Will this be okay for the home World Cup…U.S. Soccer Loses 0-1 to Panama, Lack of Attacks and Unrested in Weapon Performance
Will this be okay for the home World Cup…U.S. Soccer Loses 0-1 to Panama, Lack of Attacks and Unrested in Weapon Performance
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With the co-host U.S. about 450 days before the opening of the 2026 World Cup between North Korea and the U.S., the team is agonizing over its performance below expectations.
The U.S. was in shock after losing 0-1 to Panama in the 2024 North-China Nations League (CNL) semifinals held on the 22nd. The U.S., aiming to win three consecutive tournaments, failed to advance to the final, and preparations for its own World Cup in 2026 were also lit up.
Mauricio Pochettino, who took the helm of the U.S. national team in September last year, drew great attention as he displayed systematic pressure and speedy development in the CNL quarterfinal against Jamaica. "However, in the upcoming match against Panama, we have exposed the chronic problem of 'lack of will to attack' from the beginning," ESPN reported.
The U.S. was ahead in ball possession (811 touches), but the expected score (xG) index was only 0.68. This is the first time in more than 800 touches since 2017. This means that he has had the ball for a long time, but there was no real threat. Pochettino also pointed out the team's "offensive lack of mind," saying, "The first half was really painfully lethargic." In particular, there were only nine touches inside the Panama penalty box during the first 45 minutes.
The absence of fullback from the left and right sides of the national team was even more painful in this match. The right Sergiño Dest (PSV) is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, and the left Anthony Robinson (Fulham) is also absent. Joe Scally (Mönchengladbach) who took over the position had strong defense capability, but contributed less to deploying the offense. Yunus Musa, who played wingback, also had difficulty deploying the wingback side due to his strong tendency to the center.
The strikers also lost much of their decision-making power as their main strikers, Polarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi, were injured. Their return is considered a factor that will strengthen the competitive structure of the offense and increase the weight of the entire team.
For the U.S., the 2025 Gold Cup, which will take place in summer, is practically the last stage of actual matches ahead of the finals. Pochettino is also preparing for warm-up matches with Turkiye and Switzerland before the event. However, the participation of Juventus (Western McKennie, Timothy Weah) and Dortmund (Gio Reyna) could make it difficult for the main players to be selected. Due to the schedule of FIFA A matches, the U.S. will have to rely on only four international competitions and several warm-up matches until 2026. There is absolutely not enough time left.
Pochettino has recently emphasized the possibility of MLS-based players to play in the national team. However, if the actual playing time does not increase, it would end up as just a verbal message. Tanya Tesman of Venice started the game, but critics say that her resources are somewhat overlapping with defensive midfielder Tyler Adams already in the game. Instead, some say that creative Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake) or Reyna would have been more appropriate. There is also a possibility that the goalkeeper's position could change. Matt Turner, who allowed the winning goal on the day, was criticized for selecting a position that was biased toward a close post when he lost a point, and Jack Steffen is emerging as a new candidate for the starting lineup. 카지노사이트
The U.S. team will play against copyright in the third and fourth place match to be held on Sunday. copyright, including Alfonso Davis, Jonathan David and Kyle Larin, is expected to show more determination as their offensive resources return quickly. "The U.S. is facing a lot of anxiety right now," ESPN reported. "If we fail to show clear trends of change even now, even the home World Cup could be an unsettling future."