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The United States does not reach the knockout stage with a positive result, but I am not fazed. We didn’t see the Americans’ preferred lineup in that game, and I look positively on Wednesday night’s round of 32 matchup.
Let’s get to the questions ahead of the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Help us believe that the USMNT has what it takes to win a World Cup when they lost to Türkiye.
– Happy Sarah (@saruhhhhh)
The match against Türkiye was what it was. It was an opportunity to rest some key players and give some career to others.
I’m not putting much into this game. There are some lessons to be learned; Conceding a goal in the last minute is never good. The United States definitely could have been better defensively as a collective unit. However, in the end that was not our best XI on the field.
The United States didn’t get the desired result against Türkiye, but I’m not worried. (Sarah Stier – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
In terms of how we feel at the end of that game, the confidence of this group will increase if we get a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of these players have played in the knockout stage before, but haven’t won, so a win would be huge.
Furthermore, confidence among fans will also increase with a victory. We have a way forward that is now clearly defined and the focus must be on taking it game by game.
However, with every positive result and every 90 minutes this team comes together, their confidence will increase, as will the fans’ belief that we can continue to reach these new milestones and achieve something special.
Our depth seems weak. Which reserve players can we count on?
—Jason Haskins (@jasonhaskins)
There are some guys I trust.
First is the forward Ricardo Pepi. I think he had a good performance against Australia and some positive moments against Türkiye. However, I was most impressed in the group against Australia, because that was with the rest of the starting group.
Next up is midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who will likely be called upon to play some significant minutes in the center of the park. That’s a position where we don’t have that much depth, so I expect he’ll have to step up at some point.
Regarding the wing attack, players like Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson and Alex Zendejas had minutes against Türkiye. Someone is going to have to play key minutes in the round of 16.
In defense, I look at Austin Trusty. He did well against Türkiye and obviously scored his goal well too.
Who has made the biggest difference on the USMNT team and why?
— Ramsés Gaytán (@ramses_dtxns_30)
The first name that comes to mind is someone who was expected to step forward: Weston McKennie. He has been a big part of this team’s success, making a positive impact in every game. He is also the only player to have started every game so far.
One who has been everything we hoped for and perhaps more is Alex Freeman. Being 21 years old and with what little professional football he has under his belt, to step onto this stage and perform in this way has been incredibly encouraging, and long may it continue.
The final name is Folarin Balogun. The concern and question mark at the last World Cup was who our number 9 was. Flo has proven to be constantly dangerous, whether scoring goals or being a nuisance in creating them. I think his overall skill set really raises our ceiling.
Do you think this squad in its current form can beat a team like Spain or Portugal?
—Douglas baker (@douglas_baker1)
Why not?
One of the biggest strengths of this group is how athletic we are. When we are collectively on the same page and working like dogs to put pressure on teams, both in and out of possession, I believe we have a team that can disrupt opposing teams that build from the back and focus on shorter passes.
Does that mean it’s a guarantee that it will happen? No, but when we get to that game, it will be a quarterfinal. That means we would have won two knockout matches to get there.
Favorite US goal so far? Favorite celebration?
— @imatt13
The best goal we scored was Balogun’s second against Paraguay, but it was Gio’s last goal in that game. That goal was a good ending to that match, which was an incredible experience.
As for my favorite celebration, two goals come to mind.
Gio’s goal brought the entire team out onto the field to celebrate with him, including coach Mauricio Pochettino. Similarly, Alex Freeman’s goal against Australia was special. The entire team ran after him and chased him.
This team is very close-knit and very close-knit. Those two celebrations really reflected that.
The United States celebrates Gio Reyna’s goal against Paraguay, with Mauricio Pochettino running onto the field to join in. (Sarah Stier – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Who is the GOAT of football?
— @codices
It’s Messi. That’s the easiest of the questions.
