USMNT vs Uzbekistan preview: Berhalter is back

Gregg Berhalter is again. Because the saying goes, there may be nothing new underneath the Solar. From October of 2017 to December of 2018, US Soccer swore up and down it was conducting an actual teaching search. They employed Gregg Berhalter, brother of US Soccer’s Jay Berhalter. Now, this yr, new Sporting Director Matt Crocker swore up and down that he performed an actual teaching search. He re-hired Gregg Berhalter.

And as was the case for the majority of Berhalter’s first go-round as US supervisor, his first video games in cost now are video games at dwelling towards weak opponents. The primary of those two simple friendlies is towards Uzbekistan.

US roster

Essentially the most notable factor about this US roster will not be who’s there however who isn’t there. That’s proper. Gregg Berhalter is again and Gio Reyna will not be. In an interview he gave to Vainness Truthful, Berhalter as soon as once more bragged about how he hasn’t talked to Reyna because the World Cup (although he one way or the other discovered time to speak to a non-soccer publication…about Reyna).

Of these which might be there maybe probably the most stunning is Ricardo Pepi who was left off the World Cup roster, and who admitted to only hanging up on Berhalter when he was advised he wasn’t going to Qatar (the place the US struggled mightily to attain objectives).

Pepi apart, there are only a few surprises on this roster. Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath are in aim. The backline options the standard suspects of Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, and Sergiño Dest. The midfield sees the return of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Luca del la Torre. The forwards are Christian Pulisic, Brendan Aaronson, Tim Weah and up to date US commit Folarin Balogun.

USMNT feeling Messi impact

The largest story in American soccer is, no doubt, Lionel Messi with Inter Miami. They’ve been an virtually unstoppable drive each on the sphere (11 video games and not using a loss) and off it. And whereas Messi has been the showstopper, his teammates have additionally benefitted from his presence.

Goalkeeper Drake Callendar earned his first nationwide crew call-up off the again of Inter Miami’s newfound success, having saved three clear sheets and solely given up a single aim in an extra 5 video games since Messi’s arrival. Additionally incomes a call-up based mostly on Miami’s success is midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi. The 18-year-old has not lit up the stat sheet (only one aim, plus changing two penalties in Leagues Cup shootouts) however is a twin nationwide, having represented Argentina on the U20 stage.