ATLANTA (AP) — U. S. goalkeeper Matt Turner said Tuesday that no team should be taken lightly in the 2024 Copa América and rejected the assumption that winning is no longer enough for the USMNT.
Turner answered advice the team needed to win with gusto or through more lopsided scores against lower-ranked teams at war after a 2-0 win over Bolivia to open the Cup on Sunday.
“No, we will never have that luxury,” Turner said at a press convention Tuesday. “I think you win when you win, whatever the context. You take the final results, especially in tournaments, that’s the end. I implore other people to not lose sight of that set. “
The United States won in Arlington, Texas, on Monday thanks to an early goal by captain Christian Pulisic and a goal by Folarin Balogun before halftime, leaving the Americans tied on issues with Uruguay at the top of Group C after a day.
“I think any time you can win a game in a primary global competition, a primary tournament, it’s smart for the program, it’s smart for us,” Turner said. “Obviously we wish we could have done some things better, but that’s what tournaments are about. You need to improve the tournament and continue to grow as a team and build a bond and a culture.
“Although we did things a little differently, in the end they gave us a blank sheet, we scored two goals and won. For the next game we know that maybe we’ll have to be a little bigger if we also need to win this game. “
The United States will face Concacaf opponent Panama on Thursday in Atlanta as the organizational level is set for the team. A victory could see Gregg Berhalter’s team advance to the round of 16 of the Copa América before next week’s organizational final against Uruguay.
Panama beat the United States by fallout in the semifinal of this year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
“They’re putting pressure man to man,” Turner said of Panama. “It is a team with many talented players and athletes. It was to be expected: a physical, competitive game. “
USMNT forward Tim Weah said the team is not debating whether Panama will try to play a more open game or if they will resort to more physical tactics, but they will focus on themselves.
“We don’t know what team from Panama we’re going to have,” Weah told reporters. “We’re just going to give 100 percent and not take anything for granted, put all our cards on the table and make sure we execute. “
The USMNT is the favorite for Thursday’s match despite last year’s Gold Cup result, especially in the home game. A large crowd is expected Thursday at the more than 70,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium, just a few miles from the presidential debate that will take place that evening.
Turner under pressure so that no opponent is overlooked, especially in tournaments. He referred to Austria’s victory over the Netherlands at Euro 2024, which took position moments before Turner spoke, as an example of the unpredictability of tournaments.
“You just have to be careful about what’s in front of you,” Turner said. “I think the most important thing is to take advantage of what you just did. The groups that can often improve throughout the tournament. . . We have the foundation of what it takes to win a match in this tournament and now we have to face another opponent. “
Berhalter has raised issues recently, saying Friday before the team’s opener that he needs the United States to adapt in this tournament depending on the demands of a given match. This characteristic, he says, is shared by the most productive groups in the world.
The U. S. coach reiterated that after his team’s victory on Saturday, he also stressed the importance of winning games and called the victory over Bolivia “global,” while explicitly rejecting the idea that the United States has scored more goals than a Bolivian team that had not gained ground at home in nine years.
However, there is room for improvement. Although the USMNT might have been unlucky not to score more goals against Bolivia, the defensive line gave the ball away frequently. The team inspired a 1-1 draw against Brazil in the Americans’ final warm-up match before the Copa America, four days after a humiliating 5-1 loss to Colombia.
Any of those groups could be a quarterfinal opponent if the USMNT advances. Turner said Tuesday that the United States could be “more opportunistic” in front of goal, as he reflected on the victory over Bolivia. He also said the team can take better care of the ball in possession.
“We’ve talked about being more expansive and betting more fluidly, more offensively, and at the same time this brings dangers in counterattacks and concessions and where we are,” Turner said. “I think we learned that “Hard lesson in the game against Colombia. “
The situation now shifts to Panama, one of the USMNT’s main longtime opponents. The Americans have a 17-3-6 record against their opponents.
“Honestly, we stick to the plan,” Weah said. We’ve had this game plan from day one. We stay true to it, we’re intentional in the way we play. We’re a team that understands each other now, and I think we’re starting to see a lot more as we grow, we get into those other games and as we grow as a group.
“I think it’s wonderful to see us grow as a unit, as a family. We’re starting to show it on the ground. We just have to keep up our positive performances. “