USA, Gregg Berhalter focused on one goal: Advancing at Copa América
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Earlier this month, after the U.S. men's national team suffered an embarrassing 5-1 loss to Colombia in its first friendly match before the 2024 Copa América — one of the worst performances of USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter's five-plus year tenure — the Americans responded with one of its best in a pulsating, end-to-end 1-1 tie with mighty Brazil.
The Copa hosts now find themselves in a situation that, on the surface, seems similar. The U.S. is coming off an unexpected and crushing defeat to Panama in its second group game and now needs to rebound in a big way on Monday against powerful Uruguay (9 p.m. ET on FOX) or almost surely be eliminated before the tournament even reaches the knockout stage. The blueprint is in place, right?
"I think they're different situations," Berhalter said Sunday on the eve of his side's Group C finale against the 15-time South American champions.
He's right.
Losing a friendly, even by the most lopsided scoreline in 15 years, is one thing. Failing to advance on home soil from a group that included relative minnows like Los Canaleros and Bolivia would be worse. Much worse. So it's understandable that many U.S. fans, former players and media members have the knives out for Berhalter heading into a match which could end a tournament that has long been viewed as a dry run for the U.S. co-hosted World Cup two summers for now.
Controversially re-hired last summer after leading the USMNT back from its colossal failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, reaching the 2022 event and progressing to the Round of 16, the pressure on Berhalter is on. But talk about what could happen if the Americans can't get the dub and eke into the Copa quarterfinals is also a little premature.
Crazy things happen in tournament play. The Panama match, which was atrociously officiated from the start and went sideways quickly after U.S. forward Tim Weah was issued an uncharacteristic (but entirely warranted) red card less than 20 minutes in, was a textbook example. There's still one more group game to go. The home team's story at USA 2024 hasn't been fully written yet.
"That's not what we're thinking about," U.S. star Christian Pulisic said when asked by FOX Sports if the players — many of whom, including Pulisic, publicly lobbied for Berhalter to be retained for the 2026 cycle — felt a responsibly to win for their coach on Monday at Arrowhead Stadium. "We want to continue in this tournament and that's what's motivating us."
That should be motivation enough. Against an opponent as strong as La Celeste, the Americans will have to play a near-flawless game to earn all three points. Despite winning its first two Copa contests by a combined score of 8-1, Uruguay still has not mathematically secured passage to the business end of the competition.
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"My estimate would be that they play their strongest team," Berhalter said when asked about the possibility that the visitors could rest some of their starters. "Their work is not done, either."
The U.S. certainly has work to do to advance. Because they must win and Uruguay knows it, Berhalter's team must strike a balance between being aggressive in the attack but not allowing a potentially fatal goal on the other end. La Celeste is particularly adept at striking on the counterattack. That won't change even with Uruguayan manager Marcelo Bielsa suspended for Monday's encounter. If they aren't careful, Americans' predicament could play into the visitors' hands.
"Regardless of who's on the sidelines, it's going to be a very similar playing style," Berhalter said. "They win the ball, and immediately they get behind the back line, and that's something we need to be prepared for."
One thing, anyway. There's no question the pressure is on the hosts, even if they've tried their level best to insulate themselves from it over the last few days.
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"There can't be more pressure on the outside than we put on ourselves as a staff and as players," Berhalter said. "The external stuff we can't control. What we control is how we prepare the team to play confident and have a strong performance. And that's really my focus right now, honestly."
"We don't need any additional pressure," Pulisic added. "Any of that outside noise, it doesn't affect me personally. I hope it doesn't affect anyone else. People can say what they want. All we can do is give our best and hope that that's enough to win."
Having that singular focus could help.
"The reality is we still have a lot to play for," Berhalter said. "How do we go out to try to win a soccer game? We know it's a difficult opponent, but that's what we're trying to do.
"It's tournament soccer," he continued. "Our knockout game actually came five days early. And if we don't put a good performance, if we don't win the game, our Copa América is done. There's not much else to say."
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports who has covered the United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
