The United States has played in the knockout stage of the World Cup three times. For the first time at the quadrennial event against a team not from North America, the Americans were denied an opportunity to win a game after losses to Belgium and Ghana. The USMNT did not win a knockout stage game until it defeated Mexico in the Round of 16 of the World Cup in 2022.
The US won its only knockout match two decades ago. The chance to buck the trend against The Netherlands should be taken by both of them. The USMNT fans were surprised by the lack of play by Reyna at the World Cup. It is safe to assume that Christian Pulisic won't play due to a pelvic contusion and Josh Sargent won't play due to an ankle injury. It is dumb to play Haji Wright again after how bad he has looked in the group stage. Berhalter is not going to put his best 11 players on the field if he starts Jesus Ferreira.
Tim Weah needs to complete the group as a false-nine in the middle of the front three. The Americans have played three games so far in the tournament and with the leg up to play more against Holland, it would be a travesty if they didn't use the first man off the bench. The United States has only one personnel concern going into its knockout game and that is its top-line talent.
I don't care who starts beside Tim Ream. The two have been great. There's no reason to doubt either of them. At the tournament, both American outside backs will face their birth nations. Robinson and Dest both have British fathers. At the international level, he was able to represent Holland. Dest's professional career began in The Netherlands. He ran into a few players over the course of 11 years. There is one defender that should not be in the field again. He did the right thing in his two appearances against England and Iran, but he raised his hand and said "my bad" more than he did the right thing.
Turner has been stable at his job. Musah, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie are locked in for the rest of the tournament and possibly the World Cup. Adams has been the best player for the USA at the tournament and if the US is going to beat the Dutch, he will have to put out a lot of fires. The Americans will return to the US on Sunday if Adams doesn't play well.
Gakpo, who plays for the Netherlands, will likely join a big club this winter or summer because of his play in the tournament. He has three goals in the tournament so far, and I think he will add to that against the US. The USMNT has scored less than a goal per game at the World Cup so far. It's important for Berhalter to make those little personnel changes because that won't cut it from here on out
The Netherlands is the team to beat. The Americans are looking like a tough team to beat in the tournament. No team has scored on the U.S. through the first three games of the season. The USMNT is the only team that has done that. The Americans won't get a plane ticket if it ends against the Dutch. I think the USA will not score a goal in the second half against the Dutch. I am not sure if the U.S. side is prepared to take down a global power. I think the Dutch won by a score of 3 to 1.
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