KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The USA 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 stress is not any completely different than ordinary.
“The stress that you simply’re referring to has all the time been there,” Berhalter informed reporters at Arrowhead Stadium. “Once more, there cannot be extra stress on the skin than what we placed on ourselves as a employees and as gamers and the way we wish to carry out, and we would like do an ideal job. The exterior stuff is we will not management; all can management — all I can management — is how we put together the staff to play assured and have a robust efficiency and that is actually my focus proper now.”
The USMNT probably 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.
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Panama scored late to defeat a 10-man U.S. staff within the second spherical of group play after ahead Timothy Weah was despatched off 18 minutes into the match for jabbing an opponent at the back of the pinnacle 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 staff that hasn’t received away from dwelling in almost a decade signifies that the People might fail to get out of the group on dwelling soil of their solely main match earlier than the 2026 World Cup.
Pulisic stated after the loss to Panama that the People would want “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 skin stress, which incorporates mounting criticism of his coach.
“I feel we now have to play a extremely sturdy recreation,” Pulisic stated. “I do know we now have a adequate staff that if we try this, placed on a extremely good efficiency.
“Meaning popping out with depth from the beginning, not letting feelings get the very best of us although sticking to our recreation plan and trusting that we now have a adequate staff 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 sturdy efficiency. The most effective recreation of our lives can 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 on account of a leg damage. Turner participated in gentle coaching on Saturday and Sunday, however Berhalter stated his employees will “proceed to watch” its No’ 1’s standing.
Weah leaves the USMNT with a gap to fill on the wing as properly, which is able to drive them to search out completely different options up high.
“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 exchange. However for us, we now have a recreation plan that we go and execute, and we’ll put the gamers on the sphere 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 sphere 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 although a draw would see La Celeste clinch high spot within the group and a spot within the knockout spherical.
“They do a pair issues, simply actually, actually excessive degree,” Berhalter stated of Uruguay. “The depth that they play with, the velocity, how they preserve the depth all through the sport is completely different ranges. The bodily information, it is above and past different groups on this match. 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 have to be ready for.”
Failing to get out of the group can be a significant disappointment, however Pulisic stated: “I might simply say our focus as a collective is to exit and win the sport as a result of that is our staff aim. That is not what we’re occupied with. So, for us, we’re all right here, we’re all hungry, we wish to win, and we wish to proceed on this match and that is what’s motivating us to go tomorrow.”