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The U.S. U-23 workforce defended properly however lacked offensive chunk in a 1-0 loss to Mexcio. Subsequent up would be the all-important semifinal that can alone decide qualifying for the Olympics. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta is right here together with his ideas on the Mexico recreation, the teachings realized from the group phases, and a glance to the all-important semifinal.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
March 25, 2021
5:10 AM
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THE UNITED STATES U-23 nationwide workforce fell to Mexico in Guadalajara by a rating of 1-0 to complete second in Group A. That units up a semifinal matchup on Sunday in opposition to the Group B champion which can be both Canada or Honduras.
On this recreation, head coach Jason Kreis made a bunch of modifications to his beginning lineup. He opted to not begin Justen Glad and Jesus Ferreira – who had been each on yellow playing cards. He additionally rested key veterans Sam Vines, captain Jackson Yueill, and Jonathan Lewis.
The best way the sport performed out was unsurprising. The U.S. workforce struggled to create possibilities and was carried out in by a mistake that was derived from the workforce’s insistence to both dribble or go the ball out of harmful positions. On this case, simply earlier than halftime, striker Sebastian Soto drifted again into the midfield. Whereas proper again Julian Araujo was open, Soto tried to go the ball to his central defenders however as a substitute hit it to Uriel Antuna who beat David Ochoa with a well-placed shot.
The second half performed out equally to the primary half. The U.S. began to fade and Kreis went with a bunch of substitutions however that yielded no harmful possibilities. The 1-0 outcome left Mexico because the Group A winners and of their semifinal, they may face any of the 4 groups remaining in Group B – relying on Thursday’s outcomes.
Listed here are my ideas on the sport.
No margin for error with this workforce
Anybody who’s following this workforce can inform you that they wrestle to create scoring possibilities. From the workforce Kreis was taking in 2020 to now, the entire artistic midfielders in Richard Ledezma, Paxton Pomykal, and Brenden Aaronson are now not out there (the primary two as a consequence of harm and Aaronson as a consequence of his sale to Salzburg). A lot of the group of gamers who can be found in these positions and might be launched are nonetheless maybe too younger for this match – gamers such Cole Bassett, Gianluca Busio, Caden Clark, and many others.
The midfielders that Kreis delivered to Mexico predominantly play in deeper, extra withdrawn roles for his or her golf equipment – Johnny Cardoso, Jackson Yueill, Andres Perea, Hassani Dotson, Tanner Tanner Tessmann. Now with Djordje Mihailovic enjoying out broad, there’s a lack of true playmaker.
This workforce was by no means anticipated to attain loads of targets – and that has type of performed out. For this workforce to win, its protection has to carry tight and the workforce has to make the most of a restricted variety of possibilities.
What you’re left with is a workforce with little to no margin for error. Errors, resembling Soto’s unhealthy go, turn into extra pricey. Misses on good possibilities have a better probability of costing the workforce.
Heading into Sunday, the workforce is able the place it merely can not make errors and it must be medical offensively.
Protection was robust
The variety of harmful alternatives Mexico had was fewer than the variety of harmful possibilities Costa Rica had within the opening recreation. In that sense the U.S. workforce is bettering.
Initially, the defensive midfielders for the U.S. workforce are bettering because the match goes a protracted. Andres Perea nonetheless lacks offensive chunk however his 1v1 defending has been sharp. Cardoso and Dotson have additionally been stable defensively.
The U.S. workforce’s central protection of Maurico Pineda and Henry Kessler had been wonderful in opposition to Mexico. It was presumed that this is able to be a weak spot for the workforce after Kreis determined to relaxation Justen Glad however that was not the case. Pineda struggled mightily in opposition to Costa Rica and was benched in opposition to the Dominican Republic. He rebounded with a really stable efficiency in opposition to Mexico – together with a first-half sort out within the field that was the most effective moments of the sport for america.
Dotson impresses
The participant who has shocked probably the most on this match has been Hassani Dotson. His two targets in opposition to the Domincan Republic had been each high quality strikes, however Dotson has carried out properly in different areas. Whereas usually defensive, he has carried out properly profitable balls, advancing the ball into the assault, and bringing power into the sport.
His inclusion into the ultimate roster was stunning however, in the long run, the precise name made by Kreis.
Dotson has gone up and down in his profession with Minnesota. This season it will likely be vital for him to play with consistency the place he could make common constructive contributions for his workforce on a weekly foundation.
Sunday’s lineup
The hardest matchup for america can be Honduras on Sunday. That workforce is enjoying properly offensively and has traditionally given america issues on the youth ranges. Ought to Honduras win or draw in opposition to Canada on Thursday, it will likely be the Group B winner.
Coming into this match, Kreis was dealt a troublesome hand by way of preparation. His workforce had no friendlies and a lot of the gamers had been in early preseason kind. However now, Kreis has had three video games to guage his gamers forward of crucial recreation that can solely determine if it qualifies for the Olympics in Tokyo.
The three video games supplied Kreis with loads of data and left him with quite a few choices all around the subject.
Proper again: Julian Araujo was turned a number of instances in opposition to Mexico whereas Aaron Herrera was fairly regular at left again. Assuming Sam Vines returns to left again on Sunday, will it’s the veteran Herrera or the promising teenager in Julian Araujo? That is shut, but it surely most likely can be Herrera.
Central protection: That is probably the most open questions proper now and Kreis may not even know the reply. Glad didn’t play in opposition to Mexico to keep away from him selecting up a yellow card. In the meantime, Kessler and Pineda had been each robust in opposition to Mexico. On Sunday, it’s going to both be Glad beginning with Pineda or Kessler; or it will likely be protecting Kessler and Pineda collectively. It appears possible that Glad will begin since he has loads of expertise. Kessler appears almost certainly to be the opposite starter however nothing can be stunning.
Central midfield: Yueill is the workforce captain and is nearly certainly going to begin. In a 4-3-3 formation, it stays to be seen who the opposite two midfielders can be together with Cardoso, Mihailovic, Perea, and Dotson (with the robust chance Mihailovic performs out broad, at the very least to begin). Given Dotson’s efficiency, he appears to have earned this chance. Perea has carried out properly defensively and having him within the lineup pushes Yueill additional up the sphere. Perea-Yueill-Dotson appears almost certainly with Mihailovic out broad.
Wings: On this match, we’ve seen Mihailovic, Lewis, Saucedo, and Benji Michel all play on the wings. The workforce hasn’t been persistently efficient from these broad areas. Mihailovic has been fairly good out broad and might at all times shift centrally in the course of the recreation. Beginning Lewis or Saucedo is an in depth name however Lewis most likely has been favored.
Beginning lineup within the semifinal: It might probably go loads of alternative ways however trying on the three video games from the group stage and the way Kreis has made choices thus far, right here is my predicted lineup in a 4-3-3 formation:
Beginning XI: Ochoa; Herrera, Glad, Kessler, Vines; Perea, Yueill, Dotson; Mihailovic, Ferreira, Lewis
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Publish date : 2025-01-06 08:45:03
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