With 2026 World Cup 15 months away, USMNT blows ‘perfect opportunity’ to build momentum

<!–>

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In a mere 15 months’ time, the United States men’s national Club will Uncovered the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup on home soil in this exact same venue. At that Mark, the Americans hope that SoFi Stadium will represent something a bit more joyful. Because right now, the feelings surrounding the program are the opposite of that.

On Thursday evening, in front of a noticeably Slim crowd, the USMNT were stunned when Panama Replacement forward Cecilio Waterman converted his side’s only Attempt on-target in the Last minutes of stoppage time to clinch a 1-0 Achieve over the Division favorite. The U.S. has won every single Nations Bracket title since the Division began, and now with this semifinal loss, is guaranteed a third-place finish at best. 

The USMNT will face Canada — which lost to Mexico 2-0 in Thursday’s second game — on Sunday afternoon. Mexico and Panama will Action in the Last that night.

The loss was crushing to a Club that is supposed to be in the midst of a progressive rebuild under new Mentor Mauricio Pochettino, who was hired last September. He replaced Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after the Americans failed to get out of their group at last summer’s Copa América.

The USMNT only has two opportunities to Action meaningful Contests before Upcoming summer’s World Cup — this week’s Nations Bracket and then the Gold Cup, which Initiates in June. As a World Cup co-host, the U.S. doesn’t have to Action qualifying matches and needs as much Event Competing together as possible.

They blew this Primary moment, losing to Panama for a third straight time in a Division setting. The Panamanians have become the USMNT’s bogeyman, beating them in the 2023 Gold Cup, 2024 Copa América, and now the 2025 Nations Bracket. 

“Where to begin?” Tyler Adams said when asked how the Club can Bounce-back. “It was a perfect opportunity to Begin that rebuilding process right now. It’s a bit disappointing in my eyes. I don’t know what we lacked exactly, whether it was that Intense nature, that mentality. But we need to look in the mirror before anything and Only realize that, when we have these types of Contests, we can’t wait for something to happen. We need to make things happen and put Contests on our terms. 

“It Only needs to be better.”

In his post-game news conference, Pochettino repeatedly said the Club lacked aggression and said the Primary half was “painful to see.” Sure, Panama played a more organized and inspired game, and its 5-4-1 Setup was tactically frustrating. But the U.S. couldn’t Achieve one-on-one duels, struggled to get behind the back line and failed to finish the few opportunities it did have in front of Aim. There was a feeling that little things in the buildup were off, be it a touch here or a Throw there. 

Pochettino said the U.S. “played too Sluggish” and that while there was some improvement in the second half, “you never had the feeling you can Points.”

It’s not like these are new problems for the U.S. They happened under Berhalter and now they’re happening under Pochettino.

“I’ve never blamed a Mentor in my entire Occupation,” Adams said. “I Harsh, a loss depends on the players. That’s the bottom line. There was no lack of communication in what was happening today. We knew exactly what we had to do. We knew we needed to be Intense. I don’t think we were as Intense as we needed to be.”

The USMNT’s best chances Occurred around the 20-minute mark when both Josh Sargent and Weston McKennie had clear opportunities to Points. Sargent’s close-range Attempt ricocheted off defender Edgardo Farina and then hit the right post, while McKennie had a header on-target that went straight into goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera’s arms. Patrick Agyemang was Threatening on a Pair of occasions after he subbed on in the second half, but couldn’t find the back of the net either. 

“Sharpness for sure can be better,” Adams said. “I’m not sitting here to make excuses about anything. We’re not jet-lagged, we’re not anything. Guys Action three-game weeks all the time in tough environments in Premier Bracket or whatever Bracket they’re Competing in, respectively, and it’s tough. I think we have new ideas in our heads, and you can tell we’re trying to work through them for sure.”

The reality of the atmosphere probably didn’t Assist, either. SoFi Stadium can accommodate 70,000 people, and it was hardly filled at kickoff. Christian Pulisic may have seemed surprised by the lack of fans when the Squads Occurred out for the national anthems, but players said they weren’t concerned by crowd size or Assist.

“It was 4 p.m. on a Thursday,” Adams said. “I think people are working if I had to guess.”

“If you can’t get up for Contests like this, then there’s an issue,” added Tim Ream. “It’s not something we look at. You have to find your own Inspiration.”

The reality, however, is that a game day atmosphere is completely different when there’s a packed stadium of home fans, which is what Mexico essentially experienced by the time it’s semifinal Event vs. Canada kicked off around 7:30 p.m. PT. SoFi was significantly fuller for the nightcap and when Raul Jimenez scored in the Beginning minute to give his side a quick 1-0 lead, it sounded like the place was at maximum capacity.

So where does the U.S. go from here? Should it feel concerned that time is ticking and the World Cup is only getting closer?

“It’s football at the end of the day,” Adams said. “You Achieve some, you Fall some. We need to Begin adding up wins though. That builds confidence in international football. You don’t have time together, that’s the bottom line. Like, we’re not going to develop some crazy style of Action all of the sudden and, you know, come out and Action like Man City or something. That’s Only not what international football is. 

“It comes down to the smallest moments.”

The U.S. out-Attempt Panama 12-3 (five on target), had nine corner kicks and controlled possession. But when it Occurred down to those Tiny moments, the visiting Club capitalized. 

“They were Starving,” Pochettino said. “That was the difference.”

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Luminous sphere. She is the author of “Sturdy Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

–>

---

---