about the team’s issues that we all already know!!! I am simply reporting what the team is doing, right now, as it happens…including the formational tinkering stuff
that’s it IV…the stuff on O, connecting, ideas in the box and around it, how to beat their mid field trap….of course it’s not formational! we see many similar things in attack, but formational talk is defensive talk, not attacking ‘formations’ man
Come on IV
bb: what we were doing when the goals were happening was playing like 451 and then when the ball shifted to a side that wing pushes up, like a 442. the fact that wing is back with the mids makes it very hard to meaningfully chase, i am just “displaying” up as a threat.
What a continued sad state of USMNT fans. Stadium full of Colombian fans. Really grinds my gears.
Thought about going but it’s a crap stadium and a pain in the arse to get there with terrible traffic, so not worth it for a friendly, and based on the first half, I’d rather be on my couch in the fetal position than losing my s**t at the game.
4-3-3: Balogun, Pulisic, Weah, Reyna, Wes, Johnny, Jedi, Richards, Ream, Scally, Turner
Hand going to forehead. Is there an NWSL game on instead.
haha I hear you. let’s see how it actually plays, or that’s what I’m going do first. pressing on all occasions probably not the best option here; maybe show it early, see what happens (for me, hope to survive it), then adjust to something more suited to this matchup…something like that coming? we’ll see
Fabian Hurzeler now the favorite for Brighton manager. If hired he’d be the 4th US manager in the EPL. Also arguably he’d have the best roster.
Pina colada and fire ball whiskey shots I’m in downtown Savannah ga ready to watch the game! If we beat Colombia and bunker Brazil and tie 0-0 I will be okay with that. I know bunker ball was played out with B Bradley but I just needed that nostalgia for the Brazil game.
Still a few hours until game time, pace yourself Striker. You want to be able to remember the match when we win!
If you can remember everything it couldn’t have been that much fun.
After the first half, I think Striker had it right.
cheers Striker ;->
Thanks beachbum