| At the end of the group stage, the USA received an ideal warning sign with their 2-3 defeat against Turkiye. As expected, the loss, achieved with a rotated squad, did little to change their status as favorites in this match. A host nation that won their group will face a third-placed team that secured its place in the knockout stage through resilience, composure, and a 3-1 victory against Qatar. The Yanks would also have preferred a positive end to the group stage. Their final group match against the Turkish national team had no further impact on the standings and prompted Mauricio Pochettino to make significant changes to his starting lineup. The hosts would still have liked to win the game. The Americans have clearly gained in quality. Folarin Balogun has been the most important discovery of this team so far. Bosnia what pressure feels like. They also know how to keep games close for a long time, even when the opponent has more possession, more pace, or more individual quality. |
