The match kicked off with Jim Cornelison, the renowned Chicago Blackhawks vocalist, delivering his signature powerful rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” setting the stage for what fans in Chicago expected to be a soccer contest but turned into something resembling a hockey battle.
Although the U.S. men’s national soccer team suffered a 2-1 defeat to Germany on Saturday in their final game before the World Cup, they may have captured the loyalty and enthusiasm of supporters who were desperately seeking more than another early tournament elimination.
What fans will remember from the contest against the No. 10 ranked squad won’t be the poor defensive play that led to a goal just 1:45 into the game, but rather a spectacular goal by Antonee Robinson that evened the score and, more significantly, a bench-emptying confrontation in the closing minutes that sparked the crowd to chant “USA, USA.”
This kind of determination shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly considering that just months ago the squad appeared to have lost its way completely.
As the German and American players traded fierce challenges and hostile glares, the home squad stood their ground.
“We want to show our skill and our quality, but it doesn’t come without being combative, fighting, winning duels, those kinds of things,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “If I see one of my guys get kicked, I’m going right after them.”
This represents the American fighting spirit that even non-soccer enthusiasts can support.
In the immediate aftermath, there’s frustration about not securing a victory in the farewell game. However, the last occasion the U.S. didn’t win its final pre-World Cup contest was in 2002, and that team advanced to the quarterfinals, an achievement they haven’t repeated since.
Reaching the quarterfinals must be the minimum expectation this time around, but no matter how spectacular the goals or aggressive the approach, it won’t matter if the primary concern remains unaddressed.
For years, the U.S. was recognized for developing world-class goalkeepers comparable to European standards, including former World Cup netminders Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard.
Matt Freese and Matt Turner, who started in 2022, don’t belong in that elite group. Freese earned the starting position during this preparation period and with his appearance against Germany would likely remain the top choice moving forward.
However, the opening goal from a free kick created additional doubts about how he’ll perform in his debut World Cup.
TNT commentator Brad Guzan, another accomplished European-based goalkeeper, observed that Freese positioned a four-player wall expecting Joshua Kimmich to attempt a direct shot from just beyond the penalty area. Instead, Kimmich delivered a bending cross to Kai Havertz’s head for the score.
Freese couldn’t see the ball leaving Kimmich’s foot, so by the time it was airborne he reacted too slowly to contest it while Havertz arrived perfectly positioned. The World Cup stage is too important for such momentary lapses.
Another worry involves the fitness of key central defender Chris Richards. The Crystal Palace defender is rehabilitating from an ankle problem and missed both the Germany match and the previous game against Senegal. He’s essential if coach Mauricio Pochettino employs a three-defender formation.
Pochettino indicated uncertainty about Richards’ availability for Friday’s opening match against Paraguay, though this could be strategic misdirection. If it’s genuine, however, this obvious vulnerability could become even more problematic.
Regardless of these concerns, the team’s overall performance in victories over Senegal and against Germany has revived confidence in the program that had been lost, along with many supporters, following disappointing defeats to Belgium (5-2) and Portugal (2-0) in March.
What the players accomplished on Saturday in Chicago was sending fans home eager for the World Cup to commence.
