Japan team stunned the US Men’s National Team during a scrimmage game ahead of the World Cup. The US team planned to be a major force this year in Qatar, and so went into the friendly match with Japan with high hopes and a cheery disposition.
However, 90 minutes of American mistakes and Japanese dominance quickly put that optimistic attitude to rest. The US team looked completely unprepared for what Japan was throwing at them--and this could be a bad sign for the team ahead of stiff competition in Qatar when the real contests begin.
Americans Lose Despite Strong Team
The US team has generated a lot of buzz this year. They’re a dark horse team worth watching going into the World Cup due to their high number of star-caliber players. While the Americans were expecting bigger things out of those superstars, there is a small silver lining: some players, like Christian Pulisic, had to miss the friendly match due to injuries.
The US is hoping that these absences and general jitters are all there is to this embarrassing loss. After all, potential starters like Tim Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, and Chris Richards were all out of the game with various injuries but are all expected to come back by late November for the competition in Qatar.
What the US was Missing
Anyone watching the game could tell in an instant that the team was sorely missing the presence of both Pulisic and Weah, two players who usually act as a vertical threat to keep pressure on the defense. Without their presence on the field, the US was clearly stretched thin and forced to play from behind, scrambling to lock up a defensive posture that just wouldn’t materialize.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner was a standout player in the uneven 2-0 loss, keeping things 1-0 until the final minutes of the game. Even as his team struggled to present a functional defense, Turner kept the ball away and used his excellent spatial awareness to be where he needed to be in an instant. Turner has now likely secured his spot on the starting roster for the World Cup, a position that fans will be pleased to see.
When the US’s injured players come back, it might be a different team. With any luck, the USMNT will take its loss against Japan as a sign that it needs to rethink its approach on the field. Strong teams rise above crushing defeats like this, while lesser teams sink after being beaten so soundly. Which will be the case for the US this year?