History is full of last stands and blunders. The Battle of Thermopylae is juxtaposed to anyone thinking they should mosey over to Russia and not consider winter. The USMNT is potentially poised for such an occasion.
Following that display against Panama, the USA is set for a last stand against Uruguay that may turn into a blunder. This one will take place in Kansas City and will require the USMNT to do something it hasn’t done in all too long, beat an opponent with a significant international reputation that is in good form.
This is, at least it should be, a make or break game for Gregg Berhalter. Throughout his time as manager there has been much, so, so much, talk of changing the way the world looks at American futbol. The USA hasn’t delivered on that and took a big step backwards against Panama.
Beating Uruguay would get the team back on track. A win in that game puts them through and gives the USA a chance to challenge the world. A draw gets them through and might require some with help, but in a ‘we survived a plane crash and ate a bunch of our friends’ kind of way, not a challenging the world way.
At the same time, there’s a last stand element to getting through and having the chance to pull together in the elimination rounds. A “back to the wall” situation is a rare and thrilling chance for a team to overcome a 28-3 lead and turn a bad spot into a legend.
A loss really should be the kind of thing that is treated like one of those ill-fated blunders. The Stars and Stripes having a very favorable draw, opening with a solid win, losing badly, then being eliminated from the tournament in the United States would be a blunder on the level of exterminating cats during the black death (not so much in terms of body count but more so as a statement of fumbling the bag).
This is Berhalter’s moment. It’s the team’s time to rise up and prove that they can challenge the world and not just have an awesome recruiting class and then only go 5-7 and miss out on going to the Saab Visit L’il Rhody Bowl.
