Berhalter's Confidence Remains Despite U.S. Knockout
The U.S. men's national soccer team finds itself at a crossroads following an underwhelming performance in the recent tournament. Head coach Gregg Berhalter, now in his fifth year at the helm, remains confident he is the right fit to lead the squad despite the setbacks.
The team's journey came to a premature end with a third-place finish in Group C, acquiring just three points from a single win. Uruguay clinched the top spot with a perfect nine points, while Panama secured second place with six points, including a pivotal 2-1 victory over the U.S. that ultimately sealed their fate.
Reflecting on the loss against Panama, Berhalter acknowledged the pain it caused. "Obviously, the loss against Panama really hurt," he admitted. "I think when you talk about being, 80th minute, in a good position to get a draw and get something out of the game, we didn't get it."
The match against Panama was particularly challenging for the U.S. team, exacerbated by Timothy Weah’s red card in the 18th minute. Down a player, the team's defensive strategy faced significant strain. "When you look at that moment specifically, there's some issues there. I think in that game in particular, a low block defending, needed to improve in that moment," Berhalter remarked.
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced a comprehensive review of the entire tournament to identify areas for improvement. "We're going to do a review of the whole tournament and see where we fell short. The margins are so small and there's very little separating any of these teams, and you have to treat every game as the same," emphasized Berhalter.
Berhalter remains upbeat about the effort and determination displayed by his players. "When you see the effort tonight that we put in, it's incredible. The guys did a great job. They worked extremely hard, put in a great effort against a really good team, but that needs to be the standard every time we step onto the field," he said, highlighting the level of commitment expected at this level of competition.
Despite the disappointing exit, Berhalter sees plenty of positives in the team's overall performance. "Defensively, we're a very good team. Most games, we have higher expected goals than the opponent. We create chances, we move the ball well. To me, the whole thing is, you want to keep moving the team forward and I feel like we have," he asserted.
The tournament roster included several players who competed in the 2022 World Cup, demonstrating the squad's depth and experience. Moreover, the presence of three players aged 30 and older provided a blend of youth and veteran leadership.
Berhalter remains adamant that this setback does not spell doom for the U.S. program. "You think about the depth of the squad, the number of players that have played in games, so there's certainly improvement, and we need to keep going. In my opinion, it's not something you say, 'Okay, this program's doomed.' It's not the case at all. It was a poor performance, we didn't get the results we expected, and we need to get better," he noted.
When asked directly if he believes he is the right person for the job, Berhalter's response was unequivocal. "Yes," he stated simply.
Ultimately, the fate of Berhalter's tenure might lie beyond his control. "That's not up to me," he said, acknowledging that the decision will rest with the U.S. Soccer Federation as they conduct their review.
As the team looks to rebound from this setback, the forthcoming review will be crucial in charting a path forward. With Berhalter's confidence unwavering and a roster that remains robust, the U.S. men's national team will aim to learn from this experience and return stronger.