Turkey loss provides Poch, USMNT extra questions than solutions

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — The U.S. men’s national team, with a squad that is far from full strength, kicked off their Gold Cup preparation with a 2-1 loss to Turkey throughout a pleasant at Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Saturday.

Initially up 1-0 because of a first-minute objective from Jack McGlynn, the hosts then misplaced their lead with a speedy set of objectives from Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürkoglu within the twenty fourth and twenty seventh minutes, respectively.

Subsequent up for the USMNT of their ultimate Gold Cup preparation tune-up is a match towards Switzerland in Nashville, Tennessee on June 10. — Cesar Hernandez

Extra questions than solutions for Pochettino

Exterior of McGlynn, and maybe Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman, it is robust to seek out many positives from the experimental XI that had a mean age of 23.8.

Turkey received extra duels, aerial duels, and had the next success charge of tackles towards the Individuals, who appeared to lose the mentality sport and depth because the match progressed — even though the house facet had a lot extra possession that led to substandard half possibilities.

The USMNT by no means mentally recovered after conceding these first-half objectives, and waiting for Switzerland, it is going to be supervisor Mauricio Pochettino’s accountability to seek out different members of this makeshift roster who have been anticipated to and “fight for a place” within the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

In the mean time, lacking marquee members like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest and a handful of others have left giant cleats which have but to be stuffed. If this crop of gamers would not present any enhancements or a stronger mentality towards Switzerland, it could possibly be an indication of a protracted — or maybe shorter than anticipated — summer time forward within the Gold Cup with no actual alternates stepping up within the depth chart. — Hernandez

Race for No. 9 place stays huge open

Patrick Agyemang hoped for a particular sort of homecoming, provided that he was born and raised in East Hartford, the identical metropolis as Saturday’s venue. It wasn’t to be, whilst he was given the plumb task of the beginning striker position.

Agyemang use his dimension to good impact at occasions, and by way of physicality, gave nearly as good as he received from Turkey’s backline. However too typically his contact was missing, particularly on these events when Diego Luna performed passes into Agyemang’s ft. Agyemang wasn’t objective harmful, recording one shot on track within the 52nd minute that did not power a troublesome save.

The efficiency left Pochettino nonetheless in search of an answer on the No. 9 place.

Haji Wright received on the sphere for 25 minutes, however was deployed out huge versus a extra central position. He not often was concerned save for one late run when he dribbled straight into the ft of his opponent.

Agyemang was subbed out within the seventy fifth minute for Brian White, however the Vancouver Whitecaps striker barely received a sniff of the ball, recording simply seven touches.

What Pochettino does towards Switzerland in three days stays unsure, though it appears value giving FC Cologne ahead Damion Downs a shot, or shifting Wright into the center. — Jeff Carlisle

Cardoso nonetheless misfiring for the U.S.

Johnny Cardoso stays a scorching commodity within the switch market following a strong season with Real Betis, with Atlético Madrid expected to secure his signature. The New Jersey-born, Brazilian-raised midfielder has not often replicated his membership type when donning a U.S. shirt, although.

Saturday proved to be extra of the identical. With the U.S. main 1-0, and Cardoso in full management of the ball, he tried to move out of his personal field, just for the supply to ricochet off of Güler and into the U.S. web. It is the sort of play one would not anticipate from a Sunday league participant, not to mention one in every of LaLiga‘s extra extremely regarded performers.

The play shook the Individuals’ confidence, and so they conceded a second three minutes later.

It wasn’t the primary time Cardoso has upset. In a pleasant towards Colombia previous to final 12 months’s Copa América, Cardoso was lackadaisical in coming to the ball, permitting the Cafeteros to counter and rating their fifth and ultimate objective. In opposition to Turkey, it was one other careless play that led on to a objective.

Cardoso is within the lineup for his composure on the ball, but when he cannot showcase that trait, it is robust to see him getting on the sphere.

The information surrounding the U.S. midfield wasn’t all unhealthy. Luca de la Torre was sharp within the first half, finishing 38 of 39 passes, and was shiny all through. However there is not fairly sufficient metal when De la Torre and Cardoso are paired collectively.

Thankfully, Adams was obtainable, and Pochettino duly swapped the AFC Bournemouth midfielder in for Cardoso at halftime. The U.S. regarded extra strong within the heart of the park within the second half, though Turkey did not appear to be pushing ahead as a lot.

All informed, it was a day when Cardoso fell a notch down the U.S. midfield depth chart. — Carlisle

Dest, Robinson replacements want to seek out chemistry

Some slack ought to be given contemplating the inexperience of the fullbacks within the younger beginning XI, however Pochettino will nonetheless possible be sad with the following lack of cohesion in protection that quickly emerged within the first half.

At left again, Max Arfsten, who was incomes his fourth cap, struggled with profitable duels and wasn’t in a position to join a lot of his crosses going ahead by his urgent runs. At proper again, the debut of Alex Freeman was common at greatest, sometimes permitting alternatives for Turkey to run into the ultimate third with harmful and speedy counters.

Coupled with Cardoso’s questionable begin in entrance of the backline, the defensive puzzle shortly turned scrambled when Turkey had possession, resulting in troublesome moments for Chris Richards and Miles Robinson within the coronary heart of all of it. Recognizing early on that the U.S. defensive experiment was proving to be porous, Turkey pounced on their recoveries within the ultimate third and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Pochettino can have little time to fine-tune his strategy and should have to proceed making an attempt new faces within the fullback spots that may, ideally, be led by absent starters Robinson and Dest that weren’t obtainable for the Gold Cup roster. — Hernandez