United States National Football

The United States men's national team is in the knockout stage of the World Cup for the fifth time since it returned to the global stage in 1990.

Fielding the second-youngest squad at the World Cup, the U.S. went undefeated in group play and sealed a place in the round of 16 with a gritty 1-0 win over Iran on Tuesday.

The Netherlands wait around the corner: a formidable challenge for an ambitious young squad. But before the page turns toward the Dutch—and how the U.S. might beat them—it's worth reflecting on what the USMNT has done.

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A new generation

Gregg Berhalter tweaked his lineup to face Iran in the most important match the U.S. has played in eight years, and the 49-year-old's bold selections paid off. Josh Sargent returned as the No. 9 after being benched against England. Cameron Carter-Vickers made his debut, replacing Walker Zimmerman at the back beside Tim Ream. Carter-Vickers was the 18th U.S. player to make a World Cup debut in this tournament, a USMNT record.

Let that sink in.

In a sea of individual debuts, this tournament is a collective debut. The new generation of USMNT is officially here.

The youth and World Cup inexperience of this squad are notable for this reason: They did the job playing some of the most compelling football to ever come out of the USA, and their careers have only just begun.

With a recipe that combines mentality, belief, tenacity and spirit with talent, tactics and growing experience in top global leagues, this team is ready to ditch the cliches and change a few minds.

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A well-organized team

What this team lacks in age or experience, it makes up for in cohesion and talent. From game to game, they've adjusted to the matchup against the opposing squad, attacking the match with astute preparation. Give credit where it's due—Berhalter has gotten the results when they have counted the most.

The team has been defensively sound. Against Iran, the U.S. collected its second straight clean sheet. That's the first time the U.S. has kept multiple clean sheets in a World Cup since 1930. It's yet to concede anything from open run of play.

Matt Turner's time at Arsenal is apparent in his confident, progressive game. His shot-stopping is sharp as ever. Ream's reemergence is perfectly timed. His composure, game smarts and skill are vital pieces to the center-back pair. Zimmerman and Carter-Vickers have taken turns making gargantuan defensive stops, plugging holes, stopping plays.

Good luck to any team trying to get a ball through the midfield. Weston McKennie is churning out top performances as a two-way midfielder. At just 20, Yunus Musah is covering every blade of grass alongside the team captain, Tyler Adams. And what more can be said about Adams, who is blossoming as an American World Cup star?

At fullback, Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson are dynamic getting forward, key elements of the attack. Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah test teams from the wing, game-changers on either side. It's no shock the pair are responsible for both of the team's goals.

The striker position remains tepid, but Sargent's second start was the best we've seen. Should he recover in time from an ankle injury for Saturday's match against the Netherlands, he'll be in line for another start.

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Hearts and minds

The quest to turn heads and leave a mark remains central to this team.

They've played phenomenally—if imperfectly—and have a lot left to prove. Defeating the Netherlands and making a deeper run would not simply set or tie a record. It would chip away toward their ultimate goal: Make America fall in love, and make the world take note.

The world has started to. While Pulisic is well known to soccer fans, his display of dynamism has keen observers wondering what his next move might be after Chelsea. Fans watch in awe of Adams along with Champions League clubs that could look to spend big cash on the young captain. Attendees at the World Cup have commented on how surprising this U.S. team has been. Iran coach Carlos Queiroz lauded the Americans, who he says have graduated to "football" instead of "soccer" and are playing the modern game.

It's an achievement already. But the team remains focused. The Netherlands this Saturday in Doha presents an opportunity entirely new.

The United States men's national team advanced to the knockout round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a 1-0 win over Iran on Tuesday afternoon.

Christian Pulisic's 38th-minute goal was the difference between the Americans finishing in second place in Group B and going home from Qatar.

The Americans took second behind England, who had a much more comfortable day in Qatar by winning 3-0 over Wales.

The wins by the USMNT and England confirmed the first two matches of the knockout round. The Americans take on Group A winner Netherlands on Saturday, while England and Group A runner-up Senegal square off on Sunday.

Netherlands and Senegal had similar experiences on Monday as the two teams in the same positions as them in Group B. The Dutch finished off a miserable home World Cup for Qatar with two goals, while Senegal battled to a 2-1 win over Ecuador.

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Group B

1. England - 7 points

2. United States - 5

3. Iran - 3

4. Wales - 1

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Tuesday Results

United States 1, Iran 0

England 3, Wales 0

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The United States relied on its highest-profile player to advance into the knockout round.

Christian Pulisic connected with a Sergiño Dest cross in the 38th minute to give the Americans the three points required to advance to the round of 16.

Pulisic puts it away! 😤

🎥 » @FOXSoccer
pic.twitter.com/HPId4hsu4a

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 29, 2022

Dest and Antonee Robinson challenged the Iranian defense down the flanks for most of the first half, but they were unable to play a perfect ball into the box until Dest's assist on Pulisic's goal.

The Americans appeared to have a second goal in the back of the net right before halftime, but Timothy Weah was ruled narrowly offside.

Iran played much better in the second half, as it had to secure at least a draw to make it out of Group B.

Iran came close on a few occasions, but none of its shots significantly challenged USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner.

The American win set up a round-of-16 clash with the Netherlands. That will be the first of eight round-of-16 matches to be played in Qatar.

England became the fourth European nation to secure safe passage into the round of 16, and the Three Lions confirmed that UEFA had the first two group winners in Qatar.

Marcus Rashford brought the English attack to life five minutes into the second half with a stunning free-kick goal.

Beautiful strike by Marcus Rashford 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/5ippP42wXQ

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022

The Manchester United forward has three goals in Qatar. He added to his World Cup tally with a goal in the 68th minute.

Phil Foden became the sixth player to find the back of the net for England just a minute after Rashford opened the scoring. Foden knocked in a brilliant cross from the right wing off Harry Kane's boot.

ANOTHER FOR ENGLAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

What a start to the second half 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CUu2uAKoRv

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022

England advanced to the knockout round without Kane, who is the reigning Golden Boot winner at the World Cup, finding the back of the net.

The well-rounded English attack will take on Senegal in the round of 16. The Three Lions are trying to reach the semifinals of their third straight major tournament. They finished in fourth place at the 2018 World Cup and were the runner-up at UEFA Euro 2020.

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Group A

1. Netherlands - 7 points

2. Senegal - 6

3. Ecuador - 4

4. Qatar - 0

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Tuesday Results

Netherlands 2, Qatar 0

Senegal 2, Ecuador 1

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A three-minute stretch in the second half was the turning point in the fight for second place in Group A.

Senegal came out of that stretch on top through Kalidou Koulibaly's 70th-minute strike, which was his first-ever international goal.

WOW 😱

SENEGAL TAKES THE LEAD RIGHT BACK 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/1BwC2mYwkR

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022

Koulibaly's goal moved Senegal back into the lead after Moises Caicedo equalized for Ecuador in the 67th minute.

ECUADOR TIES IT 🇪🇨

As it stands Ecuador is heading to the knockout stage pic.twitter.com/vzUTCIwblM

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022

Caicedo's strike appeared to give Ecuador the result it needed to go through with the Netherlands, but Senegal came up huge in a must-win spot to answer the goal from the Brighton and Hove Albion player.

Senegal is through to the knockout round for the second time in national team history. The Lions of Teranga made it to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

The Netherlands cruised into the knockout round as the Group A winner with a 2-0 win over Qatar.

Cody Gakpo continued to make his case as the breakout player of the tournament. as he netted his third goal of the competition in the first half.

GAKPO DOES IT AGAIN 🔥

He now has 3 goals in 3 games for the Netherlands 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/UolQaLqSck

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022

The 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven player scored three of the five Dutch goals in the group stage. He will likely will not remain at PSV much longer after the World Cup. He was already on the radars of Europe's top clubs and his transfer value may be at its highest in January.

Qatar finished the group stage with zero points and a single goal. Qatar became the first host nation to lose all three games at the World Cup.

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Wednesday Schedule

Group D: Tunisia vs. France (10 a.m. ET, FS1)

Group D: Australia vs. Denmark (10 a.m. ET, FS1)

Group C: Poland vs. Argentina (2 p.m. ET, Fox)

Group C: Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico (2 p.m. ET, FS1)

Thirty of the 32 teams entered in the 2022 FIFA World Cup are still alive to advance to the knockout round.

The permutations are easier for some squads to advance to the round of 16, and only France has officially confirmed its spot in the knockout round.

Qatar and Canada are the two officially eliminated squads. That number could inflate after Monday's games in Groups G and H depending on the results in those four matches.

A handful of squads, including the United States men's national team, face win-and-in situations on their final group matchdays.

Other teams, like Germany, need wins and some help in potentially lopsided matchups to keep their World Cup hopes alive for at least a few more days.

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Round of 16 Predictions

Netherlands (Group A winner) vs. United States (Group B runner-up)

Argentina (Group C winner) vs. Denmark (Group D runner-up)

Spain (Group E winner) vs. Morocco (Group F runner-up)

Brazil (Group G winner) vs. Portugal (Group H runner-up)

England (Group B winner) vs. Ecuador (Group A runner-up)

France (Group D winner) vs. Poland (Group C runner-up)

Croatia (Group F winner) vs. Germany (Group E runner-up)

Uruguay (Group H winner) vs. Switzerland (Group G runner-up)

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Group A

1. Netherlands - 4 points (+2 goal differential)

2. Ecuador - 4 (+2)

3. Senegal - 3 (0)

4. Qatar - 0 (-4) - eliminated from tournament.

The Netherlands should confirm themselves as Group A winner on Tuesday with a win over Qatar.

The Dutch should outclass the host nation with ease. Qatar was eliminated from advancing to the knockout round after the second matchday. The Qataris have not had enough quality to deal with Ecuador and Senegal, and the same can be said about their matchup with the Dutch.

Most of the Group A attention Tuesday will be on Ecuador and Senegal inside the Khalifa International Stadium.

Ecuador has a one-point advantage over Senegal, and its defense could be massive in that match. La Tri conceded once in Qatar. The concession to the Dutch was the first goal allowed in eight matches for the South American side.

Senegal's back line has been more open lately, as it has one clean sheet in the last seven games.

Ecuador only needs a draw to advance, and even if it wins, it will likely not match the Netherlands' goal output against Qatar.

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Group B

1. England - 4 (+4)

2. Iran - 3 (-2)

3. United States - 2 (0)

4. Wales - 1 (-2)

The United States needs a win over Iran to advance out of Group B. Any other result would not allow them to leap over Iran in the standings.

The Americans played three solid halves in the first two games, and they need to have more punch in the final third to beat an Iran side that has a negative goal differential from its 6-2 loss to England.

England should beat the Welsh in a match of regional rivals. Wales will be without goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was sent off late in the second half against Iran.

Wales looked the worst of the four Group B sides through two matches, and it may be hard for the Welsh to compete with the England, especially a result needed for the Three Lions to advance in first place.

England has extra motivation to finish in first place because that would allow it to avoid a round-of-16 clash with the Netherlands.

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Group C

1. Poland - 4 (+2)

2. Argentina - 3 (+1)

3. Saudi Arabia - 3 (-1)

4. Mexico - 1 (-2)

The Argentina-Poland match will determine the fate of Group C.

Argentina looked relieved after beating Mexico on Saturday, and that help the Albiceleste play with more energy and less stress against Poland.

The South American side should be favored against Poland and a win gets it into the knockout round, and more importantly, it will avoid France in the round of 16.

Poland can still get through to the knockout round with a loss. A Mexico-Saudi Arabia draw allows that to happen.

Mexico will be playing for pride and an outside chance to land a spot in the round of 16. Saudi Arabia struggled to create offense against Poland after beating Argentina in its opener.

Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be Poland's best friend on Wednesday. If he keeps Saudi Arabia out, Mexico scores one or two goals and Poland loses by just one goal, Poland will go through on goal differential.

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Group D

1. France - 6 (+4)

2. Australia - 3 (-2)

3. Denmark - 1 (-1)

4. Tunisia - 1 (-1)

France is assumed to be the Group D winner.

The reigning World Cup champion has two wins from two games, and it should beat Tunisia, even if it rotates some of its squad to stay fresh for the knockout round.

Denmark should be the favored side against Australia. The Danes resided in the same situation at UEFA Euro 2020 and won. They went on to reach the semifinals of that tournament.

Denmark needs a win to leap over Australia, while the Aussies just need a draw from that match to advance.

Tunisia is still alive, but a win over France seems very unlikely with the form that Kylian Mbappé is in. Mbappé is tied for the Golden Boot lead with three goals.

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Group E

1. Spain - 4 (+7)

2. Japan - 3 (0)

3. Costa Rica - 3 (-6)

4. Germany - 1 (-1)

All four teams are still alive in Group E.

Germany needs a win over Costa Rica and a bit of help to avoid a second straight group-stage exit.

Costa Rica gained an edge on Germany with a win over Japan on Sunday, but the Ticos could still be outclassed by a roster full of Bayern Munich stars.

Spain's formula to win the group is simple. La Roja needs to beat Japan to finish in first place. A draw combined with a Germany win allows the Spanish to get into the round of 16 in first as well.

Japan beat Germany and then went into a conservative strategy against Costa Rica that cost it that result. Japan could now be on the brink of elimination given how strong Spain is playing.

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Group F

1. Croatia - 4 (+3)

2. Morocco - 4 (+2)

3. Belgium - 3 (-1)

4. Canada - 0 (-4) - eliminated from tournament

Croatia and Morocco have the clear advantages going into the final day of play in Group F.

Croatia's attack woke up against Canada to put it on top of the group ahead of Morocco on goal differential.

Belgium has been one of the most disappointing teams in the tournament, and it faces an uphill climb to get out of third place since it plays Croatia.

Croatia outperformed Belgium over 180 minutes of play, and it is expected to at least get a point out of the meeting of 2018 World Cup semifinalists.

Canada's defense allowed numerous wide-open chances to Croatia, and that could once again be its downfall against Morocco. The second-place team in Group F could be the only African side in the knockout round.

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Group G

1. Brazil - 3 (+2)

2. Switzerland - 3 (+1)

3. Cameroon - 0 (-1)

4. Serbia - 0 (-2)

Group G is one of two groups with two matches left to play.

Brazil should be fine without Neymar because Richarlison is in some of the best form of any player on the international level. Richarlison scored twice in the opener against Serbia.

The Selecao take on Switzerland on Monday for first place in the group. That could allow Serbia or Cameroon to sneak into second place with a victory in their contest Monday.

Serbia sits at the biggest disadvantage because it conceded twice against Brazil. The European side could make up that gap with a win over Cameroon before it faces Switzerland in the group finale.

Brazil looked like the strongest squad in the first set of matches, and it is the favorite to win Group G until proved otherwise.

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Group H

1. Portugal - 3 (+1)

2. Uruguay - 1 (0)

3. South Korea - 1 (0)

4. Ghana - 0 (-1)

Portugal and Uruguay find themselves in the same situation in Group H as Brazil and Switzerland in Group G.

They are perceived as the top two teams in Group H and either side can gain separation on top of the group Monday.

Portugal scored three goals, but it also conceded on two occasions to Ghana. Uruguay had the stronger defensive performance with a clean sheet in a scoreless draw versus South Korea.

Uruguay's defense could hold up against Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. and its attack, led by Darwin Núñez and Luis Suárez, could take advantage of a Portuguese defense that was opened up in the second half by Ghana.

The FIFA men's World Cup starts Sunday, kicking off the first-ever iteration of the competition in the fall.

Qatar will host the tournament, which will feature 32 teams split into eight groups of four. Those quartets will undergo a round-robin schedule within their groups, and the top two teams in each will advance to the 16-team knockout round.

As is the case every year, there are "Groups of Death" in the tournament. Some quartets appear far more competitive than others on paper, either because the group is deep or because of numerous heavyweights getting drawn together.

This year, three groups stand out over the others. Here's a look at that trio as the World Cup nears.

Group B: England, Iran, United States, Wales

Group B is the only group that features four teams in the top 20 of the FIFA rankings. England is fifth, followed by the United States (16th), Wales (19th) and Iran (20th).

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, England is the overwhelming favorite to win the group at -280 ($280 bet to win $100), followed by Wales and the United States (+500 each; bet $100 to win $500) and Iran (+1600).

Led by Harry Kane, who scored 12 goals in eight World Cup qualifying matches, England should (in theory) roll to the top of the group. That was the thought in 2010, when England was matched with Slovenia, the United States and Algeria.

However, England scratched and survived just to advance after a win and two draws, one of which was a 1-1 game against the U.S.

The two sides will face off yet again this year, with the game coming on Black Friday. For the U.S., it could be do-or-die if they lose their opener to Wales. For England, it could be win-and-in if the favorites handle business versus Iran. Regardless of the circumstances, that's the match to watch in Group B as a trio of teams look to knock off the world power that is the Three Lions.

Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

Two of the six teams on the top of the DraftKings Sportsbook World Cup odds ledger reside in Group E. Spain is there at +850, while Germany sits at +1000.

Those two teams are the clear favorites to advance. Their matchup in the group stage is the one to watch here.

Don't sleep on Costa Rica and Japan, though.

Costa Rica caught fire near the end of its World Cup qualifying round thanks to four wins and a draw in its last five matches. They beat New Zealand in the World Cup playoff to advance.

Japan could be a dangerous side in this tournament thanks to the dynamic duo of Takumi Minamino and Yuya Osako, who scored 10 goals each during World Cup qualifying.

Both teams have tall tasks ahead of them against the European powers, but chaos has happened before in the group stage and could well happen again.

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Group G: Brazil, Cameroon, Serbia, Switzerland

Brazil is the clear World Cup favorite. DraftKings Sportsbook lists them as +350 to win it all atop the 32-team list.

FIFA's No. 1 team features one of the game's top all-time players in Neymar, who features on a talented roster including English Premier League attackers Richarlison, Antony, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli.

It won't be a cakewalk for to the top of the group for Brazil (-300 odds to win the group), however. Switzerland (+550), Serbia (+650) and Cameroon (+1200) are all quite capable of advancing to the knockout round.

Switzerland only allowed two goals over eight qualifying matches en route to finishing 5-3-0 for 18 points to top Group C. Serbia also won its group, besting Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal by three points. The matchup between these two could determine one of the two knockout spots in this group.

Cameroon is the underdog of this group, but that was also the case in 1990 when the Indomitable Lions made a sensational run to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. They haven't been able to get out of the group stage since, but they sport a deep roster capable of advancing to the knockout round.

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The 26-man squad that will travel to Qatar for the upcoming World Cup is set. Manager Gregg Berhalter and U.S. Soccer announced the selections on Wednesday.

THE USMNT SQUAD HEADED TO THE WORLD CUP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Ouyo74QO5x

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 9, 2022

One of the biggest surprises was that goalkeeper Zack Steffen didn't make the cut, with Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Matt Turner (Arsenal) and Sean Johnson (NYCFC) instead filling out the position for the USMNT. Turner is expected to be the starter.

Ricardo Pepi's fall from grace for this USMNT side has been significant after he once seemed like the future of the position. So it wasn't a surprise that his exclusion was one of the main storylines.

"In some of the cases it's more about what we have then what we don't have," Berhalter said on the ESPN broadcast announcing the selections regarding Steffen and Pepi. "With the three goalkeepers on the roster we feel great. We feel good about it. We saw a lot of progess with Turner in his last six months. We know Horvath has been competing at a good level in the Championship. And Johnson has been a mainstay in this group since Day 1. So we're comfortable with that pairing."

"In the case of [Pepi], that was a really difficult conversation to have with him," Berhalter continued. "And it's always difficult when a guy helps you get to the World Cup, scores three goals in qualifying and isn't going to be a part of the program. And again, it's more about who we did add that we felt good about."

Twitter had its take on Berhalter's roster choices, per usual:

Shaq Moore is an absolute stunner…wow #USMNT

— Stephen Meyer (@StephenMeyerRDC) November 9, 2022

Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers makes the US roster. A richly-deserved call up. No place for Rangers' James Sands.

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) November 9, 2022

Aaronson listed as a midfielder. Usually listed as a forward/winger.

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 9, 2022

I need to sit down.

I can't believe Ricardo Pepi isn't on this team.

— Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad) November 9, 2022

https://twitter.com/davisjsn/status/1590469084113575936

No Pepi wow.

— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) November 9, 2022

This roster is not as shocking as Landon Donovan being left out, but man, Gregg gave Jurgen a run for his money. #USMNT

— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) November 9, 2022

Morris and Wright but no Pepi is a joke. Good lord. #USMNT

— Stephen Meyer (@StephenMeyerRDC) November 9, 2022

Most of the roster was to be expected, however.

Players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Gio Reyna and Brenden Aaronson have been mainstays for the USMNT in its youth movement and will headline the 2022 World Cup Squad.

Others, like Yunus Musah and Timothy Weah, have continued to prove their value for the USMNT and should play a big role.

There were some question marks coming into Wednesday, however.

Had young midfielder Malik Tillman proven enough to earn his spot on the plane? (Apparently not.) Who was going to make the cut among the forwards, a huge position of concern for the Americans, between players like Paul Arriola, Pepi, Josh Sargent, Jordan Morris, Haji Wright and Jordan Pefok?

Another question was how injured players—most notably defenders Chris Richards and Miles Robinson—would be replaced on the roster. The answer on defense was Ream and Scally.

The absences of Steffen and Pepi in particular will cause debate. This wasn't a straightforward roster selection for Berhalter. But the USMNT will head into the World Cup with most of its best players healthy and hungry to prove they belong after missing the event four years ago.

Onward to Qatar.

MURCIA, Spain—The U.S. men’s national team concluded their second and final friendly before the 2022 World Cup this evening in Murcia, Spain, battling a stark and persistent inability to conjure an attack and look threatening toward goal. Over the course of 180 minutes, the U.S. produced two shots on goal, and scored neither.

Tonight’s chaotic 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia saw marginal improvements in a few individual performances, but featured all the festering issues present for Friday’s catastrophic 2-0 loss to Japan: sloppy mistakes, poor possession, palpable nerves, readable tactics, slowness to adjust, and above all else, a complete and utter inability to generate or sustain an attacking threat.

Hanging above all this is the continuous absence of several key players because of injury, including Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah, Chris Richards and Yunus Musah. The evening before match day, Gregg Berhalter warned media that his ideal starting XI in Qatar would likely be stymied by injury. As Giovanni Reyna left tonight’s match in the 30th minute experiencing “muscle tightness”—tightness to a muscle that’s kept him sidelined for large swaths of the past year—observers can only concede that injuries will likely continue to cause concern.

The team now has eight weeks remaining to focus on club form and hope for health and fitness before gathering in Qatar one week before a tournament in which they will face Wales, England and Iran.

The back line continued to struggle

Of course, issues getting the ball forward began in the back, which is where Japan left the ball on Friday, daring the USMNT to move through their press. Japan provided space to the center backs and suffocated routes out. Attacking players dropped deep and stayed compact, rather than taking or creating space, and over the course of the first half, a floundering U.S. squad broke the Berhalter-era record for giving the ball away in its own half. Thanks in large part to Matt Turner’s dominant shot-stopping (which Berhalter has rarely acknowledged) the U.S. departed Dusseldorf downed only 2-0.

Given the performances of Friday, one may have imagined none among the trialed bunch of defenders—Sam Vines, Aaron Long, Reggie Cannon and Mark McKenzie—had performed their way into the squad for the Saudi Arabia match. But high on a list of stubborn decisions from Berhalter is that he looked into the abyss of Friday’s showing and decided to start Aaron Long again.

Paired once more with Walker Zimmerman against Saudi Arabia, Long exhibited consistent issues on the ball and left the U.S. vulnerable to dangerous counters. Long was replaced by Mark McKenzie midway through the second half and to little improvement, as McKenzie showed signs of nerves and intermittent decision making similar to Long.

Sergiño Dest was given another go at left back tonight, where he looked strong in spurts but fatigued by the second half. DeAndre Yedlin was decent defensively from the right, but was just as incoherent in the attack as everyone else.

The lone, effervescent bright spot of the evening was the much-delayed 30-minute cameo of Joe Scally, who immediately brought more energy and fight to the match than we’ve seen since June.

Yunus Musah's absence was glaring

Issues formulating an attack began at the back, but they coalesced perhaps most concerningly with a dismantled midfield left in dire need of Yunus Musah, who is uniquely capable of breaking through lines on the ball and maneuvering in compact spaces. Weston McKennie lacked inspiration or energy, and in particular against Japan, put out one of the worst individual performances we’ve ever seen from him. Tyler Adams was ineffective in Berhalter's imposed system against Japan, but was easily among the best performers against Saudi Arabia. And you could never accuse him of not having “fight.”

Luca de la Torre featured in a tough role against Japan, and lack of minutes at club level compounded with the team’s disjointed collective performance all but removed him from the game. Given his talent, it’s a shame we did not see any minutes from him tonight.

Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman—young additions to an already young squad—made late cameos against Japan, to little effect and beneath the weight of incredible stakes. Kellyn Acosta and Brenden Aaronson made their own midfield cameos against Saudi Arabia, both passable in those roles.

Like everywhere else on the field, the Americans seemed to pick up more questions in the midfield than they solved.

Did anything go right?

The U.S. did a better job of getting the ball to the final third against Saudi Arabia, perhaps in large part because of how Saudi Arabia set up. There was immediately more space to exploit and move forward. Berhalter also made some tactical adjustments from Friday, focusing his team on making runs in behind and sending long balls to wingers moving forward. This worked best in the first half as Zimmerman found Christian Pulisic looking bursting into the attacking third with pace. Pulisic, Dest and McKennie had a few strong sequences together on the left, but it lulled by the second half and ultimately produced nothing in the first.

Giovanni Reyna looked strong in his opening minutes, but discomfort became clear, and around minute 30 he was brought off as “precaution.” With his replacement, the combination of Paul Arriola, Kellyn Acosta and DeAndre Yedlin didn’t produce much offensively from the right.

Speaking to Berhalter and players in the post-match, it’s clear the squad felt improvement getting the ball to the final third, but exhibited lingering frustration at needing to find that final touch, that final ball, that final threat toward goal.

There's still no answer at striker

Here we must pause to consider the dire situation of the USMNT striker pool. It need not necessarily be so dire, which, in part, breeds the frustration at its state. The U.S. has striker options in hot form with their clubs and topping competitive leagues for goals. Jordan Pefok is highest on that list, though he is not here. Berhalter’s system is built for a different type of striker, and he remains dogmatic to its cause.

Jesús Ferreira is likely the first-choice striker and received the most minutes in camp, despite not converting for country in quite some time. Ferreira is a dynamic field player who is knocking them home with FC Dallas, but he remains stuck in a goal desert with the national team. It’s true he didn’t get many chances this window, but he also didn’t put them away, and he may not get many in the World Cup.

Ricardo Pepi returned to the squad having scored one goal with Groningen after staggering his way through Bundesliga and netting no goals in nearly a year. He worked hard but didn’t produce.

Josh Sargent likely deserved the biggest run-out of the strikers in camp but got 45 arduous minutes against Japan, which may not have been enough to get to Qatar this November, despite his fit in the system, his experience with the team or his form with Norwich this year.

Where does Berhalter take things from here?

Berhalter is clearly aware that things are in a dire state. He told media after today’s draw with Saudi Arabia that no player looked great. Rather than delve into specifics on lessons learned, Berhalter said that coaching staff had learned “things.”

In a camp in which the main priority was preparing and sorting through talent, he did specify this: “There's not many players who performed at their normal levels in this camp. You can ask about center-backs, full-backs, whoever ... there's not many players that performed at their normal levels."

Berhalter is aware, also, that the pressure is on him. He was forthcoming in admitting he’d been out-coached against Japan, and has made adjustments in approaches to training. But when it comes to key personnel, and to the overall system, we’ll need wait for November to know for sure what “things” Berhalter has learned from this horrid window, and importantly, whether he can or will adjust them.