COLUMBUS, Ohio – Anyone who follows the U.S. men’s national team knows the weight of this city. Columbus is the USMNT’s spiritual home. There have been so many great national team nights in Columbus, so many big moments in which the USMNT defied the odds.
Perfect timing, then, for the U.S. to return to Ohio for a vital friendly. It’s a friendly, yes, but an important one. For years, Columbus has seemed to be where the USMNT have gone when the program needs a win. Tuesday, surely, feels like one of those nights.
The U.S. heads into this game against Japan on a low. Losses to Panama, Canada, Turkey, Switzerland, Mexico and, most recently, South Korea – with a run to the Gold Cup final sandwiched between – have put this team’s collective back against the wall. With a World Cup looming, Mauricio Pochettino and his squad are facing legitimate questions.
“It’s nothing to shy away from,” striker Folarin Balogun said. “America’s a huge country with so many people, so many supporters and that’s kind of what you sign up for by representing such a huge, huge nation. When things are going well, you know that you have millions of people behind you, so you can’t take the good without the bad. We know we need the results, because that’s the thing that confirms everything.
“From a psychological point of view, it’s difficult to lose. It’s not what I prepare for. It’s not what I train for. At the end of the day, we’re training to win and to give the fans something to care about. Losing is not something anyone is satisfied with, I can tell you that for sure.”
How will the USMNT approach the match? How could the tearm turn the tide? Will veterans such as Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams help reverse course? Or will Pochettino, as he insisted on Monday“stick with the plan” and continue tinkering with lineups and tactics against Japan?
GOAL looks at five keys for the USMNT against Japan.