By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jan 18, 2022) US Soccer Players – When the United States defeated Mexico in World Cup Qualifying, the 2-0 win was very familiar. What wasn't familiar was the venue. Instead of Columbus, the US won in another Ohio city with a rabid fan base and MLS franchise. Cincinnati's TQL Stadium proved to be a wonderful place for such a key match. The US, however, returns to . . .
28 players named for January/February USMNT World Cup qualifiers
The USMNT called in 28 players for the January and February World Cup qualifying window. This is an official FIFA window in order to complete qualifying on time. The USMNT plays El Salvador on January 27 in Columbus (7pm ET - ESPN2), Canada on January 30 in Hamilton (3pm ET - Paramount+), and closes the window hosting Honduras at St Paul on February 2 (7:30pm ET - FS1). January/February 2022 . . .
US Soccer circles back to the National Training Center concept
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 13, 2022) US Soccer Players - Like most of us, Gregg Berhalter tends to speak more expressively on topics he's passionate about. The LA Times' Kevin Baxter landed on one of those during Monday's USMNT media availability from the current January camp in Phoenix when he broached the recurring subject of a proposed training facility for US Soccer. "Kevin, you . . .
Jordan Morris and Aaron Long’s return to the USMNT
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 12, 2022) US Soccer Players - The USMNT's January camp includes two players fighting against bad timing. In December, Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris and New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long returned to the squad and are now part of the group training in Phoenix in advance of the next round of qualifiers. Both were in line to be major contributors in . . .
19 players named to January 2022 camp
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter called 19 players nto the January 2022 camp. With the changes to the international calendar to get in enough matchdays to complete World Cup qualifying, the temporary Jan/Feb window opens on January 21. That leaves a shorter time for the annual January camp, running from Jan 7 -21. The USMNT will schedule closed-door scrimmages during the camp. “Our focus for the next . . .
The rest of the Octagonal
By J Hutcherson (Dec 28, 2021) US Soccer Players - What we've learned so far about the final round of the 2022 Concacaf World Cup qualifying cycle is that its due for a shakeout. One of the top four is heading towards a playoff, and the current standings may not be telling us all that much. The Octagonal is a new riff on an old concept, something that regularly provides a different take on the . . .
The USMNT in 2021 and 2022
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 27, 2021) US Soccer Players – The final week of the calendar year usually brings with it stories and commentaries about the past 12 months. While the planet continues to deal with the pandemic, 2021 saw the slow return of sports and some normalcy. In soccer, that return included fans back in the stands in MLS and around the world and major tournaments like the . . .
The emergence of Brenden Aaronson and Miles Robinson
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 24, 2021) US Soccer Players - There's a new year on the horizon, and everyone knows what that means. It's prediction time. A new year brings new possibilities, and it's tough to resist the temptation to wonder what the next 12 months will bring. In soccer, 2022 is a World Cup year. We have to wait more than 11 months for the tournament to arrive, but the vision . . .
Bill Jeffrey, Altoona, and the history of American soccer
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 23, 2021) US Soccer Players - Altoona is so connected with the railroad that its minor league baseball team is named after the famous horseshoe curve in the tracks that allows trains to pass through the Alleghenies. As its railroad museum explains, the once vibrant downtown used to operate 24-7, the result of shift work that didn't leave the train factories . . .
USMNT closes out December camp with a late winner
It's easy to decide that a game doesn't matter, or at least not as much. The USMNT scheduled an out of window friendly with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with both countries limited when it came to player availability. Both countries knew that going in, needing to figure out what they could get from a December camp. For the USMNT, that was clear as soon as coach Gregg Berhalter announced his roster. . . .
