By: Phoebe Huang

In 2022, The United State’s National team experienced a detrimental loss to the Netherlands, losing by a 3-1 margin. The nation wondered why Gregg Berhalter’s side couldn’t get the job done.

“When you look at the difference between the two teams; to me, there was some offensive finishing quality that we are lacking a bit,” Berhalter answered, “It is normal. We have a very young group and they are going to catch up to that.”

However, it can be hard to put so much positivity into a team after they get poorly eliminated in the World Cup. A team will have to redeem itself many more times to be recognized again. And on that note, let’s talk about the game last Thursday, where the USMNT went against Panama.

For the first quarter hour, the USMNT seemed to have the upper hand against Panama and were living up to their dreams. Panama is the type of archenemy that Berhalter’s team would welcome. This game was a chance for the USMNT to get their reputation back since they were familiar with Panama’s tactics.

And another defeat… One of USMNT’s key players Tim Weah was given the red card 18 minutes into the match for an unsporting play of the ball. He was taken off the field, lowering heavily their chances of winning. After the whistle marked the end of the game, Berhalter’s team suffered another loss, which was quite surprising, since they had experience with Panama and knew what tactics they would use.

The results have made many ask: if you knew where the opponent would lay its strategic traps, why did you end up ensnared by one entirely of your own creation?

Ever since Berhalter’s takeover in 2018, his team has stood out for their ability to overcome and adapt and eventually force Mexico into a corner. Even though this was a notable improvement, it was nothing compared to Costa Rica or Canada.

However, Berhalter and his team will not give up. Perhaps in the next 4 years, the players will make great strides.