America males’s nationwide workforce’s summer season of experimentation has been prolonged all the best way to the autumn equinox, and on Saturday night towards South Korea, so too did the disappointing outcomes. The two-0 loss towards the Taeguk Warriors on a steamy and damp night at Sports activities Illustrated Stadium might have supplied US head coach Mauricio Pochettino with invaluable new insights about his additions to the US participant pool, as he stated was his purpose for this worldwide window. It might have confirmed pre-conceived theories about which gamers from an MLS-heavy roster could make the step as much as the worldwide degree. It might have executed none of these issues. Whichever manner, it actually served as a continuation of a malaise for a workforce that desperately wants to interrupt out of its stoop simply 279 days earlier than internet hosting the primary recreation of a house World Cup that’s meant to be transformative.
There was no such malaise for South Korea, even with head coach Hong Myung-bo below heavy criticism at residence for the workforce’s current stale performances. The capability crowd in Harrison, New Jersey actually had one thing to do with that obvious rejuvenation, with the overwhelming majority cheering for the guests – a truth which will seem shocking till you think about the city is simply down the best way from Fort Lee, residence to a rising South Korean diaspora. The nation’s conventional “Daehan minguk” chants broke out greater than 20 minutes earlier than kickoff, and continued all through as wild cheers accompanied each thrust from Hong’s counterattacking aspect.
The US can fairly count on extra favorable crowds at a house World Cup, however they’ll hope to go away the shape they confirmed on Saturday far behind. Pochettino’s aspect began decently, and had the higher of play by a lot of the opening quarter-hour. However because it was in a equally experimental recreation towards Turkey earlier this yr, preliminary flashes didn’t pan out into something constructive over the 90 minutes.
Key among the many aspect’s failings was a scarcity of communication in protection. Tristan Blackmon, the 29-year-old debutant who was one in all a pair shock inclusions in Pochettino’s squad, was on the heart of some of them, however no US participant was immune. Again and again, gamers as skilled as Tyler Adams, Tim Ream, and Sergiño Dest have been scrambling to meet up with a Korea workforce that appeared one step forward all through.
As was suspected, Son Heung-min started the sport in a comparatively new position because the Taeguk Warriors’ beginning striker. The newly signed LAFC artificial it clear that he generally is a distinction maker in that place – scoring the sport’s opening purpose within the 18th minute in what was a crystal clear instance of each US disjointedness and South Korean verve. With the US flat-footed and with big gaps inside and between the midfield and defensive strains, Son learn the scenario, parked himself in between Ream and Blackmon, bought the ball, turned, and made no mistake along with his end.
For the second purpose, Son was performed by on a easy give-and-go on the high of the field, and slipped previous Ream and Blackmon to poke the ball away from the onrushing goalkeeper Matt Freese. Lee Dong-gyeong’s flicked end was removed from easy and well-executed, however the circumstances that led to it have been onerous to fathom from a workforce hoping to make noise on the world’s stage.
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South Korea generated a number of extra possibilities and near-misses on the again of US errors. Simply six minutes after conceding, Christian Pulisic and Adams left giant gaps within the People’ form by sprinting to the identical spot, the place Korea lower off entry to each with a well-coordinated excessive press that ultimately pressured Freese into one in all a number of close-call clearances on the night time.
South Korea did make errors of their very own, however the US repeatedly didn’t capitalize. Within the twenty seventh minute, a sloppy giveaway whereas enjoying out of the again put the mixture of Diego Luna, Josh Sargent, Pulisic and Tim Weah in on purpose. They couldn’t discover a respectable window on purpose although, and Weah’s effort was saved.
Pochettino opted to make a rash of subs within the 61st minute, bringing on Alex Freeman for Dest, Chris Richards for Weah, Folarin Balogun for Sargent, and Cristian Roldan for Adams. Together with these introductions got here a shift in formation, from a again 4 to a again, 5 with Freeman and Max Arfsten pushing ahead on both touchline.
The US don’t typically play with a again 5, and neither have most of Pochettino’s sides all through his time as a supervisor. On this event, a couple of extra scoring possibilities did observe the shift, although it’s tough to say if the brand new association or the US’s growing desperation was to thank for the advance.
It culminated in a few possibilities that have been inches away from breakthroughs. In a single, a set-piece fell to Richards, who appeared just like the central defender he’s, because the ball ricocheted off his thigh and into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo. In one other, Jo was the hero once more, saving two consecutive point-blank efforts from Balogun earlier than the striker had a 3rd chew of the cherry, placing his last effort off the crossbar. Balogun was put by on purpose once more within the recreation’s dying moments, and Jo saved once more.
Missed possibilities, massive and small, proceed to observe this workforce as their second within the highlight looms, more and more ominously.