EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — United States males’s nationwide football group supervisor Gregg Berhalter mentioned Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Germany got here all the way down to “some fine moments” and that defensively his aspect’s group “let us down a bit.”
The U.S. needy on supremacy within the sport within the twenty seventh negligible because of a 25-yard surprise clash from Christian Pulisic. However Germany used to be nonetheless very a lot within the sport, having previous strike the submit via Pascal Rude within the eleventh negligible and upcoming developing a couple of sunlit probabilities for Niclas Füllkrug, most effective to be denied via U.S. keeper Matt Turner.
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The four-time International Cup winner quickly confirmed its detail, equalizing via Ilkay Gündogan within the thirty ninth negligible, when he wiped clean up a rebound from Turner’ contact as he tried to cancel Leroy Sané’s run. The guests nearest created some split-up from the U.S. in the second one part, with Füllkrug and Jamal Musiala scoring in a three-minute span forming within the 58th negligible.
“It’s really these fine moments, these split seconds where you need to be well positioned, not open up any gaps in your backline and that’s where it went wrong,” Berhalter mentioned.
“And in one case, tracking runners going through, keeping the organization of [the back] four and three in front of the four that it’s very difficult to break through. So we lacked that in those moments. But Germany’s a good team and they’re going to open teams up. They’re going to create [good] scoring opportunities because of the quality that they have on the field.”
The U.S. assault did have some bad moments within the first part, particularly with Tim Weah breaking ill the proper wing, pace Pulisic had any other function dominated out for offside in addition to a penalty enchantment became ill.
“The first half especially, I thought we were really good,” Berhalter added. “And then it came down to some moments. I think the goals were conceded a little bit too easily, but overall happy with the effort of the team, happy with the mindset and the intentions of the team.”
Berhalter added he used to be “overall pleased with that good learning experience to the group and we know we need to get better if we want to win.”
The fit additionally marked the primary look for attacker Gio Reyna underneath Berhalter for the reason that U.S. supervisor used to be rehired utmost June and for the reason that the pair continued a family falling out following the 2022 International Cup.
The unholy blood stemmed from Berhalter’s dealing with of Reyna on the event, Reyna’s broke reaction to a discounted position wherein he used to be just about despatched house, Berhalter’s position in disclosing the incident and the following disclosure of a decades-old home violence allegation to U.S. Football via Reyna’s mom, Danielle.
Berhalter used to be rehired via the united states in June following an investigation, however with Reyna struggling an trauma within the ultimate of the Concacaf Countries League in opposition to Canada in June, Saturday’s fit used to be the primary alternative for participant and lecturer to renew their skilled dating.
Reyna performed the primary part and used to be substituted at halftime, which used to be the plan given the participant has most effective discoverable 26 mins of legitimate enjoying era with membership aspect Borussia Dortmund this season.
“We thought 45 [minutes] was a perfect dose for him and we wanted to give him the opportunity to get the 45 from the beginning,” Berhalter mentioned. “And I think he played a good game, showed his quality. I think everyone in the first half played well and so it was good to see and good to have him on the field.”
The U.S. will now attempt to regroup forward of Tuesday’s pleasant in opposition to Ghana in Nashville, Tennessee.
“It’s also about controlling the tempo of the game, and that’s what we really need to learn and we cost so much energy also with our own counter attacks that then it’s hard to really stay consistent in all of your actions, your defensive shape,” Berhalter mentioned.
“And so that’s again, to me that’s a learning experience. The games against opponents like this can’t be that open. It needs to be tighter.”