USMNT: Ready for the Gold Cup? Disaster vs. Switzerland and doubts grow

The United States men’s national soccer team suffered a painful defeat against Switzerland, a match that culminated in a 4-0 score and generated boos from the stands of Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The first half was a real ordeal for the Americans, who were outplayed in all areas by their opponent. Coach Mauricio Pochettino, who was already dealing with the absence of several key players, decided to make nine changes to the starting eleven, giving opportunities to young players with little international experience. This decision proved to be fatal. Switzerland took the lead in the score in the 13th minute with a goal by Dan Ndoye, and continued to extend their lead with goals from Michel Aebischer, Breel Embolo and Johan Manzambi. During halftime, Pochettino made five substitutions and modified the tactical scheme to a three-center-back defense to try to stop the bleeding, but the damage was already done.

That was my decision, and it was my fault. The first half, all the criticism should be, or could be for me because I think that was my decision. But at the same time, it was the good intention to give all the players the chance to play and try to compete for a place in the World Cup.

Mauricio Pochettino

This defeat adds to a negative streak for the American team, which has conceded four goals in the first 40 minutes of a match for the first time since 1980. The last time the team lost so many consecutive matches was in 2007. During the match, the defensive deficiencies of the United States were evident. The defense was overwhelmed by Switzerland’s diagonal passes, and basic errors were made such as not marking opposing players and a lack of pressure in midfield.

Although the youth of the starting team was a factor, the lack of competitiveness was the main problem. Players like Nathan Harriel, Max Arfsten, Sebastian Berhalter, and Quinn Sullivan, were outmatched by their rivals.

The only positive note was the performance of the substitutes, led by Diego Luna and Tim Ream, although their performance was not enough to change the course of the match. Ream, after the match, tried to remain calm:

I think we make some individual mistakes, and we get punished for them at this level, and you see that all over the world. And that’s a learning process for a lot of guys who are winning very, very few games, the first games. And again, it’s a learning experience. We have to be calm; we have to keep our heads about us, analyze what happened, especially in the first half, and even things in the second half that we can do better. And if we do that, we’ll be fine.

Tim Ream

With the Gold Cup on the horizon, expectations for the United States have diminished considerably. To avoid an early elimination, Pochettino will have to opt for players with more experience and await the recovery of Tyler Adams, whose presence in midfield could be key to the team’s performance. The American team arrives at the Gold Cup with many doubts about its quality and ability to adapt. The future of the national team in the tournament is uncertain, and the coming weeks will be crucial to determine if this team can reverse the situation.