USMNT vs. Switzerland: Key takeaways from an alarming loss

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The United States Men’s National Team fell 4-0 to Switzerland in a chastening defeat Tuesday  that erased the entire goodwill it earned from its close-run tournament in opposition to Turkey previous this week. All 4 of Switzerland’s objectives got here inside the first 40 mins, and all 4 got here from easy, completely avoidable USMNT errors.

This tournament was once supposed to be the USMNT’s grand send-off sooner than the Concacaf Gold Cup, but it surely briefly modified from a birthday celebration to an emergency as objective after objective proved simply how unprepared the USMNT is for its continental competition.

Take not anything clear of Switzerland: The nati have been perfection, they usually greater than earned their win. (The Swiss nationwide crew is ranked 20th on the earth and will have to most definitely be a just right deal upper.) Teenager Johan Manzambi, the winger from Freiburg, seemed particularly stellar.

Here are the important thing takeaways from a nasty night time on the workplace for the USMNT:

Defensive verbal exchange is a huge drawback

The USMNT is attempting out many alternative defensive combos within the run-up to the World Cup, as properly it will have to — Mauricio Pochettino is smart to experiment all over friendlies like this one in hopes of discovering his highest again line for 2026. We can most likely all agree, then again, that the USMNT’s highest again line is not the only it fielded in opposition to Switzerland. Nathan Harriel, Mark McKenzie, Walker Zimmerman and Max Arfsten simply could not get issues in combination. 

“We need to take the pressure off them,” Pochettino stated of his gamers within the post-match information convention. “It was my decision and my fault.”

Their factor? Communication. All 4 of Switzerland’s first-half objectives got here from minor messaging disasters between the USMNT’s again line. For Dan Ndoye’s objective, they have been just too prime; for Michel Aebischer’s, they failed to identify the marauding Johan Manzambi at the a ways proper flank. For Breel Embolo’s, they did not quilt their goalkeeper; for Johan Manzambi’s, they simply did not do the rest, duration. It was once a damning night time for the USMNT’s again line.

All hope isn’t misplaced, although. When the USMNT installed its heartening efficiency in opposition to Turkey a couple of days in the past, it leveraged Alex Freeman and Chris Richards instead of Harriel and Zimmerman — and that again line seemed significantly extra composed. If there may be any sure to remove from how the USMNT carried out in objective in opposition to Switzerland, it is that it highlighted simply how precious Freeman and Richards are to the crew. Pochettino may not drop the ones two once more.

The USMNT must bulk up

Full-back Max Arfsten and winger Brenden Aaronson mixed for some slick strikes at the left flank within the opening moments of the primary 1/2, however each gamers have been regularly muscled off the ball through Switzerland’s well-drilled defenders. For the entire USMNT’s sins up to now, it was once by no means a frail crew; it would all the time pass toe-to-toe with the most productive when it got here to brawn. Not anymore. The USMNT seemed love it had skilled for an absolutely other game than the Swiss. Some of this was once because of inexperience — the USMNT lineup featured a number of growing gamers of their early 20s — however inexperience simplest justifies such a lot.

Diego Luna stays a shiny spot in a sea of darkness

The USMNT was once by no means going to overturn its 4-0 halftime deficit, but if 21-year-old Diego Luna of Real Salt Lake trotted onto the sphere, he performed like a turnaround was once absolutely inside of his achieve. Luna was once the one USMNT participant who gave the impression completely unbothered through the scoreline. He went in for each problem love it may just make or spoil the sport — and for a USMNT fandom that does not have a lot to cheer for, that roughly daring, unruffled dedication is strictly what the crew wishes to turn.

The USMNT will open its Gold Cup match in opposition to Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, June 15 at 6 p.m. ET in San Jose, California.

All quotations received firsthand except another way famous.