Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic are purring - but Tyler Adams' absence continues to cause concern: Winners and losers from the USMNT's October friendlies
Gregg Berhalter's attack impressed against Germany and Ghana, but without their captain, the U.S. still look vulnerable going the other way
The United States men's national team went into October's camp with one singular goal in mind. All through the buildup, the U.S. discussedproving, to themselves and others, that they belonged. They were a young, fun team in Qatar in 2022. By the time the 2026 World Cup rolls around, though, the USMNT wants to be feared.
DId they accomplish that this camp? No, they didn't, but, to be fair, they were never going to. It was an impossible task, making a statement that big over two friendlies, and it wasn't one that the U.S. would succeed in completing even on the best of days.
Still, the U.S. did make some sort of mark. They battled Germany, at least for 45 minutes, before succumbing to an elite team. They then beat the snot out of Ghana, crushing the Black Stars 4-0 to end the camp on a high.
Because of that, this camp will be considered something of a success. It wasn't perfect, by any means, as the U.S. really could have used a better performance against Germany. However, they clearly went back to the drawing board after that loss and took out whatever frustrations they had on Ghana.
Where does the USMNT stand on the world stage? It's still TBD. The road to 2026 continues on.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from October camp...
Read on goal.com
