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The United States does not enter the knockout stage after getting a positive result, but I remain unfazed. We didn’t see the Americans’ baseline lineup in this match, and I view Wednesday night’s Round of 16 positively.
Let’s move on to your questions before the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Help us believe the USMNT has what it takes to win a World Cup after losing to Turkey.
– Happy Sarah (@saruhhhhh)
The Turkey game was what it was. It was an opportunity to rest some key players and give others a run.
I don’t put much into this game. There are a few lessons to be learned; conceding a goal in the last minute is never great. The United States certainly could have been better defensively as a collective unit. Ultimately, it wasn’t our best eleven on the pitch.
The United States didn’t get the expected result against Turkey, but I’m not worried. (Sarah Stier – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
As for the feeling after this match, the confidence of this group will increase if we achieve a victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of these players have played in the knockout stage before, but they haven’t won, so a win would be huge.
Besides, the confidence among the fans will also grow with a victory. We have a path forward that is now clearly defined, and the approach must be to tackle it one game at a time.
However, with every positive result and every 90 minutes that this team comes together, it will increase their confidence, as well as the fans’ belief that we can continue to reach these new milestones and accomplish something special.
Our depth seems weak. Which reserve players can we count on?
– Jason Haskins (@jasonhaskins)
There are a few guys I trust.
The first is striker Ricardo Pepi. I think he had a good performance against Australia and some positive moments against Turkey. I was more impressed with him in the group against Australia as it was with the rest of the starting group.
Next up will be midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who will likely be expected to play some significant minutes in the center of the park. This is a position where we don’t have a lot of depth, so I expect he will have to step in at some point.
In terms of attack on the wing, guys like Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, or Alex Zendejas all got minutes against Türkiye. Someone is going to have to play the key minutes of the knockout stage.
On defense, I look to Auston Trusty. He played well against Turkey and obviously scored his goal well too.
Who made the biggest difference on the USMNT team and why?
– Ramses Gaytan (@ramses_dtxns_30)
The first name that comes to mind is someone who was supposed to speak: Weston McKennie. He played a huge role in this team’s success, making a positive impact in every game. He is also the only player to have started every game so far.
The one who has been everything we hoped for and maybe more is Alex Freeman. Being 21 with what little professional football he has under his belt, getting on that stage and performing in that 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 was constantly dangerous, whether it was scoring goals or being a nuisance creating them. I think his overall skillset really raises our ceiling.
Do you think this team, in its current form, can beat a team like Spain or Portugal?
– Douglas Boulanger (@douglas_baker1)
Why not?
One of the biggest strengths of this group is our level of athleticism. When we are collectively on the same page and work like dogs to pressure teams – both in and out of possession – I think we have a team that can disrupt opposing teams who build from the back and focus on shorter passes.
Does that mean it’s a guarantee it will happen? No, but by the time we get to that match it will be a quarter-final. 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 in that match. This goal was a great conclusion to this match, which was an incredible experience.
When it comes to my favorite celebration, two goals come to mind.
Gio’s goal saw the whole team take to the pitch to celebrate with him, including head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Likewise, Alex Freeman’s goal against Australia was special. The whole team ran after him and chased him.
This team is very united and united. These two celebrations really reflect that.
The United States celebrates Gio Reyna’s goal against Paraguay, with Mauricio Pochettino running onto the pitch to join them. (Sarah Stier – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Who is the GOAT of football?
— @codices
It’s Messi. This is the simplest question.
