After Tim Weah was suspended in the United States' 2-1 defeat to Panama, Gregg Berhalter will be forced to change his starting XI for the first time during the Copa America. After beating Bolivia, it was expected that Panama would also be sidelined, but football can be a funny game sometimes. The United States now faces a win-or-go-home scenario against Uruguay And even if they win, it is not certain that they will reach the quarter-finals of the Copa America, so this is a crucial match for the future of Gregg Berhalter.
Speaking about who Weah could replace in the XI, this is what Berhalter had to say:
“We have options. We have some players who can play in the wing position and we will figure it out, whether it is Haji [Wright]Brenden [Aaronson]“Other players have played there before so we'll figure it out,” he said.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Monday July 1 | Time: 9:00 PM ET
- Place: Arrowhead Stadium — Kansas City, Missouri.
- TV: FS1 | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Chances: United States +145; Draw +220; Uruguay +195
Among the wingers, Gio Reyna, Aaronson and Wright can all play on the right, but against an opponent like Uruguay, Aaronson may be the best option. Reyna operates deeper in midfield and could be pushed forward in attack, but to combat Uruguay's pressure it is important to have relief valves in midfield. Reyna is someone who can grab the ball in a tight situation and dribble or find the right pass to get out of it. Sometimes when he's on the wing it can lead to a situation where Reyna doesn't see as much of the ball as he should, but keeping him in a deeper role allows Reyna to find and dictate the play.
Dictating matches is also what brings us to another step that Berhalter will have to consider. The suitability of Tyler Adams has been a problem in this tournament, but so has his form. Adams has been withdrawn after 45 minutes in both Copa America matches and has failed to make any real mark on either match. When healthy, Adams is the USMNT's best midfield enforcer, but this version isn't healthy, so he turns to Yunus Moesah could be the way to attack Uruguay.
Musah not only brings similar qualities to Reyna in his ability to dribble out of tight situations, but he also has a different profile at the base of midfield than Adams. Able to press and show his passing range, the USMNT could have a long build-up game with him in midfield. The lineup would be lighter defensively, but your best defense against La Celeste is holding the ball.
The USMNT are in a tough situation without Weah, but it's one they need to salvage. Even if they advance to the quarter-finals, Weah will be unavailable as the red card carries a two-match ban for violent conduct. But the USMNT can't worry about what happens in the next round because they have to beat Uruguay first and hope for help.
Also keep an eye on goalkeeper Matt Turner, who had to leave the match against Panama with an injury and will be replaced by Ethan Horvath. But signs point to Turner being ready to head to Uruguay.
Expected line-up
XI: Matt Turner, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris RichardsJoe Scally, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennieGio Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Brenden Aaronson
Group C Scenarios for American Football
- With a victory for the United States: They qualify for the knockout stage as long as Panama draws or loses. If Panama wins, the United States can still qualify for the knockouts, but they will have to have a better goal difference than Panama. As it stands, the US has a two-goal lead.
- With a tie in the United States: The United States will only advance if Panama draws or loses.
- With a loss in the United States: The United States will only progress if Panama loses and if they have a better goal difference than Panama. If the US loses 4-0, and Panama loses 1-0, Panama advances.
Copa America tiebreaks
If two teams are tied on points after the group stage, it is always important to look at the tiebreaks as there can be slight differences in each tournament when certain rules are applied for promotion. Below is how the Copa America applies tiebreakers:
- The team with the best goal difference in all group stage matches
- The team with the highest number of goals in all group stage matches
- Head-to-head between the two teams that are tied
- Fewer red cards
- Fewer yellow cards
- Draw
