By Paul Tenorio, Jeff Rueter and Greg O’Keeffe
The U.S. males’s nationwide group begins its 2024 Copa América on Sunday. The match supplies the group with its closing aggressive problem earlier than internet hosting the 2026 World Cup, which comes with automated qualification for the three joint hosts.
Since Gregg Berhalter first took over as USMNT head coach in 2018, he has ushered in a brand new period for this system, giving promising younger gamers their debuts and constructing his group round a youth motion with few veteran holdovers. Though the group has grow to be CONCACAF’s dominant pressure for the previous six years, that success has seldom translated when dealing with opposition past the confederation.
GO DEEPER
Copa America is right here – can it push the sport ahead within the U.S.?
Earlier than dealing with CONCACAF rival Panama and a Uruguay group among the many favorites to win this summer season, the U.S. opens in opposition to Bolivia in a recreation the place three factors are essential for the house group.
The tune-up friendlies have been a combined bag for the U.S: a 5-1 loss to Colombia that left no silver linings and a 1-1 draw in opposition to Brazil that confirmed the group can cling with the world’s greatest.
Right here, The Athletic’s USMNT writers reply essential questions and predict Sunday’s beginning line-up.
When will Tyler Adams begin a aggressive recreation?
Jeff Rueter: I’ve been as excessive on midfielder Johnny Cardoso as anybody and he quickly earned himself a beginning function with Actual Betis with none prior expertise in Europe. That stated, I don’t assume you’ll be able to probably assemble a “Greatest USMNT XI” with out Adams on the base of midfield. The one questions are what number of minutes his legs can deal with at this match after a lot day out with hamstring and again accidents and the way quickly he can begin and play not less than 60 high-intensity minutes.
Finally, america seemed higher with Musah in midfield than Cardoso. With this recreation being a must-win to set the tone for a robust match, I think Berhalter will go together with the extra trusted possibility.
Paul Tenorio: Forward of the Brazil pleasant, Berhalter famous that Adams might play as much as half-hour. Contemplating he’ll have had every week or so of coaching, you’d assume that restrict may have gone up. Nonetheless, I’m not positive it’s well worth the threat of giving Adams a begin and enjoying him 60 minutes in case you don’t need to.
The worth of giving one other begin to Johnny, who was a bit shaky in opposition to Colombia, or Yunus Musah, who performed nicely in opposition to Brazil, feels just like the smarter play. I believe the intention is to get Adams into kind to play with out many limitations by the Uruguay recreation. Thirty minutes on this recreation, possibly an hour in opposition to Panama after which let him free in opposition to Uruguay and into the knockouts.
GO DEEPER
USMNT star Musah’s England years: ‘I’ve little doubt he’d have made the England squad’
Greg O’Keeffe: The query for Berhalter is whether or not Adams must begin to get that essential match recreation time from the primary whistle and construct momentum forward of more durable prospects comparable to closing group opponents Uruguay. The USMNT will undoubtedly want their foremost midfield cog for the conflict with Marcelo Bielsa’s aspect in Kansas Metropolis subsequent month — and they’re going to want him as near 100% match as potential. On steadiness then, it might make sense to retain his function as an alternative choice to the opener in opposition to Bolivia and look to begin him versus Panama.
Rueter’s projection: Yunus Musah, with Adams approaching between the sixtieth and sixty fifth minutes.
O’Keeffe’s projection: Johnny Cardoso.
Tenorio’s projection: Yunus Musah.
Who will Berhalter begin at striker?
Tenorio: Berhalter famous after the Brazil recreation that it was vital for Ricardo Pepi to get a begin after a troublesome season with PSV Eindhoven. He largely got here off the bench at membership degree and was very productive coming off the bench for the U.S., too. Issues simply haven’t clicked but with Folarin Balogun and the U.S., however I believe there’s worth in making an attempt to coax out extra chemistry there whereas Josh Sargent works again into health.
Nevertheless, enjoying Pepi at dwelling in entrance of his family and friends in Dallas is tempting. Ultimately, I believe Berhalter goes with Balogun’s skill to run in behind the strains to begin and brings Pepi off the bench to shut out the sport.
Rueter: In a perfect world, the very fact Sargent made this roster can be proof sufficient that he might begin this recreation. His interaction with Christian Pulisic is probably the most seamless of any striker within the pool and he does quite a lot of the hard-yards stuff that helps the wingers and superior midfielders flourish in auxiliary. Sadly, he hasn’t been in a position to play in latest weeks as a consequence of a lingering foot damage. If we see him in any respect Sunday, it would virtually actually be some late-match minutes.
O’Keeffe: By way of choice and availability for the group’s most up-to-date video games, it’s the spot most tough to foretell. On kind, if prepared, Sargent makes probably the most sense. If Berhalter wished to be daring, he might reward Pepi for his efficiency within the morale-boosting Brazil draw. (‘El Tren’ was first rate on the ball and his measurement all the time makes him a great goal man.)
Balogun, nonetheless, nonetheless appears like the person Berhalter would ideally need to begin, regardless of his patchy membership kind at Monaco final season. The 22-year-old was full of life when changing Pepi in opposition to Brazil and regardless of having fewer caps than his teammate, he has actually performed extra minutes in France than Pepi did with Dutch champions PSV the place he was glorious however performed second fiddle to membership legend Luuk de Jong.
Rueter’s projection: Folarin Balogun.
O’Keeffe’s projection: Folarin Balogun.
Tenorio’s projection: Folarin Balogun.
Projected beginning line-up
Berhalter didn’t rotate a lot between the primary pleasant in opposition to Colombia and the second in opposition to Brazil, so there’s much less suspense across the different 9 spots on the pitch.
Right here’s what we expect Berhalter will do to open the USMNT’s Copa America in opposition to Bolivia on Sunday:
Rueter’s projected line-up: Matt Turner; Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally; Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna; Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah
O’Keeffe’s projected line-up: Matt Turner; Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally; Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna; Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah
Tenorio’s projected line-up: Matt Turner; Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally; Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna; Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah
GO DEEPER
Weston McKennie unique: ‘Everybody doubted me… however take a look at me now’
Who wants prolonged minutes off the bench?
O’Keeffe: Adams for positive. That must be a precedence for Berhalter and maybe extra recreation time for whichever middle again he sees because the second decide after Tim Ream. The 36-year-old Fulham defender might tire within the closing levels of the second half. For that cause, Cameron Carter-Vickers is an possibility and will get some aggressive minutes beneath his belt, notably if the USMNT is comfortably on prime.
Rueter: Carter-Vickers didn’t fairly look as much as it in opposition to Colombia however, in equity, he was getting into a recreation that was already damaged. Ream began each tuneup friendlies however was visibly exhausted across the seventy fifth minute in opposition to Brazil, rocking on his again like a fatigued turtle. Finally, I believe there’s a fruitful partnership to be constructed between Carter-Vickers and Richards and that work must be achieved as quickly as potential forward of 2026. It simply gained’t begin so long as Ream is at a beginning caliber.
Whoever of Adams or Cardoso doesn’t begin wants a great half-hour to acclimate in midfield and any minutes Sargent can log can be invaluable earlier than the match picks up. This may occasionally even be a great recreation to attempt the “Weah at proper again” gambit for not less than some portion. I’d like to see Haji Wright on the left wing for a great stretch whereas Pulisic operates on the suitable as he does so nicely with AC Milan.
Tenorio: It’s a no brainer that Berhalter goes to be constructing Adams up. Whether or not he can go 30 or 60 minutes within the opener, the thought is that Adams is able to go in time for the group finale and, pending outcomes, the knockout stage. It’s going to most likely be a little bit of a slower course of with Sargent, however it’s a must to attempt to get him some minutes contemplating he was the USMNT’s greatest striker in Qatar and was in excellent kind this season within the English Championship with Norwich Metropolis.
(Prime pictures: Getty Pictures)