U.s._u-20_-_asn_top_-_post_mexico_loss_-_8-4-24
Tuesday rundown

USMNT search continues, U-20's qualify, transfer talk, Leagues Cup, and Yanks Abroad rundown

ASN's Brian Sciaretta is back from Paris covering the Olympic team and here are his thoughts on many of the topics while he was away including the USMNT, the U.S. U-20 team, transfers, Leagues Cup, and Americans abroad preseason and season updates. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
August 06, 2024
5:05 PM

IT WAS A LONG trip away from covering the men’s Olympic team, but I’m back, adjusted from travel, and I am ready to go. Covering the Olympics was a thrill, but it left me with too little time to write about other news items in American soccer such as the USMNT coaching search, the U-20 qualifiers, transfer talk, Leagues Cup, and Americans abroad.

Let’s talk about what is going on.

 

Matarazzo in the USMNT mix?

 

I wrote a long piece yesterday about why I think Pellegrino Matarazzo would be a great hire for the USMNT head coach. It came on the heels of German reports that he was offered the job.

Long-time readers might remember that I have been covering and following Matarazzo’s coaching career for over a decade and I have interviewed him multiple times over the years. The first time I spoke to him was in 2010 for Yanks Abroad when he was the head coach for FC Nurnberg’s U-19 team.

What I liked about Matarazzo is that he takes risks with his career, he helps teams turn things around, and he shakes things up. When he took over Stuttgart, he got them promoted in a half-season’s worth of work. The then took them to the top 10 of the Bundesliga in his first full season.

Then at Hoffenheim, the team was sinking towards relegation. After a tough six-week stretch, he eventually righted the ship and kept them safe. Then in his first full season, he led them to a seventh-place finish and a spot in the Conference League. Also at Hoffenheim, he was not afraid to bench expensive imports if they did not fit.

Overall, it seemed like a great fit for the USMNT. As someone who has followed his career every step of the way, I wrote a piece endorsing the move, if it were to happen. There is so much talk of the U.S. team needing to hire a winner, but I disagree. The U.S. team needs a coach that rebuilds or turns around a team trending in the wrong direction. They need a shake-up person. That is a step or two before you need someone who can get them to the podium. Matarazzo would be the gut to stop a skid and put things on the right track.

But on Tuesday, Matarazzo put out a statement through Hoffenheim’s official channels that make it clear he’s not intent on leaving the club.



The statement in English reads: “"It is extremely important to create clarity and calm in this turbulent phase. I am proud to be the coach of this team and am very much looking forward to competing with the boys in European competition in the new season. I am convinced that with the right additions to the squad we will have another successful season."

It does leave for some wiggle room, but it does seem like Matarazzo is sticking with Hoffenheim.

If Matarazzo was a top choice, U.S. Soccer must move on with the search. This only increases the likelihood the September window will be another interim manager.

As for who I’m keeping an eye on, it’s Thierry Henry who has France in the Gold Medal game.

 

U-20’s qualify, but suffer heartbreak vs. Mexico

 

The good news is that ultimately, the U.S. U-20 national team succeeded in qualifying for the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile. The team finished second in the CONCACAF U-20 Championships which ensured that the team would participate in its sixth straight World Cup.

There are a lot of reasons to be happy about this. First, the U-20 team was denied the release of over 10 players for this tournament. Second, the tournament was played in Mexico – which is a tough place to play. Third, the conditions and the environment in the tournament were not pleasant given the condition of the fields and the tough security issues. Given the challenges, the U.S. took care of business, even if the team didn’t always play well.

That is all good.

But then it is impossible not to acknowledge that the brutal loss to Mexico in the final left a bitter taste, despite the positives. Having a 1-0 lead, only to concede an equalizer with the last kick of regulation is something that should not happen. Then the team conceded a Mexican winner in stoppage time of the second extratime period.

 

It is hard to think of a more brutal ending to a game, especially when it is to a rival, and it snaps three straight CONCACAF U-20 titles won by the U.S. team.

Any kind of “mission accomplished” feel is tainted by such a loss in extraordinary manner. The U.S. team did not play particularly well against Mexico – who heavily outshot the U.S. team. Nimfasha Berchimas scored a stunning goal, but the collapse was brutal.

The players involved need to learn from this, and head coach Michael Nsien will need to hope he can get most of his players for the U-20 World Cup. If it is a useful learning lesson that helps the players learn to close games out, then fine. But for now, it just leaves a bad taste on a successful qualification effort.

That being said, there is a lot of time to put the game behind them and a strong U-20 World Cup will make this an afterthought.

 

Transfer news quiet


In terms of major transfer news for American players, it has been relatively quiet – so far. That could change quickly. In terms of Americans who are making moves, here is a recent list.

Tim Ream: The USMNT central defender is set to finalize his move from Fulham to Charlotte FC. This deal has been reported for a long time and Ream, who began his career with the New York Red Bulls, will be returning stateside after a 12-year career abroad that was very successful.

Caleb Wiley: The Atlanta United left back moved to Chelsea but will be loaned to Strasbourg. It’s too early to know how to feel about this, but there are always risks with the loan army path and Wiley’s lack of speed might not make him a fit for every European manager. This comes as Strasbourg are in the midst of a coaching change.

Konrad de la Fuente: The winger has struggled for minutes on various loans from Marseille. Now he’s at Lausanne – which narrowly escaped relegation from the Swiss Super League last season. His career is not where many had hoped, but maybe he can at least play now.

Ian Hoffmann: The American right back (age 22) has left Moss in Norway’s 2nd tier and has signed for  Lech Pozna?, who finished 5th in Poland last season. This gets Hoffman back into a top tier where he can compete for spots in Europe and with more visibility. It’s a good move for the former U.S. youth international.

Alex Mendez: The once former top U.S. youth national team playmaker is now at FC Juarez after a tough run in Portugal. But even in the mid/lower tiers of Liga MX, he should be able to play regularly. It might not have been the move he wanted, but it was the move he needed. He’ll now be a teammate of former USYNT midfielder (but turned Mexican international) Jonathan Gonzalez.

Benji Michel: Also coming after a tough run in Portugal that included a torn ACL, Michel is back stateside where he is playing for Real Salt Lake.

Plus, the moves I have written a lot about already: Aidan Morris to Middlesbrough, Frankie Amaya to Toluca, Paxten Aaronson loaned to Utrecht.  

The list of Americans who could potentially move in the coming weeks during the remainder of the window is long. Here are just a few.

Weston McKennie: is not in the plans at Juventus and needs to get out. He has a nice resume, but he wants a lot of money and isn’t a player for all managers.

Tanner Tessmann: is the biggest target. A move within Italy seems most likely. Fiorentina is most likely.

Bryan Reynolds: Westerlo hope to sell the expensive Reynolds after not releasing him to the Olympics. He’s played well in the first two games of the season,

Rokas Pukstas: Another player not released for the Olympic team but continues to start for Hajduk Split. They are hoping to sell Pukstas during this window.

Matt Turner: is rumored for a possible move to Germany. But he needs to start.

Duncan McGuire: after a failed move to Blackburn in January, he’s still mentioned as a possibility for a few other Championship teams.

Griffin Yow: the former DC United winger has enjoyed a big rise the past year in Belgium with Westerlo. The rumors of Club Brugge and Anderlecht being interested is legit, but probably nothing imminent.

Gaga Slonina: No one believes that Slonina will be the Chelsea goalkeeper this season. That means another loan.

John Tolkin: There are no concrete rumors, but there is a reason why the RBNY and recent Olympic team left back is always in discussions for a move every window. One of these windows it will happen.

Jonathan Gomez: The former USYNT left back is likely not a player for Real Sociedad, so that means another loan.

 

Leagues Cup notebook

 

MLS and Liga MX are on hold for the second edition of the Leagues Cup. The first year was a success. The second year remains to be seen and the messy situation of the Open Cup puts a cloud over everything. There is still criticism that the Leagues Cup is why MLS wants out of the Open Cup.

I find myself hoping both succeed. The country needs a flourishing domestic cup that links all levels. But MLS also needs more avenues other than the CONCACAF Champions Cup that allows it to play foreign teams. There is a need for both. It shouldn’t have to be one or the other.

Anyway, the Leagues Cup is now heading into the Round of 32 knockouts after the group stage.



It was a wild and unpredictable ride in the group stages. Monterrey didn’t advance out of its group with losses to Austin and Puebla. That shouldn’t have happened. Staying in Liga MX, Chivas also didn’t advance out of its group but it lost on penalties in each game (Galaxy and San Jose) and those can be toss-ups. Leon not advancing out of its group behind Portland and Colorado is also disappointment for the 2023 CONCACAF Champion.

The biggest surprise among the Liga MX teams was that FC Juarez won its group over St. Louis and Dallas. As one of the smaller Liga MX teams, Juarez exceeded expectations.

The two biggest disappointments from MLS teams were Atlanta United and Real Salt Lake, who were each eliminated. RSL still has had a good season, so they can move on. The same with the Red Bulls who lost on penalties in two games.

But Atlanta United is just in a bad place right now. They’ve sold their best players, they have an interim manager, they are out of the playoff positions in league play, and the newcomers haven’t gelled yet. Garth Lagerwey doesn’t need to rush, which could make things worse, but he needs to reassure the fanbase that better days are on the horizon.

In terms of surprises among MLS teams, no one predicted DC United to win its group over Atlanta and Santos Laguna. Austin FC was one of just four teams that finished with four points from the group stage.

 

As of now, the knockouts could be anyone’s game. I’m looking forward to the Orlando vs. Cruz Azul matchup in the first knockout round.

 

Americans abroad

 

The seasons have begun in some areas of Europe, but for most it is still the preseason.

Here are some of my notes.

 

Bryan Reynolds had an assist Westerlo in a 4-2 win over Mechelen. Overall, it was a good outing for Reynolds despite getting beaten on one of Mechelen’s goals. Westerlo have six points from two games to start the season (with Griffen Yow out due to the Olympics). Westerlo are hoping to sell Reynolds this month.

Staying in Belgium, Marlon Fossey had an assist for Standard Liege in a 1-0 upset win over Club Brugge. The LA-born right wingback is now in his third season with Standard. After a brilliant first season, last season was a little bit of a step back. Btu he’s sharp to start the season and might yet benefit with a new USMNT coach as he looks for his first cap. Standard are hoping that happens.

Kahveh Zahiroleslam has started both of St. Truiden’s first two games and he scored in the opener (a 4-1 loss to Sporting Charleroi). This past weekend it was a 1-0 loss to Anderlecht. Many in the Belgian media are predicting St. Truiden for relegation.

In Austria, George Bello was fantastic in LASK’s 2-1 away win over Hartberg in the Austrian Bundesliga opener. He won 13/16 of his ground duels and 7/11 of his tackles. Those are very good defensive numbers. After being one of the more hyped young American players who faded after a poorly handled move to Germany. He is excelling now in Austria.

In the 2.Bundesliga, Julian Green scored from the penalty spot as Greuther Furth won its opener against Preussen Munster 2-0. Green is a valuable player right now in the 2.Bundesliga. He knows the league extremely well and what it takes to win. Meanwhile, Damion Downs started and played an hour for Cologne in a 2-1 home loss to Hamburg. Downs, 19, has talent but he doesn’t get on the ball nearly enough. Johan Gomez also started for Eintracht Braunschweig in an ugly 5-1 loss to Schalke. Braunschweig is a club that could be in trouble with relegation.

Joe Enochs is the lone American manager in the 2.Bundesliga after guiding Jahn Regensburg to promotion last season. But Regensburg lost its opener 2-0 away to Hannover.

In Croatia, Rokas Pukstas wasn’t released for the Olympics but he started for Hajduk Split’s opener, a 2-1 win over Slaven. He played relatively well, but had a late goal called back. Hajduk are hoping to sell him this month.

Konrad de la Fuente made his debut in the Swiss Super League when he went the final 18 minutes for Lausanne in a 4-3 loss at home to St. Gallen. But the good news for de la Fuente is that he was on the field for the final two goals as it was 4-1 when he subbed on. He didn’t have anything to do with the goals, but it was a good time to be on the field. Curiously, he didn’t even attempt a pass per the match stats.

In the Dutch Super Cup, Feynoord defeated PSV Eindhoven in a shootout after a 4-4 draw. It was a big game for Malik Tillman who assisted Luuk DeJong on PSV’s second goal. Otherwise, it was a quiet outing from him. Ricardo Pepi came into the game just before the shootout and converted his attempt (as did Tillman). Richard Ledezma was an unused sub

For Tillman, he will continue to get opportunities. He is coming off a very successful season and needs to just keep it up. For Pepi, it is about convincing PSV that he is ready to eventually replace de Jong. It will not be a good sign if he is not given more minutes than he did last season. We should learn a lot about him in the coming months because his situation is tough to read. Ledezma is also in a situation where he is getting paid a decent amount at the Eredivisie non-EU minimum, but he’s not in the plans. Then it becomes a matter of how does PSV move him with that salary?

Some notes from preseason:

Gio Reyna started for Borussia Dortmund against Villarreal and played 77 minutes in a 2-2 draw. He is in a pivotal season where he needs to play – and likely needs to move as well. There hasn’t been much leaked about what is going behind the scenes.

Christian Pulisic had a huge game for Milan in a friendly against Barcelona. The game finished 2-2 (Milan won in a shootout) but Pulisic assisted and then scored inside of the first 17 minutes to have a role in both Milan goals. Both Pulisic and Yunus Musah were subbed out in the 62nd minute.

Pulisic played the No. 10 in this game and was effective. It seems likely he will play more of that position this season – which could be very interesting.


As for Musah, he was 28/29 in passing but didn’t do much.

Also in preseason, Antonee Robinson assisted on Fulham’s goal in a 2-1 loss to Sevilla on Monday. Last season he crossed the barrier into becoming automatically good – which is a great accomplishment in the Premier League.

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