LANDOVER, Md. — America males’s nationwide group’s Copa America preparation acquired underway with a 5-1 loss to Colombia on Saturday in what is the worst defeat for the group below Gregg Berhalter. After quickfire targets from John Arias and Rafael Santos Borre, the USMNT have been capable of get a aim again following a great move from Folarin Balogun to Tim Weah, but it surely wasn’t the beginning of a comeback as Colombia netted an insurance coverage aim within the 77th minute by way of Richard Rios. When issues have been already out of attain, Jorge Carrascal scored a fourth shortly adopted by Luis Sinisterra with a fifth for Colombia for good measure. Because the USMNT confronted their hardest opposition this calendar 12 months in Twelfth-ranked Colombia, it was a match that also confirmed that there’s a lot of labor to do.
This was nonetheless a pleasant the place Berhalter is trying to find out about his group, which is proven by Christian Pulisic being withdrawn on the half for Haji Wright to handle his minutes together with Tim Ream and Weston McKennie each being withdrawn earlier than the tip of the match. However with Copa America kicking off on June 21 with a match in opposition to Bolivia, enchancment is required and shortly. There can be one other pleasant on Wednesday, however that can be in opposition to a good more durable group in Brazil because the People search for momentum.
The way it occurred
It could not have gotten off to a worse begin for the USMNT as an Antonee Robinson clearance fell proper to the toes of Arias who lashed a shot proper at Matt Turner that was unsavable to open the scoring solely six minutes into the match. That was dangerous sufficient however solely 13 minutes later, after dropping the ball on the primary part of a nook kick, a bicycle kick from Santos Borre discovered the again of the web. They’re two targets that in isolation aren’t too dangerous however when mixed in the identical half, they actually put the USMNT behind the ball.
Granted, Balogun was unfortunate to not discover the again of the web himself and the USMNT assault discovered good pockets as Gio Reyna discovered methods out of tight areas however heading into Copa America, simply being good is not going to topple a group like Colombia. These are video games when the USMNT must unlock a brand new gear but it surely’s one which they have not proven that they’ve thus far whereas enjoying below Berhalter.
This is the reason they’re enjoying video games like this one in opposition to prime groups on the planet however thus far it hasn’t instructed us a lot that we do not already know. Colombia know their id and that they’ll lean on the counter assault, however with so many rotations, the USMNT protection regarded disjointed. Changing Sergino Dest is a course of however the lack of stability within the USMNT buildup is among the issues misplaced with out his capacity on the ball.
Within the second half, issues did not get a lot better with Colombia having a number of possibilities to push for targets by choosing off USMNT defenders. Robinson hardly ever appeared comfy coping with overloads on the left and whereas the USMNT assault created possibilities, they did not do sufficient to bother Colombia from counter attacking once they acquired possibilities to get ahead. Throughout, whereas some issues will be pinned on the dearth of Dest within the build-up, the tentativeness in play so near a significant match can solely come as a priority.
Copa America is when the USMNT will study loads about themselves be it good or dangerous forward of 2026, however not cleansing up the errors made Saturday in Landover will result in a swift exit from the match.