NASHVILLE — A day that began with a dose of encouraging news (Christian Pulisic's celebrated return) and loads of troubling developments (three potential starters unavailable for separate motives) ended with one more disappointing result for the U.S. guys's national soccer crew Sunday.
After starting their 2022 World Cup crusade Thursday with a attract El Salvador, the americans didn't are looking to drop aspects at domestic as well. however shortly after they took the lead in the second half, they conceded the equalizer and settled for a 1-1 draw with Canada earlier than forty three,028 at Nissan Stadium.
Hopes for seven to 9 points in the first block of three fits, ending Wednesday in Honduras, were dashed.
"preserving it in perspective, we knew it turned into going to be a difficult highway," instruct Gregg Berhalter spoke of. "We knew there were going to be tough video games, and we're entering into it, and we're checking out they are complicated games. Our success is going to rely upon how we take care of that as a team."
Brenden Aaronson scored in the 55th minute, and Cyle Larin tied it for Canada (0-0-2) within the 62nd. The americans gained a different point, nonetheless it felt like a loss. The result left them tied for fourth vicinity in an eight-nation Concacaf competition that, after 14 games over seven months, will ship three teams to the area Cup in Qatar late subsequent 12 months and a fourth to an intercontinental playoff.
"It's virtually like a season; we nevertheless have a long approach to go, so our heads will reside up," Pulisic referred to. "We must really flip it round and begin successful games."
This became no longer how the U.S. wanted to begin the schedule, not after lacking the world Cup in disastrous style 4 years in the past and revamping the roster with a group of younger standouts employed by main European clubs.
"We have to be resilient," Berhalter stated. "we will think bad for ourselves, or we can continue on with wonderful attitude and get a positive outcome in Honduras, which is what we're going to do."
Pulisic's bout with the coronavirus impacted his fitness and prevented him from enjoying within the 0-0 draw with El Salvador. He was now not most effective in uniform Sunday, he all started, captained the squad and played all 90 minutes.
World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina halted on account of coronavirus protocol violationsPulisic's return, though, became tempered by the absence of three teammates and the loss of a different late within the first half.
Zack Steffen, Berhalter's first-choice goalkeeper who had overlooked the opener with back spasms, was ruled out of the Canada and Honduras games after he tested high-quality for the coronavirus.
Midfielder Weston McKennie was no longer in uniform after he violated crew policy. The U.S. Soccer Federation did not specify the violation, however before kickoff on social media, McKennie mentioned he had damaged pandemic protocols.
This wasn't McKennie's first misstep. In April, he and two Juventus teammates had been suspended following a celebration at his domestic in Turin, Italy, that violated pandemic guidelines.
"It's no longer an excellent circumstance," midfielder Tyler Adams referred to. "It's very disappointing."
Berhalter mentioned McKennie's status for Wednesday "remains to be viewed."
Attacker Gio Reyna had a greater common reason for lacking the Canada and Honduras fits: He strained his appropriate hamstring towards El Salvador.
The americans suffered one other setback simply earlier than halftime when appropriate lower back Sergiño Dest exited with a sprained ankle. Given the absences, Berhalter pointed out he might name in extra gamers.
One other member of the delegation validated superb and has passed through the same protocol, the us talked about. That grownup, who also became vaccinated, was now not a participant and had now not traveled to El Salvador, the U.S. added.
within the first qualifier between the neighbors considering 1997, the americans set the early tone. They sustained possession in opposition t Canada's deep-lying resistance however labored to discover space. Canada took a counterattacking approach and generated a significant possibility in the 14th minute.
U.S. guys open World Cup qualifying with a scoreless attract El SalvadorDest, who didn't perform neatly at left back in El Salvador, misplayed an extended ball on the correct side whereas being forced through Alphonso Davies, Canada's Bayern Munich superstar. Davies slipped the ball back to Larin for a close-latitude bid that Steffen's replacement, Matt Turner, slapped apart.
Goalkeeper Milan Borjan rescued Canada twice, and in the 40th minute, Pulisic redirected Aaronson's pass off the close put up.
The american citizens went forward in the fifty fifth minute on a smartly-crafted sequence all started and accomplished through Aaronson.
The 20-yr-historical attacker gained the ball close midfield. five teammates had been concerned within the subsequent surge. After touches through Jordan Pefok, Pulisic and Tyler Adams, Pefok provided Kellyn Acosta, who slid the ball ahead to the overlapping Robinson.
Robinson's low pass met the sliding Aaronson interior the six-yard field for his fourth purpose in nine international appearances.
The pleasure did not ultimate long. Davies, some of the world's superior fullbacks, roared previous Yedlin to music down a long through ball. With Davies drawing all the consideration, Larin changed into left undetected on the back side. Davies rolled it to him for a faucet-in.
The rest of the healthy introduced excessive anxiousness for the USA as Canada despatched a couple of bad balls throughout the penalty area.
"Some games are there for the taking, and we had an opportunity there to come back away with three" features, Canadian teach John Herdman stated. "so that you can preserve us up at night."
Three late U.S. substitutions did not deliver any solutions, and Berhalter changed into left to reassess his grand plans before one other match in important the us in 72 hours.

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