The U.S. has been eliminated in the last eight for the fourth straight time
For a fourth straight time at the U-20 World Cup, the United States men have been eliminated at the quarterfinal stage.
The U.S. fell 2-0 to Uruguay in the last eight on Sunday, continuing the team’s last-eight curse at this competition.
This may have been the most frustrating of all four eliminations though, as this U.S. team entered Sunday’s match looking like one of, if not the favorite to win the whole tournament in Argentina.
Mikey Varas’s side went into the match in flawless form, having won all four of its World Cup matches while scoring 10 goals and conceding none.
But Sunday’s match in Santiago del Estero was a hugely frustrating affair for a team that was not dominated by any stretch, but which made crucial mistakes at both ends of the pitch to crash out in heartbreaking fashion.
The U.S. saw its tournament-long shutout streak end in the 21st minute after a defensive breakdown led to an easy tap-in for Anderson Duarte.
Anderson Duarte opens up the scoring and slots it in to put Uruguay U-20 in front! 🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/O8yUVLvNuO
The U.S. pushed for an equalizer but couldn’t find a decisive moment in the final third. Then, on 56 minutes, disaster struck.
A fairly innocuous cross came in low from the left flank, but Josh Wynder’s attempted sliding clearance ricocheted backwards off his own leg and barely squirmed past Gabriel Slonina for a disastrous own goal.
That proved too much for the U-20s to recover from. When a sure goal from Cade Cowell was blocked off the line by his own teammate, it became apparent that it would not be the USA’s night.
Overall it was a positive World Cup for the USA, which controlled the vast majority of its five matches and played an eye-catching style that also proved rock solid at the back.
But once again, the U.S. will go home disappointed at the quarterfinal stage of a U-20 World Cup. The team can be pleased with its overall display in Argentina, but it’s hard to imagine the U.S. U-20s having a better shot to win a World Cup than it did in 2023.
In his prolific, all-time career, Portugal talisman striker Cristiano Ronaldo has usually made it a point to eventually score for his home nation. In 193 international appearances for Portugal, Ronaldo has netted 118 goals — the most of any Men’s player ever. He’s usually as sure of a bet to not only find a way to get a goal but also pepper a goalie with several shots.
That was not the case during Portugal’s 2-0 win over Uruguay in Group H on Monday.
Not only did Ronaldo not get a shot on target during the matchup, he also just barely missed a golden opportunity to score (which would’ve poached a goal from his own teammate Bruno Fernandes).
Ronaldo was originally credited for the goal, should it belong to Bruno Fernandes? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/RuMuMAEA0T
Look closely, and yes, Ronaldo indeed did not make any contact with the ball. After being initially credited with the score, it was appropriately awarded to Fernandes.
Of course, Ronaldo’s miss/subsequent rescore didn’t end up hurting Portugal, given the eventual win. Plus, he still has the all-time international scoring mark.
It was, however, a disastrous result for bettors. Some sportsbooks naturally had to correct payouts after it was revealed Ronaldo didn’t actually score.
Hello! Please note that the Cristiano Ronaldo Anytime Goalscorer market has been correctly graded. Please refer to Part B Section 7.2 of our House Rules for more information on Resettlements: https://t.co/wp372AGNYY
In all fairness, could you blame anyone for expecting a guy who essentially scores at least one goal every two international games to score a goal in an international game? If not for a slight miss on precision, Ronaldo would’ve had another one here, and sportsbooks wouldn’t be issuing corrections on payouts to bettors.
Running onto the field with a rainbow flag in Qatar is certainly a risky move
There’s being a pitch invader, and then there’s being a pitch invader with a rainbow flag at the World Cup in Qatar.
During the second half of Portugal’s game against Uruguay, a man ran onto the pitch waving said rainbow flag, wearing a shirt that had messages on either side: “Save Ukraine” on the front and “Respect For Iranian Women” on the back.
The pitch invader’s shirt was in reference to the ongoing war in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion earlier this year, as well as the women-led protests against the government that continue to engulf Iran.
AP Photo/Abbie Parr)(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Three security guards eventually manhandled the pitch invader and escorted him off the field.
After the man ran onto the field, the world feed that every country uses to broadcast the tournament only showed him briefly. On the Fox broadcast in the United States, announcers John Strong and Stu Holden went silent for nearly a minute after Strong said: “The play will be stopped here because someone who has come onto the field.”
Ahead of his fourth World Cup, the Valencia veteran had some advice for his young teammate
Yunus Musah is about to take part in his first World Cup. His teammate at Valencia, Edinson Cavani, is about to play in his fourth.
So naturally, Musah had some questions.
As the U.S. national team continues preparing for Monday’s World Cup opener against Wales, Musah said he had spoken to his Uruguayan counterpart about what to expect from the tournament.
“I spoke to [Cavani] because I wanted to know what [the World Cup] is like,” Musah said at a press conference. “He told me that sometimes people say that there is an easy group or a difficult one, but every team wants to do something good. The competition comes every four years and they all go at full strength, so there is no easy group,” the USMNT midfielder said.
Cavani ironically took part in what many considered to be one of the easiest groups in recent memory in 2018, as Uruguay was drawn with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in Group A. Uruguay won all three games, but host Russia surprised by winning two games and eventually reaching the quarterfinal.
Uruguay also reached the last eight in 2018, where it fell to eventual champion France. Cavani has reached the knockout stage in all three of his previous World Cups, with Uruguay making it all the way to the semifinal in 2010.
Musah will be hoping to help the USMNT get out of Group B, where it will face Wales, England and Iran.
We’re talking Ferreira, Aaronson, and whatever that seven sub situation was.
The U.S. men’s national team battled Uruguay to a scruffy, scrappy 0-0 draw in Kansas City Sunday night. And we do mean “battled,” as La Celeste brought their traditional intensity at Children’s Mercy Park, and the USMNT matched them tackle for tackle in that department.
What neither team brought was clinical finishing, with Jesús Ferreira and Edinson Cavani both missing golden chances. Multiple other players sent inviting chances right at goalkeepers Sean Johnson and Fernando Muslera, resulting in a scoreless draw that both teams will feel like they could have won.
Here are the three most noteworthy moments from this one:
Ferreira leaves the door open
Ferreira has been spectacular in MLS this season, and among a pool of center forwards that largely play traditionally, Ferreira’s ability to drop off the front line and combine is a big deal. Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah are likely the team’s top marksmen in Qatar, and they’ll be helped by Ferreira’s ability to combine and open up space for them to slash into off the wings.
But…you do want to see point-blank chances buried by your No. 9. Any wannabe tactical guru can talk you to death about overloads, half-spaces, and the like, and Ferreira was actually quite good in this game in the thankless task department. Still, people—regular fans, soccer nerds, and USMNT coaching staff members—want the ball to be kicked or otherwise directed into the goal.
y'all are gonna destroy Jesus Ferreira for not scoring but:
– this is a brilliant USMNT move, and Ferreira played the second-most important role in it, after Musah – Yedlin *has* to keep this lower. And if he does, it's probably a goal pic.twitter.com/4cgtymSzta
Ferreira draws multiple defenders before getting the ball off his feet and into space for Yunus Musah, and then loses Martín Cáceres at the back post. That’s good work that we don’t see from other forwards in the USMNT pool as often, and it’s not the best ball in from DeAndre Yedlin. But still, to go through in a balanced Group B, this chance has to go in, no excuses.
“It was more the finishing attacks phase of the game that we struggled in,” Berhalter said of his forwards in the post-game press conference. “We got the ball into really good positions, and then just didn’t take advantage of that … I think there were moments—Jesús had another really good chance—there were moments where we came up a little bit short.”
Ferreira deserves some grace because we can see his play in MLS, we can see the goals he is scoring, and we know that he can put the ball away. They’re still playing with standard-sized goals in Qatar, and the World Cup ball is made by the same company that manufactures the MLS game ball. He’s good!
But still, he hasn’t distanced himself from the pack of strikers all eyeing this starting job up in a USMNT shirt, and until he (or anyone else) does, we’re going to be talking about the situation up top.
Aaronson good in midfield again
Brenden Aaronson checked into this game at halftime for Weston McKennie, a move Gregg Berhalter said was planned before the match. After a successful appearance as part of the midfield trio against Morocco, Aaronson slotted right into McKennie’s place, joining Musah and Tyler Adams in what we’re going to have to start calling the AMA midfield if they keep working as a trio.
Because, so far, they are working as a trio. There’s a classic balance of roles that are required in a midfield: regardless of how you distribute the duties between your defensive midfielder, box-to-box midfielder(s), and your attacking midfielder, you need a ball-winner, a passer, and someone who can make attacking runs. Perhaps even moreso than McKennie, who is somewhere between ball-winner and runner, Aaronson fits that third role perfectly.
(Photo by TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images)
In truth, the USMNT struggled to keep pace with Uruguay from an intensity standpoint early, with the withering high press and hard tackles not really being matched until around the 15th minute. Aaronson stepped into a game that was frenetic, and actually drove the USMNT tempo higher on both sides of the ball, no small feat for a halftime substitute.
The moment that underlines this is also a bit farcical: a couple of minutes into the half, he and Manuel Ugarte both collided going after a loose ball, with Aaronson eventually drawing a foul after his shoelace became entangled with Ugarte’s studs.
It was a unique foul, but it only happens because Aaronson is playing in such a controlled hurry to go after the ball that he drew the attention of the referee. That urgency helped the USMNT in the end, and it’s potentially hugely important for Berhalter to have Aaronson as a potentially starting-caliber option in this role as well as on the front line.
Things got weird!
The shoelace tackle was odd, but was more or less forgotten when Uruguay made a seventh substitution in the 68th minute. FIFA regulations for valid international friendlies restrict teams to six substitutions, but Diego Alonso made a double sub when he’d already used five.
This didn’t really actually matter. The result didn’t change, Facundo Pellistri didn’t save any goals from being scored, and on the touchline everyone seemed to work out a solution (give the USMNT one more sub) that didn’t even end up coming into use.
It’s more than a little silly that friendlies have a substitution limit, since the games already tend to lose their rhythm (the whole reason FIFA instituted a limit in the first place) when two teams can replace over half of the players that started a given game. But it’s also a reflection of the ragged second half in hot conditions that this counting error, rather than goals or passes, became a major talking point.
El mal partido del Tri frustró a la afición y al finalizar el encuentro abucheó y pidió la salida del Tata
La afición mexicana perdió la paciencia con el técnico Gerardo Martino y pidió su salida con el grito de “Fuera Tata” al término de la goleada de 0-3 de Uruguay.
El apoyo que la selección mexicana tiene en Phoenix es incuestionable, desde horas previas al partido el ambiente tricolor ya se sentía en las afueras del Estadio de la Universidad de Arizona, sin embargo todo fue cambiando con el transcurso del juego.
El mal partido del Tri frustró a la afición que conforme fueron cayendo los goles en contra empezó a lanzar vasos de cerveza a los hinchas charrúas en la tribuna lo que ocasionó conatos de bronca.
Faltando 10 minutos para el final del juego, algunos aficionados comenzaron a abandonar el recinto con evidente rostro desencajado, pero toda frustración estalló cuando finalizó el encuentro pues el abucheo fue sonoro y al unísono se escuchó el “Fuera Tata” por parte de la afición mexicana.
México ya no tiene muchas expectativas en su afición, la elección de jugadores, los sistemas que parecen seguirse probando, hacen pensar a los incondicionales aztecas que su selección no hará historia en Qatar 2022.
Mucho qué reflexionar de cara a una Copa del Mundo que parece, será muy complicada para El Tri del Tata Martino.
Humillado, avergonzado y goleado, así quedó El Tri después de su partido ante Uruguay en el Estadio de la Universidad de Phoenix. México cayó 0-3 y lo hizo sin idea, sin meter las manos.
El equipo del Tata Martino fue exhibido del pobre futbol mostrado desde que comenzó el 2021, México perdió la brújula y la afición no tiene confianza de una buena Copa del Mundo.
El primer disparo del Tri llegó hasta el minuto 43 del primer tiempo, cuando México ya caía 0-1 tras un centro donde Edison Cavani remató de cabeza solo en el área chica, y aunque el guardameta Talavera alcanzó a estirar la mano para desviar el remate, el rebote quedó ahí para que Matías Vecino empujara la pelota.
Y antes de que México siquiera tocara la pelota al comenzar la segunda mitad, vino el segundo de Uruguay por conducto de Cavani que culminó una llegada por nota del equipo charrúa al área mexicana.
El tercer gol solo puso el último clavo en el ataúd del equipo mexicano que tiene muchas dudas y acda vez más de cara al inicio de la Copa del Mundo de Qatar 2022.
México carece de un referente, un jugador diferente, no parece ser suficiente el talento disponible y el tiempo se acorta pues el mundial está a la vuelta de la esquina.
Mucho qué reflexionar de cara a una Copa del Mundo que parece, será muy complicada para El Tri del Tata Martino.
Un disparo a puerta de Miguel Trauco exigió al meta charrúa Sergio Rochet y el VAR no dio válido el gol aunque la polémica sigue
Las eliminatorias de Conmebol se pusieron ardientes en la jornada de ayer en el partido entre Uruguay y Perú, pues cuando el equipo celeste se acercaba al fin del partido y amarraba su clasificación a Qatar 2022, vino una jugada muy polémica por un supuesto gol peruano.
Un disparo a puerta de Miguel Trauco exigió al meta charrúa Sergio Rochet quien tuvo que ingresar a su propia puerta para rescatar el empate de Uruguay.
Estas imágenes del gol anulado a Perú en Montevideo creo que dejan resuelta la polémica. pic.twitter.com/9hZsZQBVAw
Los peruanos se volcaron sobre el árbitro que aparentemente ni el VAR revisó, pero el día de hoy Conmebol hizo público el video que confirma que el balón nunca cruzó por completo la línea de gol.
El video de inmediato se volvió viral y ratifica la decisión del silbante pese a que en redes sociales se sigue debatiendo si el balón entró o no, no cabe duda que aún con tecnología la jugada es muy polémica.
La lucha será feroz en dos partidos que serán decisivos para seis selecciones que buscan tres lugares. Entre ellas Uruguay y Colombia
La eliminatoria sudamericana se juega la última serie de partidos que definirán a los dos clasificados restantes, ya que Brasil y Argentina están ya en Qatar 2022, y el pase al repechaje rumbo al mundial decembrino.
La lucha será feroz en dos partidos que serán decisivos para seis selecciones que buscan tres lugares. Entre ellas Uruguay, un equipo campeón del mundo.
Ecuador con 25 puntos tiene en sus manos clasificarse a Qatar 2022 al marchar tercero, enfrentará a Paraguay que está eliminado y Argentina en el cierre de la eliminatoria de Conmebol.
Uruguay es cuarto con 22 puntos, muy cerca de sus perseguidores por lo que no está permitido ningún tipo de error si no quieren quedar fuera de la justa de diciembre. Los charrúas reciben a Perú en duelo clave para ambas selecciones y termina visitando a Chile que podría llegar con vida al duelo final.
Perú con 21 puntos, entra a la última fecha eliminatoria como el equipo en el repechaje y dependerá de ellos mantener la posición. Duelo clave contra Uruguay y cierran en casa contra Paraguay que está eliminado.
Chile (19), Colombia (17) y Bolivia (15) están fuera de la Copa del Mundo en el comienzo de la última jornada clasificatoria y ya no depende de ellos conseguir el pase, pero las matemáticas les dan esperanzas para sus partidos.
Luis Suárez contestó una publicación de Messi y le recordó lo del baile de Yerry Mina con unos emoticones muy divertidos
Los polémicos bailes del defensor colombiano Yerry Mina, dieron mucho de qué hablar en la Copa América que hasta el propio Lionel Messi le recriminó en la tanda de penales cuando el ex Barcelona erró su disparo.
‘Bailá ahora, bailá’ se escuchó a Messi decirle a Mina que celebró su gol en la tanda ante Uruguay con un baile muy provocador.
Pues fue el propio Luis Suárez quien contestó una publicación de Messi y le recordó lo del baile con unos emoticones muy divertidos.
Foto captura
Luis Suárez y Lionel Messi mantienen una gran amistad formada en su tiempo en Barcelona y por lo visto ninguno de los dos tiene la misma relación con Yerry Mina que tuvo un paso fugaz por Barcelona tras tener un estupendo Mundial en Rusia donde marcó tres goles.
El central cafetalero fue cedido al Everton y permanece en el equipo inglés hasta la fecha, a donde habrá de reportar en los siguientes días tras la eliminación de Colombia de la Copa América.
