New-looking USMNT shows comfort and confidence to beat Japan 2-0 | United States

This international window of the United States once seemed likely to be disastrous. Now, it has been upgraded to a strange imbalance.

A highly respected U.S. scored goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun, defeating the Japanese spinning team 2-0 at Columbus’ Lower.com Field. The results have led Mauricio Pochettino to insist that the recent U.S. low-standard outcome is part of a single-target plan: to arrive at the World Cup in peak form.

From the moment the last whistle blew, the head coach of the United States has been in a state of resistance 2-0 loss to South Korea on Saturday – The game started well in the United States, but it was constantly cancelled due to poor communication later, lacking clinical ending. Pochettino then told reporters that he thinks the United States is a better team overall – he doubled it once he arrived in Columbus, but with an additional advantage.

“We need to understand, we need to have a lineup and players we need to know and give the possibility of the game,” he said. “In the World Cup, this is not a moment to do the exam or give the possibility of the experience. That’s why you won’t be surprised.”

Pochettino promises rotation and new assessment ideas, and that’s what he has to offer: a 3-4-2-1 formation for Japan, with Chris Richards, Tim Ream and Tristan Blackmon forming the back three on the right wing, 21-year-old Orlando Starlet Alex Freeman and Columbus crew’s Max Arfsten forming the back three 21-year-old Orlando star Alex Freeman. Cristian Roldan, a late member of the team, started in the midfield with Tyler Adams, while Zendejas started with Christian Pulisic, trailing Balogun at Striker.

In each line, a new arrangement offers opportunities for players who are unlikely to be the starter of the World Cup next summer, but most certainly who can play a major role. In defense, Blackmon made up for a solid show in Saturday’s international game, which showed that he could at least choose a thin American central defender group. The broad Arfsten took advantage of his best position with less defensive responsibility to launch the cross on the cross that led to the American opener. Roldan is the stable, professional self next to Adams. In the attack, Zendejas demonstrates the work rate and technical quality of the technology, which makes him relatively rare in the US winger’s American choice.

Of course, things are far from perfect. As he had against South Korea, Balogun wasn’t scoring despite a series of holes in the first 20 minutes, while Japanese goalkeeper Keisuke Osako performed well to make some savings in the brutal situation. The United States is still too passive on both sides of the ball, although not as close as it is against the North Koreans. Goalkeeper Matt Freese doesn’t always look sure or confident when dealing with crosses and fixing debris. The team’s starting goalkeeper remains an open question.

It must also be noted that Japan does not have most of the usual starters, and he used the first team in a scoreless draw against Mexico on Saturday. Still, the players on the court showed all the logos of head coach Hajime Moriyasu, trying to use pace and skills to imbalance the United States. Mass on the ball that makes these moves count may sometimes be lacking, but re-tripping our backline also plays a role.

The breakout came half an hour later, with Arfsten exerting an action on Japan’s Henry Mochizuki, taking him to the left wing and then tilting on a well-rhythmic ball, landing at the height of the Zendejas. The club’s América winger accepted the fervent invitation and took the ball out of the air as a defender on his back and guided it to the corner far away.

Zendejas celebrated by running to Arfsten, pointing at the Columbus crew to emphasize to home fans that their players have created important breakthroughs that could prove as the World Cup approaches.

After this, in 30 minutes, against South Korea, the United States performed well. On Tuesday, though, the U.S. did a better job of maintaining pressure. Americans own property, refuse to let Japan get rid of half of themselves, threatening to score points, or be blocked by desperate defenses, even if the final product isn’t always there. The Japanese also helped the United States – at one point Prisic was able to easily intercept the pass from behind, but he was swarmed in quickly and his efforts were stopped.

This action seemed to awaken the pulse from another quiet performance in the American shirt. In the 48th minute, the Milan star combined well with Arfsten and Zendejas and scored again but the shot was blocked in close range. Six minutes later, he went straight to the back row of Japan and locked the ball held by Balogun, and Osako saved the goalkeeper’s outstanding performance again.

Finally, Jack McGlynn and Damion Downs are best proof of Pochettino’s paper, both of whom are in the form of alternatives, adding almost three outstanding goals: McGlynn (one saved and one off the bar) from the outside of the box, and Downs (one interacting from the middle) intervening from the middle, sold from the middle. They are opportunities from a team that finally seems to be satisfied with the task at hand and capable of completing the task.

Whether that feeling will expand to the first team at its biggest stage next summer remains to be seen.