On the ride to school this morning, I casually mentioned to my second grader, “U.S. versus Portugal tomorrow.”
To which he replied, “But I though we didn’t make the World Cup.”
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Judging by the vitriol attached to nearly every USMNT post on nearly every soccer web site, much of American soccer would prefer a lack of matches for some time, too, and we’re looking beyond the 7-year-old set.
It feels likely that’s one of the reasons the U.S. didn’t arrange for a second friendly for this window after a reported date Wales fell through. Sure, there’s probably a team that would come to the U.S. for a match, but the Yanks would already be in Portugal and the USSF probably doesn’t want to put its players in front of its stung fans any time soon.
So the Yanks will turn the page on a wasted World Cup cycle, on the road (Though, to quote Bob Seger, they will still feel the eyes upon them as you’re shaking off the cold. They’ll pretend it doesn’t bother them, but they’ll just want to explo-o-ode).
That’s especially decent of them considering this crew doesn’t have much to do with the miserable effort last month, when the inconsistent Yanks followed up a home win over Panama by essentially throwing up on the pitch in Trinidad and Tobago (Next time: Game plan earlier, write open letter guarantees later).
Portugal hasn’t lost since March, a run of 12 matches with just two draws. Fernando Santos’ men have kept four-straight clean sheets, but this won’t be the same bunch of players. Portugal is leaving much of its A-Team behind for a different reason than the U.S., as they want to see who could slip into the First Team for this summer’s World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Cedric Soares, William Carvalho, Nani, Andre Gomes, and Jose Fonte will not be in attendance, joining American regulars Clint Dempsey, Christian Pulisic, Geoff Cameron, Jozy Altidore, and Michael Bradley at home.
That said, you’ll see some real problems on the flanks. Barcelona fireball Nelson Semedo is there, as is Man City attacker Bernardo Silva. Milan’s Andre Silva, he of the 11 goals in 18 caps, will likely feature, and Valencia’s Goncalo Guedes is also an option.
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Good news! John Brooks is back! The towering 24-year-old Wolfsburg defender was one of those players who could’ve made a huge difference for Bruce Arena last month (the other, Geoff Cameron, was healthy). Brooks will likely pair with Matt Miazga or Tim Ream at the heart of the U.S. defense, with an outside shot that Spurs loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers of Sheffield United could see time.
A good test, to be sure, and DeAndre Yedlin will at least keep Portugal’s left side honest. Yet we really can’t be sure how interim manager Dave Sarachan will line ‘em up. This is one of his few chances to run the American national team, something done by just 35 other men in history.
For what it’s worth, two managers have unbeaten marks in U.S. history. John Kowalski went 1W-1D in 1991, and Thomas Cahill did the same in 1916. So Sarachan can join pretty rare and wild company.
It’s going to be a heck of a test for the Yanks on Tuesday.