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In the isolation, Wednesday night’s 4-1 win away from the United States over Honduras was a brilliant result.
Threatened 1-0 after 45 minutes, the United States responded with four goals in the second half. The game went like a Hollywood movie for 18-year-old forward Ricardo Pepi, who revived the United States on his international debut with one goal and two assists.
So, yes, the victory was good for a young American team and their coach Gregg Berhalter. But, with a little more distance, it also remains the only bright spot in an otherwise worrying start to qualifying for the World Cup.
After a summer that included a 2021 Gold Cup championship and an inaugural Concacaf Nations League title, a promising generation of talent seemed poised to avoid the same issues that cost the United States a world 2018.
And yet, things looked too similar when they started their journey to Qatar 2022 with a disappointing 0-0 away away in El Salvador last week. Three days later, they were booed off the field after a home draw against a (admittedly much better) team from Canada.
To make matters worse, national headlines grabbed the headlines when Weston McKennie was dropped ahead of the game against Canada after breaking the team’s Covid-19 protocols. Coupled with injuries to the main starters – and a positive Covid test for goalkeeper Zack Steffen – it looked like the United States was already starting to implode.
On the sidelines, Berhalter was suddenly in the hot seat as justified criticism from journalists began to gain traction online. Playing in a tedious manner that led to predictable and almost static attacking football, the United States was not much of a threat to El Salvador or Canada. In the two matches, the United States had four shots on target.
What has become most evident over the past few weeks is that the roster lacked the experience to get started. With more than half of the players called up under the age of 25, many young players had yet to rise to the intense challenge of Concacaf’s World Cup qualifying schedule. Like many players, this was also Berhalter’s first foray into the tournament.
American fans will be hungry for more convincing results, especially after the Gold Cup and Nations League successes earlier this year. But at the end of the day, it’s a learning process for many up-and-coming players on the team. There is, after all, a significant difference in the demands and pressure of a World Cup qualifier versus the Gold Cup or the Nations League, which are in fact glorified exhibition matches. .
The good news is that with every game that passes, valuable experience is gained. And late Wednesday it looked like the tide might turn.
After a truly horrific first 45 minutes against Honduras – which was largely due to Berhalter’s experimental set-up losing control of the midfield – the manager made the right decisions.
Pepi was the star of the show when it made its debut, but substitutes Antonee Robinson, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget scored crucial goals. In the second half, the United States were decidedly more physical and assertive as they recovered the ball and put pressure on Honduras. Caught by surprise, Honduras regularly lost the ball.
Cohesion in the midfield was restored, more chances were created in the final third, and most importantly, there was new energy displayed. Almost as if they were making up for lost time, the United States dominated Honduras and landed eight shots on target in the final 45 minutes. In real time, we saw Berhalter and his players learn from their mistakes and adapt.
The United States are now third in the qualifying group, behind Mexico and Canada – the top three book their tickets for Qatar while the fourth-place team make it to the intercontinental playoffs. The big question now is whether Wednesday’s progress will continue.
Optimists will say the United States has a foundation to build on ahead of the next games in October. On the flip side, with problems early in qualifying easily outweighing a brilliant 45 minutes on Wednesday, pessimists could argue that the win over Honduras was just a flash in the pan.
Eleven games remain in qualifying for the United States. One thing is certain: the trip will not be boring.
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