As hosts of this Copa América, the US team is facing the risk of being eliminated after the group stage. US head coach Gregg Berhalter is aware of the current grim situation, but he said he and his players will fight to the end.
Although the US team, with 3 points, currently ranks second in Group C, their position is not secure as they will face the strongest opponent in the group, Uruguay, in the last round. If the US team fails to beat Uruguay, and Panama, also with 3 points, beats Bolivia, then the hosts will be eliminated. Even worse, even if the US team defeats Uruguay and earns 3 points, they could still be eliminated if Panama wins a big victory over Bolivia. Moreover, Uruguay, with 6 points, theoretically still has the possibility of being eliminated, making the US team’s situation even worse. Head coach Gregg Berhalter frankly stated: “I think Uruguay will field their strongest lineup.” This implies that Uruguay will not hold back to ensure their qualification.
In a press conference, Gregg Berhalter frankly stated that the team has nothing left to lose, the only requirement is to fight. He said: “Our knockout game is actually five days early. If we don’t perform well enough to win this game, our Copa América is over. There’s no point in saying anything else.”
Failure to advance would be a major blow to the US team’s plans, which aim to increase the public support for the US national team and the sport of soccer as the 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup approaches. The Copa América is the third most important tournament in football, only behind the World Cup and the European Championship, and provides the US team with a final test before the 2026 World Cup. US captain Christian Pulisic also boosted the team’s morale, saying: “We are all very positive and want to show our capabilities on home soil. We want to announce to everyone: The US team is here to compete for the championship with the best.”
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