Gregg Berhalter's selections justified with United States on brink of World Cup berth

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11:44 PM ET

It is a manager's lot to be second-guessed. The decisions are analyzed to the smallest detail. Mistakes are highlighted. International managers have armchair coaches who never hold back.

The credit goes to the U.S. men's national team manager. He had some difficult choices to make over the last week before the Panama game. The U.S. was coming off an exhausting draw with Mexico in the altitude of Azteca. How much could the U.S. manager rely on the players that played the most? There was an injury bug that forced the U.S. to do without three players. Berhalter's options were further limited by the positive COVID-19 test for Reggie Cannon, as well as the yellow card suspensions to DeAndre Yedlin and Tim Weah.

Berhalter's personnel decisions on Sunday invited scrutiny. Is Paul Arriola the best choice out wide? Is it possible that Shaq Moore was an emergency call-up at right-back? The decision was made to start Jesus Ferreira against Panama.

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All of them came through in huge ways, not only delivering on Berhalter's next man up mentality, but speaking to the team's depth. Arriola scored a beautiful goal. The kind of garbage goal that was scored by Ferreira was thought to be the domain of Jordan Pefok or RicardoPepi. Moore held down the right side of the U.S. defense. The U.S. powered its way to a critical 5-1 victory over the Canaleros, putting the USMNT on the verge of qualification to the World Cup.

Berhalter said after the match that they wanted to be aggressive. We want to score goals and play with intensity. It is great to see that output.

Some decisions were made for Berhalter. The U.S. manager said as many as 20 players and staff were laid low by a stomach bug after the Mexico game. According to sources, Reyna was impacted. There was some logic to the decisions. Moore last played for the U.S. back in October, and Arriola's work rate gave him extra cover. Moore was able to get into the attack where he was most effective, helping to set up the goal. The attacking end was helped by Arriola's pressing. With Panama in desperation mode following its home draw against Honduras last Thursday, there was bound to be more space for Ferreira and his mobility to exploit.

We had to call on our depth in this window, and it was something where guys needed to step up. We don't call players in unless we trust them and think they can perform at a good level.

The right buttons were pushed by Berhalter. The tired Yunus Musah was pulled at half-time. Adams would have been suspended if he had picked up a caution, but he was replaced with the game well in hand. The team's emotions were the same. The depth pieces made big contributions.

It is difficult to keep players engaged when playing time drops. It requires constant attention, keeping track of the pulse of the team, and doling out playing time when the time is right. The performances throughout the team are proof that Berhalter is managing this aspect well.

Arriola said that the culture of the group was built by the staff. I think we all click. In order to be a part of this team, you have to put the team first. Everyone really, really does that when I tell you that.

Some decisions are no-brainers, such as penciling Pulisic into the starting lineup. The attacker has had an up and down campaign, coming through against Mexico at home, but also at times looking reluctant to push the pace. The U.S. will not be able to qualify for the World Cup because of Costa Rica's win in El Salvadoran.

We needed the three points bad to put us in a really good spot to qualify and we are really happy with the performance, according to a team spokesman after not being made available to reporters.

The U.S. hasn't completely wrapped up qualification just yet, despite the banner the players displayed after the final whistle and was then whisked away. It would take a huge upset in Costa Rica on Wednesday to get out of the automatic qualification spots. The U.S. has a better goal differential than the Ticos because they have to win by six goals.

Even though the U.S. has been 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 The players that were on the field four years ago are not taking anything for granted.

Arriola was in the exact position four years ago. I think it is just maintaining focus, knowing that we still have work to do, and anything is possible. The mentality of this group is to go down there and get a good result against Costa Rica.

Berhalter has the same mindset. The U.S. missed out on a chance to get an historic qualification win at the Azteca, but a win against the Ticos on Wednesday would make its own history.

The final step can be difficult. The U.S. is close to being able to qualify. Wednesday is the time to get to their goal.