Jeff Carlisle, U.S. football correspondent
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — United States men’s national soccer team supervisor Gregg Berhalter stated Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Germany got here all the way down to “some fine moments” and that defensively his aspect’s group “let us down a bit.”
The U.S. beggarly on supremacy within the recreation within the twenty seventh tiny due to a 25-yard marvel hit from Christian Pulisic. However Germany used to be nonetheless very a lot within the recreation, having previous collision the put up via Pascal Gross within the eleventh tiny and next developing a couple of unclouded probabilities for Niclas Füllkrug, simplest to be denied through U.S. keeper Matt Turner.
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The four-time Global Cup winner quickly confirmed its constituent, equalizing via Ilkay Gündogan within the thirty ninth tiny, when he wiped clean up a rebound from Turner’s contact because the keeper tried to restrain Leroy Sané‘s run. The guests later created some judicial separation from the U.S. in the second one part, with Füllkrug and Jamal Musiala scoring in a three-minute span creation within the 58th tiny.
“It’s really these fine moments, these split seconds where you need to be well-positioned, not open up any gaps in your backline, and that’s where it went wrong,” Berhalter stated.
“And in one case, tracking runners going through, keeping the organization of [the back] four and three in front of the four that it’s very difficult to break through. So we lacked that in those moments. But Germany’s a good team, and they’re going to open teams up. They’re going to create [good] scoring opportunities because of the quality that they have on the field.”
The U.S. assault did have some bad moments within the first part, particularly with Tim Weah breaking ailing the suitable wing, life Pulisic had every other function dominated out for offside in addition to a penalty enchantment grew to become ailing.
“The first half, especially, I thought we were really good,” Berhalter added. “And then it came down to some moments. I think the goals were conceded a little bit too easily, but overall happy with the effort of the team, happy with the mindset and the intentions of the team.”
Berhalter added he used to be “overall pleased with that good learning experience to the group, and we know we need to get better if we want to win.”
The fit additionally marked the primary look for attacker Gio Reyna underneath Berhalter because the U.S. supervisor used to be rehired in June and because the pair persevered a society falling out following the 2022 World Cup.
The sinful blood stemmed from Berhalter’s dealing with of Reyna on the match, Reyna’s needful reaction to a discounted position by which he used to be just about despatched house, Berhalter’s position in disclosing the incident and the following disclosure of a decades-old home violence allegation to the U.S. Football Federation through Reyna’s mom, Danielle.
Berhalter used to be rehired through U.S. Football in June following an investigation, however with Reyna struggling an trauma within the ultimate of the Concacaf Countries League towards Canada in June, Saturday’s fit used to be the primary alternative for participant and schoolteacher to renew their skilled courting.
Reyna performed the primary part and used to be substituted at halftime, which used to be the plan given the participant has simplest revealed 26 mins of reputable taking part in past with membership aspect Borussia Dortmund this season.
“We thought 45 [minutes] was a perfect dose for him, and we wanted to give him the opportunity to get the 45 from the beginning,” Berhalter stated. “And I think he played a good game, showed his quality. I think everyone in the first half played well, and so it was good to see and good to have him on the field.”
The American citizens will now attempt to regroup forward of Tuesday’s pleasant towards Ghana in Nashville, Tennessee.
“It’s also about controlling the tempo of the game, and that’s what we really need to learn” Berhalter stated. “And we cost so much energy also with our own counterattacks that then it’s hard to really stay consistent in all of your actions, your defensive shape.”
“And so that’s again, to me, that’s a learning experience. The games against opponents like this can’t be that open. It needs to be tighter.”
