KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The United States males have their collective backs towards the wall on the Copa América forward of Monday’s decisive group finale towards Uruguay, however USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter and captain Christian Pulisic insisted on Sunday that the strain isn’t any totally different than regular.
“The strain that you just’re referring to has at all times been there,” Berhalter informed reporters at Arrowhead Stadium. “Once more, there cannot be extra strain on the surface than what we placed on ourselves as a workers and as gamers and the way we wish to carry out, and we would like do an incredible job. The exterior stuff is we will not management; all can management — all I can management — is how we put together the group to play assured and have a robust efficiency and that is actually my focus proper now.”
The USMNT doubtless must defeat Uruguay on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals. After Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Panama, the USMNT might even fail to advance with a victory on Monday if Panama beats Bolívia and makes up the aim distinction on the People.
Panama scored late to defeat a 10-man U.S. group within the second spherical of group play after ahead Timothy Weah was despatched off 18 minutes into the match for jabbing an opponent behind the top on a play video assessment caught away from the ball. Weah was given a two-match ban for the offense.
The People scored first, however rapidly conceded an equalizer, then sat in a 5-3-1 defensive shell earlier than conceding a late winner.
The U.S. nonetheless sits second in Group C heading into the ultimate matchday, however the loss and the expectation that Panama will defeat a Bolivia group that hasn’t received away from house in almost a decade implies that the People might fail to get out of the group on house soil of their solely main event earlier than the 2026 World Cup.
Pulisic stated after the loss to Panama that the People would wish “play the sport of our lives” towards Uruguay to win. On Sunday, he walked again that phrase, saying he was emotional within the moments after defeat. Sitting subsequent to Berhalter as he spoke to reporters at Arrowhead Stadium, Pulisic echoed his coach’s phrases about setting excessive inside expectations whereas filtering out the surface strain, which incorporates mounting criticism of his coach.
“I feel we’ve to play a extremely robust recreation,” Pulisic stated. “I do know we’ve a ok group that if we try this, placed on a extremely good efficiency.
“Which means popping out with depth from the beginning, not letting feelings get the perfect of us although sticking to our recreation plan and trusting that we’ve a ok group and that ultimately over the 90 minutes we will seize a aim and go forward and win the sport. So, I feel we simply want a extremely robust efficiency. The most effective recreation of our lives could be nice, however that does not occur usually.”
U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner‘s standing stays unclear after leaving Thursday’s recreation at half-time attributable to a leg damage. Turner participated in gentle coaching on Saturday and Sunday, however Berhalter stated his workers will “proceed to observe” its No’ 1’s standing.
Weah leaves the USMNT with a gap to fill on the wing as nicely, which can pressure them to search out totally different options up prime.
“Timmy offers us a verticality, offers us assists,” Berhalter stated. “He is harmful in entrance of aim and defensively, he does a extremely good job so it is troublesome to interchange. However for us, we’ve a recreation plan that we go and execute, and we’ll put the gamers on the sector that we expect can try this.”
Uruguay is not going to have head coach Marcelo Bielsa on the sideline for the match on Monday. CONMEBOL introduced on Sunday that Bielsa was suspended as a result of Uruguay was late to enter the sector for the beginning of the second half towards Bolivia on Thursday.
Berhalter doesn’t imagine that Bielsa’s bodily absence from the sidelines will change how Uruguay approaches the sport. The U.S. coach additionally expects Uruguay to begin a full-strength squad regardless that a draw would see La Celeste clinch prime spot within the group and a spot within the knockout spherical.
“They do a pair issues, simply actually, actually excessive stage,” Berhalter stated of Uruguay. “The depth that they play with, the velocity, how they keep the depth all through the sport is totally different ranges. The bodily knowledge, it is above and past different groups on this event. After which the second factor is counterattacking, transitioning. They win the ball and instantly start behind the again line, and that is one thing we should be ready for.”
Failing to get out of the group could be a significant disappointment, however Pulisic stated: “I’d simply say our focus as a collective is to exit and win the sport as a result of that is our group aim. That is not what we’re interested by. So, for us, we’re all right here, we’re all hungry, we wish to win, and we wish to proceed on this event and that is what’s motivating us to go tomorrow.”