NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two video games into World Cup qualifying, a rebuilt U.S. soccer team is in anguish.
Three starters are wretchedness. Key midfielder Weston McKennie didn’t robe because he violated team COVID protocols.
Unable to spoil down a Canadian team that sat assist with five defenders, the People wasted a 2nd-half lead in a 1-1 draw Sunday night that left them with two aspects after two video games.
Failure to qualify for the 2018 hangs over avid gamers and the American fan base treasure a never-ending storm.
“Now we grasp to truly flip it around. We need to commence worthwhile video games,” acknowledged U.S neatly-known particular person Christian Pulisic, who returned after lacking the 0-0 draw at El Salvador on Thursday whereas regaining fitness following a undeniable COVID-19 check.
Brenden Aaronson scored in the 55th minute off a flowing passing sequence capped by a nasty from Antonee Robinson, but an unmarked Cyle Larin tied it seven minutes later after Canadian neatly-known particular person Alphonso Davies smoked past DeAndre Yedlin down the left flank.
Yedlin had entered in the 44th minute after appropriate assist Sergiño Dest sprained an anke, joining midfielder Gio Reyna (strained appropriate hamstring at El Salvador) and No, 1 goalkeeper Zack Steffen (certain COVID check following assist spasms) on the sidelines.
Coach Gregg Berhalter acknowledged it was too early to snarl whether McKennie would return for Wednesday night’s game at Honduras, one other tough Central American field where the People came away with a draw in qualifying four years ago. Steffen and Reyna obtained’t make the day out,
“We’ve obtained to grasp a prolonged detect in the think and truly assign what our dreams are here,” midfielder Tyler Adams acknowledged. “I assume that coming into the first game we had dreams, we had a milestone goal, performance dreams and if we did these items, we would maybe scream that as success. Coming out of the first two video games, we’re a limited bit bit afflicted now of those dreams that we’ve space, so we need to more or less reorganize our thought process and work out what’s the largest thing.”
Pulisic was dynamic, putting a shot off a put up in the 40th minute of his first match since Chelsea’s opener in opposition to Crystal Palace on Aug. 14. The People had 72% possession, outshot Canada 12-6 and limited to instruct their private praises for it.
Mexico (2-0) leads the North and Central American and Caribbean position with six aspects, followed by Panama (1-0-1) with four. Canada (0-0-2) is third with two aspects, earlier than the U.S. and Honduras on total dreams, with El Salvador farther assist. Costa Rica (0-1-1) has one level and Jamaica (0-2) none.
The top three nations qualify for subsequent yr’s tournament in Qatar, and the fourth-space team advances to a playoff.
“Now we grasp to be resilient. We can we are able to manufacture two issues,” Berhalter acknowledged. “We are able to feel injurious for ourselves or we are able to proceed on with a undeniable perspective and strive to get a undeniable lead to Honduras.”
The U.S. ended a crawl of seven straight World Cup appearances when it lost its first two fits of the final spherical and fell one level in need of reaching the 2018 tournament. The main reason for the failure was the failure of the People to win residence qualifiers in opposition to Mexico and Costa Rica. Before that, the U.S. had no longer lost a residence qualifier since 2001.
With appropriate two days off between video games below the pandemic-altered agenda, Berhalter made six adjustments to his starting lineup.
The 10th-ranked U.S. went forward when Aaronson obtained a throw-in. Jordan Pefok sent the ball to Pulisic andr Adams, who gave it assist to Pefok. He passed to Kellyn Acosta, who sent it wide to Antonee Robinson. He crossed in front, and the 20-yr-feeble Aaronson poked the ball past goalkeeper Milan Borjan for his fourth global goal.
Larin’s 20th global goal, his ninth of this qualifying cycle, came when het obtained a ways flung from Brooks and redirected Davis’ nasty past goalkeeper Matt Turner.
“In the past, we would maybe’ve lost video games treasure this,” Larin acknowledged. “And now you gape we are able to struggle assist and win video games.”
Turner had deflected Larin’s goal-drag shot in the 11th minute.
Miles Robinson came closest to a winner, heading Pulisic’s corner kick over the crossbar in smash time. An overhwelming expert-American crowd of 43,023 at Nissan Stadium booed loudly at the final whistle.
“We need ideas now and then,” Pulisic acknowledged. “We appropriate some contemporary choices. Obviously, it was appropriate satisfactory. … All the pieces was appropriate a touch too slack today.”
No. 59 Canada, seeking its first World Cup since 1986, opened with a 0-0 residence draw in opposition to Honduras. Davies left in the 76th minute with a knock and presumably cramping.
“This three-game window is a killer. Here’s a tough grind,” Canada coach John Herdman acknowledged. “Each and each game is an absolute struggle. So it’s treasure a 14-game battle that we’re going thru. So guys will possible be patched up and fingers crossed Phonzie’s willing to hasten.”
Before the People head to Honduras on Wednesday, Berhalter might maybe also unprejudiced call in reinforcements.
“Each and each game is a final,” he acknowledged. “14 finals, and that’s how we’ve to manner it. So the urgency is constantly going to be there till we’re till we’re mathematically stable with qualifying.”
Notes: Sean Johnson will replace Steffen on the roster in opposition to Honduras. … Mexico obtained 1-0 at Costa Rica on Orbelín Pineda’s penalty kick in first-half stoppage time. … Panama obtained 3-0 at Jamaica on dreams by Andrés Andrade in the 14th, César Blackburn in the 39th and Cecilio Waterman in the 82nd. … El Salvador performed its 2nd 0-0 draw, this time in opposition to Honduras.
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Pulisic returns as US held to 1-1 qualifying draw vs Canada
