Monday, July 1. This will be one of the biggest gut checks the US men have ever faced. Unless Bolivia can suddenly improve dramatically and get a result against Uruguay or Panama, the US will need to beat Uruguay to advance. Even with a win, advancing wouldn’t be guaranteed.
Failing to reach the quarterfinals in this tournament will be seen as an utter disaster. It’s difficult to imagine Gregg Berhalter keeping his job after that.
But crisis equals opportunity, right? And if this team showed one thing tonight, it’s a battling spirit, punctuated by occasional moments of brilliance.
See you then.
Give Panama a ton of credit. They made full use of the man advantage, holding the ball for most of the game in the US half. This is an experienced team that plays all over the world, and they’re especially adept at playing in the rough-and-tumble world of Concacaf.
(Yes, this is a Conmebol tournament, but it’s two Concacaf teams.)
