ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — When will the United States knock off a top team in a major soccer tournament?
That is the demand that Gregg Berhalter’s team is crying out for and making it a reality in this Copa América, as host, is imperative.
“The time has come to show what we are capable of,” said Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan attacker who carries the banner of the American team’s leading player. “We have learned a lot. We have had good performances in the world championships. People have been able to confirm that this is a team that has quality.”
“And now it’s not just about playing well, but about getting results in the most important games. “That is the next step we must take.”
And that step could take place in the Copa América, where the Americans open on Sunday against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The key also includes Uruguay and Panama. On paper, La Celeste and the host team are heavy favorites to advance to the quarterfinals.
Anything less than surviving the group stage would be a major failure and could jeopardize Berhalter’s continuity.
The duel against Uruguay in the first round represents the opportunity for Pulisic and his teammates to hit the table in the face of the challenge of being a competitive team with a view to the 2026 World Cup, the tournament that will expand to 48 teams and with Mexico and Canada as co-organizers.
THE HORIZON
If they get through the first phase, the United States could later meet Colombia or Brazil, precisely teams with which they played matches in the run-up to the continental tournament.
The first friendly was against Colombia on June 8 and it had an unprecedented fact: each member of the American starting eleven was enrolled in a club in the five main leagues in Europe.
In the end, the outcome was the least expected. Colombia got the better of them in the second half by winning 5-1. It was only the second time since 1990 that they conceded five goals in a game.
The United States wanted to play from the back, but they crashed with the skill and ferocity of the Colombians to regain possession.
Four days later, the Americans washed their image against Brazil by achieving a 1-1 draw that broke a streak of 11 losses against Verdeamerela.
“I think we have taken a step forward. Not a big step, but it has been a small step to be able to stand up to a team of such quality as Brazil’s,” said Berhalter. “We suffered, but the team did not give up. We knew how to put them in trouble.”
THE DUTY
There is no doubt that Berhalter has at his disposal perhaps the most talented and complete squad in the history of the national team.
But the few minutes that Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, but on loan to Nottingham Forest) and Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) had last season due to injuries is something that is worrying. Both are vital to complement Pulisic in the offensive operation. They also accuse the loss of full-back Sergiño Dest, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at the end of the season with the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
Since taking office in 2018, Berhalter has achieved five victories in 19 matches against teams in the top 20 of the FIFA rankings. Four of the wins were against Mexico and the other against Iran in the 2022 World Cup.
There is a chorus of voices that is not satisfied with having taken the measure of Mexico, its classic regional adversary.
We have to beat a top-level team from Europe or South America right now.
Berhalter himself recognized it after the friendly against Brazil. “We couldn’t beat them. We have to be able to beat teams like this.”
LA MARCHITA BOLIVIA
Bolivia has been eliminated in the group stage in the last three editions of the Copa América and has become accustomed to being at the bottom of the World Cup qualifying standings.
It is not the Green that achieved its first qualification for a World Cup — the United States in 1994 — or that came out runner-up at home in the Copa América in 1997.
With Brazilian Antonio Carlos Zago since November last year, Bolivia has four losses and one win in its last friendlies — the victory was a 1-0 against Andorra in March.
In addition, their historic scorer Marcelo Martins Moreno hung up his boots.
Zago was honest days ago about the present: “We have to continue working. We know where we are, where we can go… the players are gradually improving, I hope that one day we can reach the level of Ecuador and Colombia.”
