Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna Not Included on USMNT's October Qualifying Roster
Sep 29, 2021
DENVER, CO - JUNE 09: United States forward Gio Reyna (7) looks on in action during an international friendly match between the United States and Costa Rica on June 9, 2021, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna were left off the United States men's national team roster ahead of the squad's three 2022 World Cup qualifiers in October.
Here’s the detailed personnel for our October business trip.
Oct. 7 vs. 🇯🇲 in Austin Oct. 10 at 🇵🇦 in Panama City Oct. 13 vs. 🇨🇷 in Columbus
Reyna is still dealing with the right hamstring strain he suffered on national team duty earlier this month. Likewise, Pulisic remains out after injuring his ankle while playing for the USMNT. Coach Gregg Berhalter told reporters it's "unlikely" either will be a late addition to the squad.
Weston McKinnie is, however, back in the fold. Berhalter sent the Juventus star home during the last round of qualifiers after he violated the team's COVID-19 protocols.
"As far as I'm concerned this is something that's done," Berhalter said. "This is not something we hold on guys."
The coach also came to McKennie's defense:
Gregg Berhalter on recalling Weston McKennie: "The one thing I didn't love about this is how this got spun, the lack of understanding and tolerance. We are way too quick to judge these young players. His behavior was unacceptable. We move on." #USMNT
Three players are based with clubs in England: Zack Steffen, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson. Berhalter indicated they won't make the trip to Panama City, Panama, so as to avoid a quarantine period when they return to England.
Panama is on England's red list of countries, meaning that anybody returning is subject to a 10-day quarantine.
Steffen, Ream and Robinson will still be available to play against Jamaica on Oct. 7 in Austin, Texas, and against Costa Rica on Oct. 13 in Columbus, Ohio.
Excitement was building around the USMNT after it beat Mexico 3-2 in the CONCACAF Nations League final in June and followed up with a 1-0 victory over El Tri in the Gold Cup final.
However, the team underwhelmed in a 0-0 draw with El Salvador and a 1-1 draw with Canada to open World Cup qualifying.
Mexico is leading the Hexagonal with seven points through three matches. The U.S., Canada and Panama are all tied with five points.
It's far too early to panic about the USMNT missing the World Cup, but failing to qualify in 2018 showed the United States isn't untouchable. Supporters will be expecting something more against Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica.
USMNT's Jordan Pefok Stuns Manchester United with Late Winner in UCL Group Stage
Sep 14, 2021
BERN, SWITZERLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Jordan Siebatcheu of Young Boys scores their side's second goal past David De Gea of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League group F match between BSC Young Boys and Manchester United at Stadion Wankdorf on September 14, 2021 in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Young Boys opened the group stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United thanks to American striker Jordan Siebatcheu Pefok.
United was moments away from holding onto a 1-1 draw after having played the majority of the match with 10 men. Pefok capitalized on a critical error by Jesse Lingard in injury time and beat David de Gea one-on-one for the winner.
USMNT's Jordan Pefok scores the winner for Young Boys to defeat Manchester United 2-1 in the Champions League.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, it was the 11th and latest (94:22) Champions League goal scored by an American international.
Pefok, who was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in France, has made eight appearances and scored one goal for the United States men's national team. The 25-year-old was among the players selected by coach Gregg Berhalter for the USMNT's last round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
In those three matches, the United States scored five goals, four of which came against Honduras. Two draws and one victory were an underwhelming return and raised some concerns.
With the national team returning to action in October, Pefok almost certainly caught the attention of Berhalter on Tuesday.
USSF Asks U.S. Men's, Women's Soccer Teams to Split World Cup Prize Money Equally
Sep 10, 2021
FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2019, file photo, Cindy Parlow Cone, vice president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, attends a meeting of the organization's board of directors Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, in Chicago. Carlos Cordeiro resigned as the federation's president Thursday night, March 12, 2020, three days after the organization sparked a backlash when its legal papers in a gender discrimination lawsuit claimed the women's national team players had less physical ability and responsibility than their male counterparts. His decision elevated former American midfielder Parlow Cone to become the first woman president in the history of the 107-year-old federation. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone published an open letter Friday asking women's and men's national teams to split World Cup prize money equally.
Meg Linehan of The Athletic posted the full text of Parlow Cone's letter on Twitter:
"To that end, we have invited the players and both Players Associations to join U.S. Soccer in negotiating a solution together that equalizes World Cup prize money between the USMNT and USWNT," Parlow Cone wrote.
While the women's team has been arguing for equal pay, the federation has claimed that it is out of its control to provide equal prize money to the men's and women's teams because FIFA controls the World Cup prize pot, per Kathleen McNamee of ESPN.
The USSF and USWNT have been at odds over the pay discrepancy between the men's and women's teams.
The USWNT sued the USSF for discrimination in 2019, per ESPN News Services, with their lawsuit reading in part:
Despite the fact that these female and male players are called upon to perform the same job responsibilities on their teams and participate in international competitions for their single common employer, the USSF, the female players have been consistently paid less money than their male counterparts.
This is true even though their performance has been superior to that of the male players—with the female players, in contrast to male players, becoming world champions.
The battle between the two sides has persisted ever since. The equal pay lawsuit is ongoing as the players appeal a federal judge's May 2020 decision to dismiss the suit.
Linehan wrote about the USSF's goal with the letter for The Athletic.
It's two-fold from Parlow Cone: trying to add some public pressure for the federation's side in the equal pay battle (optics has always been the largest front between the players and U.S. Soccer), and for that pressure to specifically be applied to the two players' associations to sit down for negotiations at the same time.
Parlow Cone told The New York Times that new CBAs for either team would be on hold because of this: “As U.S. Soccer, I don’t think we’re willing to sign a CBA that doesn’t equalize World Cup prize money.
Becca Roux, the USWNT Players Association executive director responded to the open letter. She called it a "publicity stunt" that "fell short of of addressing our issues," per Andrew Das of The New York Times:
USWNT PA chief Becca Roux responds: "We will not let them use our fight for equality to create a divide between the women and men." pic.twitter.com/R6tXwsM6Uy
The United States women's national team most recently earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. has also made each of the last three World Cup finals, winning back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019.
USA Rallies from Halftime Deficit for Crucial World Cup Qualifying Win vs. Honduras
Sep 9, 2021
United States' Ricardo Pepi, (14) celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Honduras during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
A tale of two halves ended in victory for the United States men's national soccer team on Wednesday as the Americans defeated Honduras 4-1 to earn their first win in 2022 World Cup qualifying.
Ricardo Pepi, an 18-year-old FC Dallas striker making his senior team debut, scored the game-winning goal. He also had a hand in the United States' other three goals to cap his sensational national team start.
The United States trailed 1-0 at halftime thanks to a 27th-minute goal from Honduras striker Brayan Moya, but Antonee Robinson, Pepi, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget each scored in the second half to give the Americans the win at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
The first half featured lethargic and lifeless play from the American side. Honduras took advantage of that effort when an unmarked Moya found himself alone in the six-yard box as he headed in a Diego Rodriguez cross:
Stephen Meyer of Audacy questioned the formation and strategy:
I'm completely embarrassed for the #USMNT right now. I'm watching 1990s 4-4-2 Hail Mary boot ball all over again. No plan, no creativity, no ability to connect high school level passes. No effort or intensity. How a manager could ever survive this is unimaginable. Utter disgrace.
Thomas Floyd of the Washington Post pointed out that players suiting up in new positions on the national team led to a natural lack of cohesion too:
The #USMNT had nine games this summer but is still playing a World Cup qualifier with four players (Sands, Adams, Sargent, Pepi) starting in positions they haven't played for the national team before. A lack of cohesion seemed inevitable here.
Massive changes occurred at halftime. The formation changed to a 4-3-3, and three subs came on (Lletget for John Brooks, Aaronson for Josh Sargent, Robinson for George Bello).
The changes paid off, as all three of those subs scored.
Robinson's equalizer occurred in the 48th minute. The goal followed beautiful teamwork that featured Christian Pulisic's run, Lletget's cross and Pepi leaving the ball behind for Robinson, who finished the job.
45’—Antonee Robinson enters the game 48’—Antonee Robinson equalizes for the USMNT
Prospects appeared bleak for the United States when Pulisic was forced off the pitch in the 62nd minute because of an apparent leg injury. The captain tried to gut it out, but Cristian Roldan replaced him:
The United States kept up the pressure and nearly got the game-winner when Tyler Adams fired a low shot outside the box toward the bottom-right corner of the goal. However, Honduras goaltender Luis Lopez made an exceptional diving save to keep the game tied.
That 1-1 score would not last, however, as Pepi headed home a DeAndre Yedlin cross in the 75th minute:
"The second youngest U.S. player to appear in a World Cup qualifier (behind Pulisic) and the second youngest U.S. player to score in a World Cup qualifier (behind Pulisic), 18-year-old Ricardo Pepi's time is now," Brooks Peck, the Athletic's deputy managing editor for U.S. Soccer, wrote following the goal.
It'll certainly be hard (or perhaps impossible) to keep Pepi off the World Cup qualifying pitch after that one. FC Dallas play-by-play commentator Mark Followill stated something that appears to be inevitable:
Something tells me Ricardo Pepi is going to play more than 1 of the 3 qualifiers in the October window
The United States poured it on from there thanks in part to Pepi, who took advantage of a midfield giveaway and found a wide-open Aaronson for the third goal at the 86th minute:
Pepi sets it up, Aaronson puts the finishing touches on it 🤝
Pepi was involved in the action again on the fourth goal. Another Honduras giveaway led to Adams possessing the ball. He soon found Pepi, who fired the ball on goal. Lopez got the save, but Lletget cleaned it up for the evening's final goal in injury time.
The United States entered this match with a pair of draws in the Octagonal, which is comprised of eight CONCACAF teams playing home-and-home series in a round-robin format to determine World Cup qualifiers. The U.S. registered a 0-0 result at El Salvador (in San Salvador) and a 1-1 result versus Canada in Nashville to start.
Wednesday's win is certainly encouraging for a team that looked like it would begin World Cup qualifying without a win in three straight matches after the first 45 minutes, but the United States' new look is certainly encouraging going forward.
The top three teams in the table will automatically advance to the World Cup. The fourth-place side will go to a home-and-home playoff with a team from another federation to determine an additional World Cup participant.
It's still very early with the United States still having 11 matches left, but the Americans are now level with Canada and Panama for second in the table at five points apiece. Canada currently has the tiebreaker edge there.
Mexico is first with seven points. Honduras is now tied with Costa Rica and El Salvador for fifth with two points. Jamaica is last with one point.
The United States' next World Cup qualifying match is scheduled for Oct. 7 against Jamaica in Austin, Texas.
USMNT vs. Honduras: World Cup Qualifying Odds, Time, Live Stream and TV Schedule
Sep 8, 2021
El Salvador's Marvin Monterrosa (R) and US' Tyler Adams vie for the ball during their Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf qualifier match at Cuscatlan Stadium, in San Salvador, on September 2, 2021. (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS / AFP) (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)
The United States men's national team is off to a less-than-ideal start in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
The USMNT drew the first two games and now faces a tough road trip to play Honduras on Wednesday.
To further complicate matters, midfielder Weston McKennie was sent home for violating COVID-19 protocols prior to Sunday's home draw with Canada.
Additionally, the Americans will be without defender Sergino Dest because of injury and goalkeeper Zack Steffen because of a positive COVID-19 test.
Honduras comes into the clash with two points from a pair of road games against Canada and El Salvador.
USMNT vs. Honduras Info
Date: Wednesday, September 8
Start Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
TV: Telemundo, NBC Universo
Live Stream: Paramount Plus
Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): USMNT (-120; bet $120 to win $100); Honduras (+350; bet $100 to win $350); Draw (+215)
Preview
The USMNT entered World Cup qualifying with two trophies from the summer.
However, the shine from the victories over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup wore off after the two draws against El Salvador and Canada.
The scoreless affair with El Salvador to open qualifying was an acceptable result, but the Americans did not improve in their 1-1 tie with Canada.
McKennie's absence for the Canada match hurt the USMNT's ability to control the game in midfield. Canada created most of its scoring chances through transition opportunities that McKennie might have been able to slow down.
Berhalter addressed the McKennie situation on Tuesday during his pre-match press conference, per MLSSoccer.com's Tom Bogert:
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter on sending Weston McKennie home:
"When you talk about team policy and rules, what we're trying to accomplish is the team. The team comes first. We made this decision for the long-term. ... It is what it is."
San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Jackson Yueill was called into the USMNT squad as a replacement.
The USMNT did not replace the injured Dest, who suffered a right ankle sprain in the draw with Canada.
With limited options at full-back, Berhalter could shift to a three-man defense. He has an abundance of center-backs available to make that move. John Brooks, Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie and James Sands are the center-backs in camp.
Only Brooks started in the home match versus Canada, so he should be called upon to anchor the back line no matter the alignment.
Sands, a 21-year-old rising star at New York City FC, could receive an opportunity to shine.
Tyler Adams and Kellyn Acosta will likely patrol the center of midfield with McKennie not available, while Christian Pulisic will be involved in the attack in some capacity.
The biggest attacking question comes at forward, where the available options have been ineffective. Josh Sargent started against El Salvador, and Jordan Pefok began the match versus Canada up top, but neither player was able to find the back of the net.
Berhalter's bold play would be to start the in-form Ricardo Pepi, who has 11 goals and two assists in 21 matches for FC Dallas. Starting an 18-year-old on the road in World Cup qualifying would be a risky move, but it could work.
As for Honduras, it is coming off a 1-1 draw with Canada and a scoreless result with El Salvador. Alex Lopez produced the only goal of the two matches with a 40th-minute penalty in Toronto.
The Honduran squad is headlined by CF Montreal striker Romell Quioto and Houston Dynamo midfielder Boniek Garcia.
During the last World Cup qualifying cycle, Honduras tied the USMNT 1-1 in San Pedro Sula and lost a 6-0 away game in San Jose, California.
Honduras has a four-game winless run that dates back to the Gold Cup group stage after falling to Mexico in the Gold Cup quarterfinals.
The USMNT should be able to get a result from the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
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SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR - SEPTEMBER 2: Weston McKennie #8 of the United States looks for an answer during a game between El Salvador and USMNT at Estadio Cuscatlán on September 2, 2021 in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
United States men's national team midfielder Weston McKennie was suspended for the team's 1-1 draw with Canada and sent home ahead of the matchup against Honduras on Wednesday after "spending a night outside of the team's COVID-19 bubble, as well as bringing an unauthorized individual back inside the bubble to his hotel room on a different evening," according to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.
Both instances violated the USMNT's coronavirus protocols. McKennie was sent back to Italy and his club, Juventus, by head coach Gregg Berhalter.
McKennie, 23, is the USMNT's most talented central midfielder and one of the face's of the country's talented youth movement. The United States has gotten off to an extremely disappointing start to the final stage of World Cup qualifying, with consecutive draws, making his absence with a very tough road match against Honduras up next all the more impactful.
"Weston will return to Italy and will be unavailable for the match against Honduras due to a violation of team policy," Berhalter said in a statement Monday. "There are high expectations for those who are a part of the U.S. Men's National Team, and in order to be successful it's important that everyone in the group is accountable."
Gregg Berhalter says that Weston McKennie hasn't been ruled out for future call-ups. Added that "The team comes first." #usmnt
The bigger worry is that a pattern may be emerging.
Per Carlisle, "McKennie's off-field behavior has become a source of concern for both club and country. The Juventus midfielder, who tested positive COVID-19 last October, was suspended by then-manager Andrea Pirlo last April for hosting a party that included teammates Paulo Dybala and Arthur."
The United States will now go into its match against Honduras without several of its best players unavailable. Along with McKennie, Gio Reyna (hamstring) has reportedly traveled back to his club Dortmund, per ESPN's Derek Rae, while Sergino Dest is out with a right ankle sprain.
That trio, along with team captain Christian Pulisic, is the fulcrum of the United States exciting young youth movement. Getting all three points the USMNT desperately needs, in a tough environment in Honduras on Wednesday night, will be extremely difficult without them.
Weston McKennie Dismissed from USMNT Roster After Violation of COVID-19 Protocols
Sep 6, 2021
Weston McKennie warms up during soccer practice for the U.S. Men's National Team Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
United States men's national team midfielder Weston McKennie will not play in the team's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Honduras after violating the team's COVID-19 protocols.
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter provided more information in a statement Monday:
Weston will return to Italy and will be unavailable for the match against Honduras due to a violation of team policy. There are high expectations for those who are a part of the U.S. Men’s National Team, and in order to be successful it’s important that everyone in the group is accountable.
McKennie already missed the squad's match against Canada due to a suspension, which he apologized for on social media:
Weston McKennie apologizes after being suspended for tonight’s match due to violating COVID protocol pic.twitter.com/cwvqOb0LJb
McKennie played all 90 minutes in the team's 0-0 draw against El Salvador on Thursday—the first World Cup qualifying match of the round.
Though specifics about the violation are not currently public, McKennie has previously been penalized for breaking COVID-19 protocols. The Juventus player also reportedly held a party in April at his house in Turin, Italy, against local restrictions, resulting in a fine.
The 23-year-old is one of the most prominent members of Team USA, entering World Cup qualifying with 24 caps and seven goals. Christian Pulisic was the only player on the roster with more international goals.
McKennie is coming off a big year at the club level, moving to Juventus last summer before scoring five goals with two assists in 34 Serie A matches in 2020-21.
Losing a proven player like this could set the Americans back even further after a disappointing start to qualifying, especially with Sergino Dest also unavailable with an ankle injury. Jackson Yueill was added to the roster Monday, although Tyler Adams, Kellyn Acosta and Sebastian Lleget might get the first crack at increased playing time in the midfield.
USMNT vs. Canada: World Cup Qualifying Odds, Time, Live Stream and TV Schedule
Sep 5, 2021
DENVER, CO - JUNE 06: United States defender John Brooks (6) dribbles the ball in action during the CONCACAF Nations League finals between Mexico and the United States on June 06, 2021, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The United States men's national team plays its first home game of Concacaf World Cup qualifying Sunday against one of the rising nations in the men's game.
The USMNT welcomes Canada to Nissan Stadium in Nashville for its only home match of the September international break.
Gregg Berhalter's squad picked up a 0-0 draw in El Salvador on Thursday to kick off the 14-match octagonal round, from which the top three will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
With three games in less than a week, squad rotation and depth come into play for Sunday's clash against Canada and Wednesday's trip to Honduras. For example, first-choice center back John Brooks was kept out of the starting lineup Thursday so he will be fresh for Sunday's showdown.
The U.S. could be without Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen for a second straight game. Pulisic is working back to fitness after a positive COVID-19 test while at Chelsea, and Steffen is dealing with a back issue.
USMNT vs. Canada Info
Date: Sunday, September 5
Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app
Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): USMNT -185 (bet $185 to win $100); Canada +475 (bet $100 to win $475); draw +280
Preview
The goal is simple for the USMNT on Sunday: earn three points.
If the Americans win 95 percent of their home games and pick up some results on the road, like they did in El Salvador, they should be in a terrific position to advance to Qatar.
Canada put itself in an unfavorable spot out of the gates, drawing with Honduras in Toronto on Thursday.
Mexico was the only team to win its octagonal opener, beating Jamaica 2-1. Panama and Costa Rica played to a scoreless draw in the other match.
El Tri visits Costa Rica on Sunday, Jamaica hosts Panama and El Salvador welcomes Honduras toEstadio Cuscatlan. With Mexico on the road in a tough spot, the USMNT could move level on points with its top continental rival through a victory on home soil.
However, it appears that the U.S. will have to beat its rival to the north without its first-choice goalkeeper or its top playmaker at full strength. Steffen is dealing with back spasms that will keep him out for the second straight contest. Pulisic did not travel to El Salvador as he works to regain fitness after testing positive for COVID-19.
New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner should be handed the No. 1 shirt once again Sunday. He earned a clean sheet Thursday and in the USMNT's most recent clash with Canada in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stage on July 18.
Turner's club teammate Tajon Buchanan, who recently inked a deal with Club Brugge that starts after the end of the MLS season, is one of Canada's top threats. Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Buchanan should test the USMNT's biggest area of weakness at full back.
Sergino Dest will likely be moved over to right back by Berhalter after he struggled at left back in the scoreless draw with El Salvador. That could allow Antonee Robinson to slide into the starting XI to deal with Buchanan's pace. Dest would be matched up with Davies if he starts in his natural right back slot.
A fresh Brooks should help the USMNT deal with Davies, Buchanan and Cyle Larin in Nashville.
The logical partner for Brooks would be Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman, who has experience playing on the Nissan Stadium pitch. Zimmerman was an unused substitute in El Salvador. However, Berhalter may call on Miles Robinson for the second straight game. Robinson earned his call-up through a fantastic July at the Gold Cup.
The other concern for the USMNT is where the goals come from. Josh Sargent was not great Thursday and the U.S. needs sharpness in the final third to finish off any significant chances.
Berhalter likely went with Sargent against El Salvador because he is the most experienced forward in the group. If there is a willingness to start someone with fewer international caps, Jordan Pefok could lead the line. Pefok burst on to the USMNT radar with a double-digit scoring effort for Young Boys last season.
The U.S. has plenty of attacking talent on its roster, but most of the other forward options are better suited in wing positions or behind the main striker.
Regardless of who plays up top, the Americans need to find a way to score. Getting a win would allow them to head to Honduras with a good amount of confidence.
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USMNT Opens 2022 World Cup Qualifying with Scoreless Draw vs. El Salvador
Sep 3, 2021
AUSTIN, TX - JULY 29: United States defender Miles Robinson (12) looks for a teammate to pass the ball to during the Gold Cup semifinal match between the United States and Qatar on Thursday July 29th, 2021 at Q2 stadium in Austin,TX. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Four years ago, the United States men's national team shockingly failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. On Thursday night, a squad of fresh-faced talents started on the path to redemption.
It was a... mediocre start.
The United States traveled to El Salvador and left with a scoreless draw in a game that was a bit of a slog to watch, as neither team managed much in the way of consistent chances.
The first half was a rather sloppy affair, with the United States buzzing for the first 10 minutes before El Salvador came into the game and mucked things up a bit. Much of the half was scrappier than Gregg Berhalter would have preferred for his possession-based system.
The U.S. did have the best chance of the first 45, however, as Miles Robinson put his free header in the box off a set piece just over the crossbar.
The second half wasn't much better, as Berhalter's suite of substitutions didn't change the game's flow or find it any better to break down El Salvador's resolute defending.
Kellyn Acosta had the best chance of the second half for either side:
Granted, the United States was without its best player, Christian Pulisic. And they got a point on the road, keeping a clean sheet in a tough environment. The long view is that it wasn't a terrible result.
That's a good result for the U.S.🇺🇸 1st road game in 9, a lot of debutants who now have a WCQ game under belt. Would it be crazy if I said Tim Ream was the MVP tonight?
Not great. But not bad. Plenty of #USMNT players were whacking their way through the CONCACAF jungle for the first time. So mission (sorta) accomplished - although a couple guys certainly need to be better. Home wins + Road draws gets you to a World Cup
But a team full of young talent—many of whom ply their trade at top European clubs—was expected to do better.
Perhaps most emblematic of the struggles of such players was Sergino Dest, playing at left-back instead of his normal position on the right. While he presents a threat going forward given his pace and inability to beat defenders one-on-one, he was a huge liability in defense, to the point that it's fair to question if he's the right type of fullback for a back-4 system.
I don't think you can start Sergino Dest, I don't know what to say. He just doesn't fit right. Leaving a guy out who starts for Barcelona sounds crazy, but it's a fluid situation.
But it wasn't just Dest. Gio Reyna and Brendan Aaronson failed to make a major impact in attack. The USMNT in general seemed to lose its flow in the final third, lingering on the ball too long as two defenders seemed to form a wall in front of every attacker who pushed the play out wide. The snappy, incisive passing that got the United States through the midfield seemed to wane as they neared the danger areas.
Of course, CONCACAF qualifiers on the road aren't for the faint of heart. The El Salvadoran crowd was bumping. A number of hard fouls went uncalled. El Salvador deserves credit for executing a game plan that seemed intent on creating a wall in defense and occasionally threatening on the counter.
There was also this moment for Gio Reyna:
Gio Reyna getting his first experience of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying for the USMNT 😳 pic.twitter.com/SXF7ViuYqE
BTW, this is how road games in CONCACAF are supposed to look like. Many were under impression our guys were gonna show up from Europe and run circles. That's not how it works. #SLVvUSA
These are the types of games the young Americans need to learn how to win. These are the environments they need to learn how to navigate. There is enormous talent for the USMNT, more promise than perhaps any previous generation could boast.
But four years after failing to reach the World Cup, most United States soccer fans are more concerned with the present than the future. They won't be thrilled with what they saw Thursday night, point on the road or not.
USMNT vs. El Salvador: World Cup Qualifying Odds, Time, Live Stream, TV Schedule
Sep 2, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 25: Matt Turner #30 of the MLS All-Stars reacts after making a save against the Liga MX All-Stars in a shootout during the 2021 MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium on August 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The United States men's national team begins its World Cup qualification process on Thursday in El Salvador.
Thursday's match kicks off a six-month, 14-match process in which the top three CONCACAF teams will automatically qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The fourth-place team goes into an inter-continental playoff.
The goal for Gregg Berhalter's side is to finish inside the top three and avoid the disaster of the last qualification cycle.
The USMNT has a ton of European-based players at its disposal, but two will be missing for the opening match of the "Octagonal" against El Salvador.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen and midfielder Christian Pulisic did not travel to Central America. Steffen is dealing with back spasms, while Pulisic is day-to-day after he tested positive for COVID-19 while with Chelsea.
USMNT vs. El Salvador Info
Date: Thursday, September 2
Start Time: 10:05 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
Live Stream: Paramount Plus
Odds (per DraftKings Sportsbook): USMNT (-230; bet $230 to win $100); El Salvador (+550; bet $100 to win $550); Draw (+340)
Preview
Losing Steffen and Pulisic for the first match of World Cup qualifying is a blow to the USMNT, but it should be able to handle their absences.
Matt Turner was confirmed as Steffen's replacement in goal. He has had a fantastic summer with the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer and at the CONCACAF Gold Cup with the national side.
Turner beat out Ethan Horvath, who was the hero in penalty kicks in the CONCACAF Nations League final, for the starting gig on Thursday.
Pulisic's absence was more expected since he tested positive prior to Chelsea's last English Premier League match before the international break.
Berhalter has a handful of options to plug into the midfield, but he may opt for a more conservative approach since the USMNT is on the road.
The MLS-based duo of Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Lletget could be called upon in midfield to provide two-way ability to the USMNT setup.
If the Americans want to be more aggressive, Brenden Aaronson, who scored a few goals in UEFA Champions League qualifying for RB Salzburg, could be called upon to set up chances behind the starting forward.
The USMNT does not have to win on Thursday. The ideal strategy in WCQ is to win every home game and pick up a handful of points on the road.
The target number for points to qualify for the World Cup will be altered from the last cycle since the number of teams in the final qualifying stage moved from six to eight.
El Salvador was one of three teams that needed to go through the first two rounds of qualifying to reach the final stage.
Thursday's host went 3-0-1 in a group with Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and the U.S. Virgin Islands to reach a playoff against Saint Kitts and Nevis, which it won 6-0.
The majority of El Salvador's players ply their trade in the domestic league. Alex Roldan of the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC's Eriq Zavaleta are the two MLS players in the squad.
Roldan could line up against his brother, Cristian. Alex Roldan chose to play for El Salvador in June. Cristian Roldan has been a part of the USMNT setup for a few years.
Thursday's match is the first of three games in the next week that kick off qualifying for the USMNT. The Americans return to home soil to play Canada in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday, and they visit Honduras on Wednesday.
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