The United States males’s nationwide workforce had a tough night time in Guadalajara on Tuesday, totally crushed by rivals Mexico 2-0.
Mauricio Pochettino’s second match in command of the Stars and Stripes went a lot, a lot completely different than the 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday, because the U.S. struggled in virtually all phases of play.
The absences of Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, who departed for his or her golf equipment previous to the match, loomed giant. Toss within the injured Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reyna and Chris Richards, and Pochettino was lacking a variety of expertise and expertise for this rivalry match.
Nonetheless, it was a disappointing exhibiting for the Individuals, who didn’t register a shot till the second half and solely three complete within the contest. There have been few brilliant spots for the U.S. on this match and doubtlessly an necessary studying expertise for each Pochettino and this youthful, much less skilled group of gamers.
Now, they’re tasked with regrouping earlier than the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals subsequent month with the dangerous style of a complete loss to their rivals of their mouths. — Ryan Rosenblatt
U.S. participant rankings
Participant rankings (1-10; 10: greatest. Gamers launched after 70 minutes obtain no ranking)
GK Matt Turner, 5 — Turner received a hand on Raúl Jiménez‘s free kick, however it was just too good of a shot for the goalkeeper to maintain out. He was left in a equally dangerous place on Mexico’s second purpose. In any other case, Turner spent a lot of the match getting in place for El Tri photographs that missed the body.
DF Joe Scally, 4 — Scally had the second-most touches of any participant on the pitch and wasn’t an issue with the ball, particularly in his personal third, however hardly harmful. He is proven himself to be a threatening participant getting ahead on the membership stage, however it continues to flee him for the nationwide workforce.
DF Tim Ream, 3 — The 37-year-old belied his age with a improbable restoration run and deal with to win the ball. Sadly, Ream adopted that up by having the ball taken off his foot within the U.S. field to arrange Mexico’s second purpose in what was a tricky night time for the veteran.
DF Miles Robinson, 4 — The pre-game harm to Mark McKenzie pressured Robinson into an surprising begin and it wasn’t his greatest exhibiting. He was crushed a pair instances one-on-one, was too fast to play the ball lengthy, and was unable to scrub up Ream’s mistake on the second purpose, however he did make a pair good interceptions to chop out would-be probabilities for Mexico.
DF Antonee Robinson, 6 — Pochettino calls for a variety of his full-backs and Robinson took on a ton of accountability within the 45 minutes he performed, functionally manning the left flank by himself because the winger in entrance of him drifted inside. He had the legs to do the job, urgent nicely on a pair events, however he wasn’t given many choices on the ball and his passing may have been higher.
MF Aidan Morris, 2 — No participant had as many issues as Morris, who struggled to get on the ball, then to play the ball ahead in any respect when he did get on it. He wasn’t significantly better defensively, as he constantly discovered himself on the unsuitable facet of Mexico gamers. The midfielder wasn’t the only motive the U.S. was dominated within the heart of the pitch, however he definitely performed a giant position in it.
MF Gianluca Busio, 4 — Busio had some brilliant moments when he pushed ahead. He made good runs, saved the ball shifting and received a great deal with within the press, however he was far much less impactful when taking part in from deeper as he struggled to make himself obtainable within the construct up and play the ball ahead with any tempo.
MF Yunus Musah, 3 — Musah was given an attacking position within the midfield and allowed to wander into no matter pockets he may discover. Sadly, the ball very hardly ever discovered him and he was unable to seek out his approach again to the ball to become involved. This was a great alternative for Musah to essentially take a starring position within the U.S. midfield, however that by no means occurred.
FW Malik Tillman, 3 — Tillman did his greatest to attempt to get into the match at instances, checking again to the ball if solely to maintain issues shifting, however it was hardly impactful and his passing was sloppy. He and Musah swapped roles halfway via the primary half and that allowed Tillman to dribble ahead a pair instances, however it did not come to a lot.
FW Josh Sargent, 4 — You would be forgiven for those who forgot Sargent was on the pitch. The striker was solely nameless and whereas a lot of that’s definitely the fault of the gamers behind him who struggled to play the ball ahead, it is hardly the primary time Sargent has struggled to seek out his approach right into a match for the U.S.
FW Brenden Aaronson, 3 — Aaronson was his typical energetic and relentless self off the ball, however it was a tough match for him with the ball at his ft. He was routinely dispossessed, usually wanting on the referee from the bottom as Mexico went the opposite approach with the ball. His late move to Brandon Vázquez to arrange a great probability helped rescue what was an in any other case robust night time for the Leeds United man.
Substitutes (gamers launched after 70 minutes = no ranking)
DF Kristoffer Lund, 6 — Lund entered the match at half-time and instantly made a distinction. His runs from deep made El Tri fear now and again and he had one of many lone U.S. possibilities of the sport when he slipped into the again put up, solely to scuff the shot.
FW Alejandro Zendejas, 7- – The Club América man was welcomed to the pitch with boos, as anticipated in Guadalajara, and did nothing to endear himself to the Mexican followers. He was the Individuals’ greatest participant, taking part in with tempo, operating at defenders and hitting an important ball for Lund to create one of many few U.S. alternatives.
FW Brandon Vázquez, 6 — Like the remainder of the U.S. forwards, Vázquez did not get a ton of service, however he nonetheless made an influence. He introduced down some lengthy balls very well, exhibiting off good maintain up play, and made a great run earlier than ripping the lone shot on track for the U.S. within the sport.
FW Haji Wright, 5 — Zendejas’ robust efficiency had tilted play to the other wing by the point Wright got here on, so he did not become involved an excessive amount of, however he pressed nicely and made a pair good runs that went unseen by his teammates.
MF Tanner Tessmann, 5 — The match had gotten away from the U.S. by the point Tessmann entered, however he did convey some calm to the midfield and at the very least received them off the again foot. He dealt with stress nicely and doubtless earned himself one other look with the nationwide workforce subsequent month.
DF Auston Trusty, N/R — Introduced on for Morris within the 83rd minute.
Supervisor ranking (1-10)
Mauricio Pochettino, 3 — The U.S. boss has an affordable excuse for the efficiency contemplating how most of the workforce’s high gamers had been absent, however it was a poor show nonetheless. The U.S. didn’t match Mexico’s depth and physicality and when Mexico eradicated the Individuals’ play via the center, that they had no choices out broad. His substitutions did assist, however not almost sufficient to make issues aggressive. It was an unpleasant match and a impolite welcome to the rivalry for the brand new U.S. supervisor. — Rosenblatt
Mexico participant rankings
Participant rankings (1-10; 10: greatest. Gamers launched after 70 minutes obtain no ranking)
GK Angel Malagon, 7 — El Tri’s goalkeeper was hardly ever referred to as upon in the course of the sport, however responded in variety when challenged by the opposition’s forwards. He was good along with his ft and fast to leap out and lower down crosses contained in the field. Within the 78th minute, his save saved the USMNT off the scoreboard.
DF César Montes, 7 — As time wears on, the backline duo of Montes and Johan Vásquez has develop into stronger with every pairing. Presently, no different gamers on the depth chart come shut. Montes was stable in aerial duels and didn’t encounter any points when beginning assaults from the again.
DF Johan Vásquez, 7 — A stable, sobering presence within the again, Vásquez saved an in depth eye on the opponent’s forwards and was not examined a lot. He hardly ever will get into bother with opposing gamers, or with referees.
DF Jorge Sánchez, 6 — A secondary position for Sánchez on Tuesday night time, as he was unable to influence on assault and failed to attach with “Piojo” Alvarado on the fitting facet. Defensively talking, he did not have a lot to do and principally broke up any try on his facet of the pitch.
DF Jesús Angulo, 6 — Transferring up entrance is clearly not Angulo’s energy, as he struggled to take action in the course of the match. He centered extra on defending, and when confronted with the USMNT’s Zendejas as a direct menace within the second half, he was referred to as to motion usually, a lot so each had been entangled in a confrontation that netted each gamers yellow playing cards.
MF Edson Álvarez, 7 — Rafa Márquez’s affect on Álvarez is beginning to present, because the West Ham United man is concentrated extra on defending now than beginning assaults, one thing he did far more up to now. Much like what he does on the membership stage, Álvarez devoted himself to recovering possession of the ball and did fairly nicely in that respect. He was cautioned in the course of the scuffle with Zendejas.
MF Andrés Guardado, 6 — Guardado’s days with the Mexican nationwide workforce got here to an in depth after a near-two decade tenure. After 18 minutes on the Estadio Akron pitch, he stated goodbye, however not earlier than exhibiting off his expertise one final time on the pitch. He was unburdened and principally displayed a risk-free type, on an evening through which he put an finish to top-of-the-line worldwide careers in Mexican historical past.
MF Orbelín Pineda, 6 — The Greece-based midfielder tried to attach with Jiménez, Huerta and Alvarado however principally appeared misplaced in that capability. He dedicated a pair of fouls that confirmed Aguirre was centered on getting depth from each single one in all his gamers.
FW Roberto Alvarado, 6 — At Liga MX stage, his expertise is plain and that’s exactly why extra is requested of him with the nationwide workforce. As soon as extra, he let a possibility slip via his fingers as he was principally AWOL on the fitting facet of the assault. He failed to attach with Pineda in direction of the center and barely stepped into the field to create probabilities.
FW César Huerta, 8 — A star for Pumas on the membership stage, he is slowly beginning to obtain the identical position within the nationwide workforce. On Tuesday, Huerta luxuriated in placing away an opportunity towards Mexico’s largest rival and prolong El Tri’s lead within the match. He was completely fearless.
FW Raul Jimenez, 8 — It seems to be like Mexico’s striker woes are over. For the reason that 2022 World Cup, El Tri have been lacking a stable performer within the place — and Jimenez has stuffed that opening. He scored a improbable purpose, assisted one other, and almost each Mexican assault flowed via him. His free kick within the twenty first minute will make spotlight reels around the globe, and the 33-year-old was in a position to straighten out a harmful assault within the second half that led to a second purpose.
Substitutes (gamers launched after 70 minutes = no ranking)
MF Luis Romo, 7 — Mexico’s second purpose got here from Romo regaining possession in midfield. He was robust when mixed with Alvarez and each had been in a position to assist finish a five-year winless streak towards the USMNT.
FW Germán Berterame, 6 — He tried his greatest to indicate off the ability that made him a sizzling commodity for El Tri, however didn’t obtain his desired influence in assault. Berterame got here on for Pineda, however didn’t come near masking the identical quantity of floor because the AEK Athens participant.
FW Alexis Vega, 7 — Vega did not disguise, he consistently requested for the ball and appeared to spearhead assaults. He was defiant amidst a booing crowd. A stable efficiency.
FW Diego Lainez, 6 — A quiet exhibiting for Lainez, who was extra seen on protection. Since returning to Liga MX, he is developed as a distinct sort of participant, one who maybe lacks the explosiveness of yore.
FW Guillermo Martínez, N/R — Claimed a couple of minutes after being subbed on for Jimenez.
MF Obed Vargas, N/R — A dream debut for the Alaska native, chalking up a win towards El Tri’s largest rival.
Supervisor ranking (1-10)
Javier Aguirre, TK — The Mexico supervisor was each balanced in his beginning line-up, however took acceptable dangers. Aguirre selected one striker up entrance, Jiménez, who had assist from three gamers behind him in Alvarado, Pineda and Huerta. Aguirre remains to be discovering his perfect beginning XI and a few positions nonetheless have necessary query marks — most notably each full-back positions. He was proven a yellow card for dissent. — Omar Flores