KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Gregg Berhalter stated he believed he was nonetheless the proper man to steer the United States males’s nationwide staff, regardless of crashing out of the 2024 Copa América within the group stage on Monday with a 1-0 loss to Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium.
The loss, mixed with Panama’s 3-1 victory over Bolívia in a simultaneous match in Orlando, left the People in third place within the group. Uruguay superior as group winners and Panama, which defeated the 10-man USMNT on Thursday, moved onto the quarterfinals because the second qualifier out of Group C.
Requested in his postgame information convention whether or not he was nonetheless the proper individual to steer the USMNT into the 2026 World Cup, Berhalter responded with a easy “sure.”
Nonetheless, he stated there could be a assessment into what went improper for the U.S. through the event and admitted the performances had not been adequate.
“Simply to see the fellows’ faces within the locker room and to see the emotion of the workers and gamers, we’re bitterly dissatisfied with the outcomes,” he stated. “We all know we’re able to extra and on this event this we did not present it, it is actually so simple as that.
“You have a look at the stage that was set with the followers on this event, with the excessive degree of competitors on this event and we must always have accomplished higher. We’ll do a assessment and determine what went improper and why it went improper nevertheless it’s an empty feeling proper now for positive.”
Uruguay scored the game-winner within the 66th minute on a controversial purpose from Mathías Olivera. Ronald Araújo headed on a free kick that was saved by Matt Turner, who began towards Uruguay after leaving Thursday’s match with a leg harm.
Olivera was the primary participant to the rebound and seemed to be in an offside place on the time of Araujo’s header, however after a protracted delay, referee Kevin Paolo Ortega pointed to the center of the sector to uphold the purpose, a lot to the chagrin of USMNT gamers and a big portion of the group.
Bolivia had equalized towards Panama moments prior, which briefly put america again into second place within the group within the stay standings. Berhalter acquired phrase of the Bolivia equalizer on the U.S. bench moments earlier than Uruguay’s purpose, and he seemed to be making an attempt to relay a message to captain Christian Pulisic proper earlier than Uruguay’s free kick.
The USMNT had not beforehand been eradicated from the group stage of a World Cup, Copa América or Gold Cup that it hosted. America is now 2-4-3 (W-D-L) towards Uruguay.
Berhalter was rehired in June 2023 and given a contract by means of the upcoming World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. However regardless of a lineup that included Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, the U.S. did not even match its final Copa América look, when it misplaced to Argentina within the 2016 semifinals.
Throughout the second half Monday night time, the house crowd started chanting, “Hearth Gregg.”
The U.S. subsequent performs September friendlies towards Canada and New Zealand.
Yunus Musah began instead of the suspended Tim Weah for america, which shifted Gio Reyna right into a winger function. Weah was despatched off early within the USMNT’s loss to Panama on Thursday for violent conduct off the ball. He was suspended a further recreation by Conmebol for his actions.
Uruguay was with out head coach Marcelo Bielsa on the sidelines on account of a suspension imposed for his staff’s late re-entry to the pitch within the second half of Thursday’s victory over Bolivia. Nonetheless, Uruguay rolled out an unchanged beginning lineup towards america.
Monday’s recreation in Kansas Metropolis acquired off to a chippy begin. A frenetic first half was interrupted by 14 complete fouls and two accidents that required substitutions.
Uruguay winger Maximiliano Araújo left the match on a stretcher within the twenty seventh minute after heavy fall following a collision on Uruguay’s attacking nook kick. He was changed by Cristian Olivera.
Fourteen minutes later, USMNT ahead Folarin Balogun left the sport on account of an harm after a collision with Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.
Panama led Bolivia 1-0 at halftime behind a purpose from José Fajardo.
Berhalter introduced on attacking choices Josh Sargent and Malik Tillman late because the U.S. chased an equalizer, however the People completed with solely three photographs on purpose and weren’t fast sufficient to get the ball off their toes contained in the 18. Panama’s victory additionally meant the USMNT wanted to attain twice and beat Uruguay to advance.
Info from The Related Press contributed to this report.