Berhalter Stands Firm Despite U.S. Team’s Copa America Setback
The U.S. men’s national soccer team experienced a disheartening exit from the Copa America, securing just one victory and finishing third in Group C with three points. This performance sparked intense scrutiny and calls for evaluation within the squad and its management, led by head coach Gregg Berhalter.
Despite the recent disappointment, Berhalter remains steadfast in his belief that he is the right person to navigate the team through its challenges. "Yes," he succinctly affirmed when questioned about his suitability for the role. This confidence comes in the wake of the team’s narrow defeat to Panama, a pivotal match that Panama won 2-1, effectively sealing the U.S. team's fate in the tournament.
Reflecting on the match against Panama, Berhalter expressed his anguish and dissected the critical moments that led to the team’s downfall. "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." He further highlighted a specific area of concern: "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."
An illustrious figure in U.S. soccer, Berhalter is now in his fifth year as head coach. His tenure has seen moments of promise, yet the recent Copa America performance underscored significant areas for improvement. The U.S. Soccer Federation has responded with a commitment to conduct a comprehensive review of the tournament. "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," Berhalter remarked, acknowledging the thin line between success and failure at this level of competition.
The defeat against Panama was compounded by an early setback when Timothy Weah received a red card in the 18th minute, forcing the U.S. team to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Despite this challenge, Berhalter praised his players' efforts. "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 emphasized.
Group C saw Uruguay dominate with a perfect nine points, while Panama’s six points secured their advancement. The U.S., placing third, left much room for analysis and growth. However, Berhalter remains optimistic about the future and the team's potential, drawing attention to the depth and experience within the squad. "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," he said.
Berhalter also pointed to the team’s strengths and underlying statistics as reasons for optimism. "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 noted, defending the progress made under his leadership.
The call for continuous improvement remains a central theme for Berhalter, who rejects the notion that the program is headed towards decline. "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 stated candidly.
As the U.S. Soccer Federation embarks on its promised review, Berhalter’s future hangs in the balance. When asked about his position, he responded, "That's not up to me," leaving the decision to the Federation. What is clear, however, is Berhalter’s unwavering commitment to his role and his belief in the squad’s potential to rise above their latest setback.
With a significant portion of the roster comprising players who competed in the 2022 World Cup, the U.S. team’s capacity for success remains intact. The upcoming review and subsequent decisions will undoubtedly shape the path forward as the team aims to rebuild and enhance its performance on the international stage.