Gregg Berhalter is again. Because the saying goes, there’s nothing new below the Solar. From October of 2017 to December of 2018, US Soccer swore up and down it was conducting an actual teaching search. They employed Gregg Berhalter, brother of US Soccer’s Jay Berhalter. Now, this yr, new Sporting Director Matt Crocker swore up and down that he performed an actual teaching search. He re-hired Gregg Berhalter.
And as was the case for the majority of Berhalter’s first go-round as US supervisor, his first video games in cost now are video games at house towards weak opponents. The primary of those two simple friendlies is towards Uzbekistan.
US roster
Probably the most notable factor about this US roster shouldn’t be who’s there however who isn’t there. That’s proper. Gregg Berhalter is again and Gio Reyna shouldn’t be. In an interview he gave to Vainness Honest, Berhalter as soon as once more bragged about how he hasn’t talked to Reyna because the World Cup (although he in some way discovered time to speak to a non-soccer publication…about Reyna).
Of these which might be there maybe essentially the most shocking is Ricardo Pepi who was left off the World Cup roster, and who admitted to simply hanging up on Berhalter when he was informed he wasn’t going to Qatar (the place the US struggled mightily to attain targets).
Pepi apart, there are only a few surprises on this roster. Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath are in aim. The backline options the same old suspects of Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, and Sergiño Dest. The midfield sees the return of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Luca del la Torre. The forwards are Christian Pulisic, Brendan Aaronson, Tim Weah and up to date US commit Folarin Balogun.
USMNT feeling Messi impact
The largest story in American soccer is, no doubt, Lionel Messi with Inter Miami. They’ve been an nearly unstoppable pressure each on the sector (11 video games and not using a loss) and off it. And whereas Messi has been the showstopper, his teammates have additionally benefitted from his presence.
Goalkeeper Drake Callendar earned his first nationwide workforce call-up off the again of Inter Miami’s newfound success, having saved three clear sheets and solely given up a single aim in a further 5 video games since Messi’s arrival. Additionally incomes a call-up primarily based on Miami’s success is midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi. The 18-year-old has not lit up the stat sheet (only one aim, plus changing two penalties in Leagues Cup shootouts) however is a twin nationwide, having represented Argentina on the U20 degree.
Uzbekistan preview for Berhalter and the USMNT
There’s not an excessive amount of to say about Uzbekistan for this sport. They’ve by no means certified for a World Cup (although they’ve solely been their very own federation since 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union). Uzbekistan has by no means executed higher than a fourth-place end on the Asian Cup (in 2011). They’re ranked 74th on this planet (which admittedly, is increased than among the CONCACAF groups Gregg Berhalter has coached towards). None of their gamers play wherever that any American soccer fan has ever heard of. Solely their coach, Srecko Katanec, is pretty well-traveled having managed the Slovenian nationwide workforce in two completely different cycles, in addition to managing Greek super-club Olympiacos in 2002.
Notes
As a part of a irritating, and presumably intentional, pattern the USMNT is enjoying this sport in a stadium they simply performed in two months (and 4 video games) in the past. In opposition to Uzbekistan, the US can be enjoying at CityPark in St. Louis the place they performed towards St. Kitts & Nevis as a part of the Gold Cup on June 28. This comes after the US performed video games at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in November of 2015 and September of 2019.
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Kickoff for the sport towards Uzbekistan is about for a 4:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Sep. 9, 2023. The sport will air on TNT in English and on Telemundo, NBC Universo and Peacock in Spanish.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport
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