The USA (1-1-1, 3 points) is in second place in Group C and will have two teams advance, but their position is uncertain due to an unfavorable matchup on the final day of the group. If the USA loses to Uruguay (2-0, 6 points), Panama (1-1, 3 points) will only need to draw with Bolivia (0-2, 0 points) in Orlando at 9 p.m. ET. If both games end in draws, the USA will advance on goal difference.
Even a U.S. win might not be enough, because a Panama win by enough margin could tip the points differential tiebreaker: As of Monday, the U.S. team was plus-1, while Panama was minus-1.
“Our final was actually decided five days earlier,” Berhalter said of Saturday’s chances at a quarterfinal berth. “If we don’t perform well, [if] “If we don’t win the match, our Copa America is over. There’s not much else to say.”
The U.S. team was looking to bounce back from a 2-1 loss to Panama in Atlanta on Thursday in which Tim Weah received an early red card — the fifth time a U.S. player has received one in the past 21 competitive matches — and the winning goal came in the 83rd minute.
Failure to move forward would be a major blow to U.S. plans. 2026 World Cup Public support for the team and the sport is growing as the tournament approaches. The Copa America is soccer’s third most important tournament after the World Cup and European Championships and the U.S. team’s last big test before 2026.
“We’re all very motivated and we want to put in a really strong performance, especially at home,” captain Christian Pulisic said of the importance of the tournament. “We want to show everyone that we’re here to compete against the best.”
Berhalter and his team have faced and overcome much adversity over the past 19 months.
Japan needed to beat Iran in their final group game to advance to the knockout stages of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. And they did just that.
In the opening group match of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, they fell behind to Jamaica in the closing stages of the match. Scored an equalizer late in the gameIn the quarterfinals, they trailed in extra time against Canada, but came back through an own goal and eventually won on penalties, and in the semifinals they came back in the same way against Panama, but lost in a tiebreaker.
In this year’s CONCACAF Nations League semifinals, the USA forced their match against Jamaica into extra time with an own goal, before Haji Wright scored two goals to advance to the final, where they went on to beat Mexico to win their third consecutive title.
“It’s a good experience for us,” midfielder Tyler Adams said.
But Uruguay is the best team the U.S. has faced in win-or-lose situations since losing to the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup. La Celeste, a 15-time Copa America champion, handily beat Panama and Bolivia, 8-1.
Uruguay has not yet secured a place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals because, in theory, three teams in the group could finish with six points, but the country’s famous manager, Marcelo Bielsa, will not be taking part in Monday’s match. They suspended him for one game. The Uruguayan Football Association was fined $15,000 for the team’s delay in returning to the field after halftime in the match against Bolivia.
Longtime assistant Diego Reyes will take over sideline duties, and when asked whether Uruguay would rest any regular players, Reyes said Sunday that the roster has yet to be determined.
“My prediction is they’re going to play the best teams,” Berhalter said.
Bielsa’s absence won’t change Uruguay’s plans, which are Bielsa’s trademark style of intense play and aggressive pressing. “We are thinking as a team, we have a clear idea,” Reyes said.
The U.S. will need to deal with Uruguay’s style and get some goals of their own in a must-win game to advance.
“Being realistic, this could be our last game,” left-back Antonee Robinson said. “There’s no reason to hold anything back.”
Note: Weah, who was already suspended for the match against Uruguay, received an additional one-match suspension for punching Panama’s Roderick Miller in the back of the head. If the United States advances, Weah will miss the quarterfinals.
Goaltender Matt Turner, who left the game at halftime against Panama with a leg injury, has trained limitedly over the past two days. Berhalter said his staff will continue to monitor him. If Turner is unable to play, Ethan Holbert will start.
