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The United States men’s nationwide group performs its first dwelling game of Concacaf World Cup qualifying Sunday in opposition to one amongst the rising international locations in the boys’s game.
The USMNT welcomes Canada to Nissan Stadium in Nashville for its simplest dwelling match of the September global break.
Gregg Berhalter’s squad picked up a 0-0 entice El Salvador on Thursday to kick off the 14-match octagonal round, from which the tip three will technique to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
With three video games in less than a week, squad rotation and depth come into play for Sunday’s clash in opposition to Canada and Wednesday’s time out to Honduras. For instance, first-different center wait on John Brooks changed into saved out of the beginning lineup Thursday so he’ll be unique for Sunday’s showdown.
The U.S. might perhaps perhaps very neatly be without Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen for a 2nd straight game. Pulisic is working wait on to fitness after a sure COVID-19 take a look at whereas at Chelsea, and Steffen is facing a wait on insist.
USMNT vs. Canada Data
Date: Sunday, September 5
Originate Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Live Crawl: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports actions app
Odds (by technique of DraftKings Sportsbook): USMNT -185 (bet $185 to set up $100); Canada +475 (bet $100 to set up $475); plan +280
Preview
The aim is easy for the USMNT on Sunday: accomplish three aspects.
If the People identify 95 p.c of their dwelling video games and steal up some results on the road, adore they did in El Salvador, they needs to be in a good plan to technique to Qatar.
Canada set up itself in an harmful station out of the gates, drawing with Honduras in Toronto on Thursday.
Mexico changed into essentially the most easy group to set up its octagonal opener, beating Jamaica 2-1. Panama and Costa Rica performed to a scoreless entice the opposite 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 tricky station, the USMNT might perhaps perhaps scramble stage on aspects with its top continental rival by technique of a victory on dwelling soil.
Nonetheless, it appears to be like that the U.S. will include to beat its rival to the north without its first-different goalkeeper or its top playmaker at fleshy energy. Steffen is facing wait on spasms that can retain him out for the 2nd straight contest. Pulisic didn’t poke to El Salvador as he works to gather fitness after trying out sure for COVID-19.
Original England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner needs to be handed the No. 1 shirt as soon as all as soon as more Sunday. He earned a clear sheet Thursday and in the USMNT’s most latest clash with Canada in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stage on July 18.
Turner’s club teammate Tajon Buchanan, who lately inked a address Club Brugge that starts after the rupture of the MLS season, is one amongst Canada’s top threats. Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Buchanan will include to peaceful take a look at the USMNT’s largest dwelling of weak point at fleshy wait on.
Sergino Dest will probably be moved over to actual wait on by Berhalter after he struggled at left wait on in the scoreless plan with El Salvador. That would enable Antonee Robinson to fling into the beginning XI to address Buchanan’s hump. Dest might perhaps perhaps be matched up with Davies if he starts in his pure actual wait on slot.
A novel Brooks will include to peaceful lend a hand the USMNT address Davies, Buchanan and Cyle Larin in Nashville.
The logical companion for Brooks might perhaps perhaps be Nashville SC’s Walker Zimmerman, who has skills taking part in on the Nissan Stadium pitch. Zimmerman changed into an unused substitute in El Salvador. Nonetheless, Berhalter might perhaps perhaps name on Miles Robinson for the 2nd straight game. Robinson earned his name-up by technique of a ravishing July at the Gold Cup.
The opposite misfortune for the USMNT is the save the needs come from. Josh Sargent changed into no longer astronomical Thursday and the U.S. needs sharpness in the final third to perform off any essential probabilities.
Berhalter probably went with Sargent in opposition to El Salvador because he is mainly the most skilled forward in the group. If there is a willingness to launch any individual with fewer global caps, Jordan Pefok might perhaps perhaps lead the road. Pefok burst on to the USMNT radar with a double-digit scoring effort for Younger Boys final season.
The U.S. has quite loads of attacking skills on its roster, nonetheless slightly quite loads of the opposite forward strategies are better suited in fly positions or leisurely the most essential striker.
No topic who performs up top, the People must gain a formulation to attain. Getting a identify would enable them to head to Honduras with a factual quantity of self belief.
Be conscious Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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