And so the time has come: Gregg Berhalter’s most important match as coach of the US national team. On Monday, the host country of the tournament will take on Uruguay in Kansas City in the final group stage of the Copa America.
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If the USMNT can’t improve on Panama’s group stage final against Bolivia, this extremely talented American squad will fail to qualify in a group that was expected to see them finish at least second and challenge Marcelo Bielsa’s impressive Uruguay for a top spot.
Things didn’t go as planned after the 11th-seeded USMNT lost 2-1 to 43rd-seeded Panama in Atlanta on Thursday, putting them in a tough spot in Group C. Sure, Tim Weah’s ridiculous early red card had a huge impact on the game, but Berhalter’s team still gave away a late goal to lose and now find themselves one defeat away from potential humiliation. Two years after the World Cup on home soil, this was supposed to be the tournament where this talented group broke through and Berhalter showed us what he’s capable of.
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As for Uruguay, well, they have been exceptional in their two games so far, beating Panama 3-1 and crushing Bolivia 5-0. Darwin Nunez is firing, Federico Valverde is the heart and soul of this team in midfield and Bielsa’s high-pressing tactics are blowing opponents away. He creates another masterpiece. The only hope the USMNT really has is for Bielsa to rest some of his key players for the knockout rounds. Even then, a win for the USMNT against Uruguay is a tall order. We’re going to see if this USMNT team is capable of beating an elite team, something they haven’t done under Berhalter since he took charge in 2018. If the USMNT doesn’t win, it could finally spell the end for Berhalter.
How to watch Uruguay vs USMNT, stream link and kickoff time
Kick-off: 9:00 PM ET, Monday (July 1)
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
How to watch on TV, streaming in the US: FS1, Fox sport
Uruguay team news, focus
Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Bentancur and Giorgian de Arrascaeta could all feature in the starting line-up, while Ugarte, Valverde and Nunez could be rested. But whichever team Uruguay fields will be packed with incredible talent and Bielsa will be eager to win the match and go through as group winners as the prospect of meeting Brazil in the quarter-finals looks a little easier than it does now against Colombia. At the moment, Uruguay seems to be the best team in this tournament and, together with Argentina, they are the favorites to win it all.
USMNT team news, focus
It’s clear that someone will come in for Weah and that would likely be Yunus Musah to give the USMNT some additional midfield solidity. That would mean a midfield trio of Adams, McKennie and Musah, with Pulisic and Reyna ahead of them and Balogun up front. Will that happen? Probably not. We could see Musah or McKennie start on the right, with Luca de la Torre or Johnny Cardoso slotting into midfield, while Brenden Aaronson could also start on the right in a straight switch to stop all his shifts. All of which sums up what a nightmare it was to lose Weah to that red card, as the right wing is an area where the USMNT lacks depth. The back four of Robinson, Ream, Richards and Scally should remain. Matt Turner’s injury is a major concern, so Ethan Horvath will step in if Turner is unavailable and the Cardiff City keeper looked shaky against Panama.
Uruguay vs USMNT prediction
The USMNT will do their best to hold their ground and make life difficult for Uruguay, but it will be extremely difficult for the US to match Bielsa’s pace and speed of play. It will be tighter than most expect, but Uruguay will get the job done and the USMNT will have to hope for a favor from Bolivia. Uruguay 2-1 USMNT.
