How USA plans to move forward without Tim Weah and — potentially — Matt Turner
ATLANTA — If the U.S. men's national team is going to advance to the knockout stage of Copa América, it will have to do so without Tim Weah.
In the 18th minute of the USMNT's second group stage match against Panama on Thursday — which ended in a shocking 2-1 loss for the Americans — Weah was issued a yellow card when he swung his arm at defender Roderick Miller. The color of the card was quickly changed to red upon VAR review, leaving the U.S. to play the remaining 72 minutes of the match with 10 men against a remarkably physical opponent.
Weah's actions served as a monumental turning point in the game, and ultimately had a direct result in the outcome. The USMNT were prepared to face Panama's physicality, but as Tim Ream said afterward, "when you have to match that a man down, it becomes more difficult. You're now working for an extra man, and everybody has to take on that responsibility."
Weah, a popular player among this group, took full responsibility for his actions and apologized to the team in the locker room and issued an apology to fans on social media.
"Timmy knows the mistake he made," captain Christian Pulisic said. "That's it. He's gonna learn from it. Yeah, it sucks, it's not the way you want to put your team in that position. It sucks. It hurts. It's just, at minimum it's a lapse of judgment. It's one simple second, you know?"
Weah has been a regular starter at right wing for Gregg Berhalter since at least the 2022 World Cup qualifying cycle. The USMNT has depth at the position, but replacing him against Uruguay — who crushed Bolivia 5-0 on Thursday and sits comfortably atop Group C — will not be easy. The USMNT's third and final match against La Celeste is on Monday night in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium (9 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
"It's a big loss," Ream said. "Obviously he starts the majority of games for us at that position and the dynamic that he brings to the team and the aggressiveness and the explosiveness and being able to take guys on 1-v-1 and get to the line and get shots in, crosses in, come inside and combine is something that is gonna be sorely missed.
"But we've always had that next man up mentality. And I know it's cliche, and people are going to roll their eyes, I'm sure. But that's where we are. That's why this group is so tight. We back each other and you know, the next guy comes in and he gets all the support he possibly can need to be confident and ready to go. So that's what we'll do."
[Related: Who should start for Tim Weah in USA's crucial Copa América match vs. Uruguay?]
After Weah was ejected, Berhalter was forced to adjust his tactics and went with a 4-4-1 formation moving Folarin Balogun — who scored the Americans' lone goal in the 22nd minute — up top. Gio Reyna, who played right wing his first couple of years on the senior national team before moving more centrally, slotted into Weah's place and could be an option to start there against Uruguay.
"I'm willing to play wherever, whether it's on the right side or on the left side or again, more of an attacking mid role or even a bit deeper," Reyna said.
If not Reyna, Berhalter said "we'll figure it out" and the team has other options as well in Haji Wright or Brenden Aaronson.
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Unfortunately for the U.S., Weah might not be the only player missing the next match. In the 12th minute, goalkeeper Matt Turner was hurt in a violent collision with Panama's Cesar Blackman while jumping to make a save. Tuner landed hard on the turf and was down for several moments before team trainers ran out to evaluate him. Initially it appeared like he fell awkwardly on his shoulder, but Turner actually injured his left knee. He elected to finish out the first half, but was replaced in the second by backup Ethan Horvath.
Turner was limping after the match, but told reporters, "I'm gonna be alright."
If Turner is not cleared to play Monday, Horvath will step in. Thursday's match was only Horvath's 10th cap, and first since a 4-0 friendly win against Oman last September. But he's come up in big moments for the USMNT before, like when he saved a decisive penalty kick in stoppage time of the Concacaf Nations League final against Mexico in 2021 to preserve a U.S. win. Horvath, who has been starting regularly for Cardiff City since signing with the club earlier this year, made several critical saves against Panama, though there was nothing he could do about Jose Fajardo's winning strike from close range in the 86th minute.
"Because he's a good goalkeeper," Pulisic said, explaining why the team is confident in Horvath. "He's come in and done amazing things for us in the past, made good saves today. Next man up. He's ready."
Horvath, along with the rest of the USMNT, will have to be if this team is going to get out of the group and keep its Copa America dreams alive.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
