Gregg Berhalter faces escalating scrutiny as the U.S. team tumbled out of the Copa America on home soil, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat against Uruguay.
The pre-World Cup showcase faltered, ejecting the host nation in the initial round after Monday’s disappointing loss to Uruguay.
This outcome, paired with Panama’s 3-1 triumph over Bolivia, spelled the end for the Americans.
Still, Berhalter maintains his fitness for the role.
Inquiring minds wanted to know if he envisages himself at the helm for the 2026 World Cup. He responded affirmatively. “You have to keep pushing ahead.”
“It’s not a signal of doom for the program. We underperformed, expectations weren’t met, and we’ve got room for improvement,” he admitted.
Mathías Olivera netted the decisive goal in the second half, propelling Marcelo Bielsa’s squad into the quarterfinals against either Brazil or Colombia.
The stats painted a bleak picture: the USA managed only eight attempts, three on target, and amassed a meager 0.56 expected goals (xG) against Uruguay’s 1.4.
“We’re immensely frustrated with the outcomes,” Berhalter confessed.
He acknowledged, “We know our potential exceeds this, and sadly, we didn’t demonstrate it here. Simply put, that’s it.”
Uruguay, predicted to trail only behind Argentina and Brazil, authenticated their contender status by clinching all their group matches.
Remarkably, it’s their first occurrence of initiating Copa America with three straight wins since 1959, and the first instance since 1942 of La Celeste securing all points available in the group stage, culminating in being champions in Montevideo.
Facing impending challenges from either Colombia or Brazil, Uruguay’s assistant coach, Diego Reyes, commented, “Both are formidable adversaries. We’re gearing up for an in-depth analysis once we confirm our next opponent.”
Reyes noted, “Post some minutes against the USA, our squad found its rhythm. It’s advantageous as forthcoming encounters will likely mirror this scenario, making it a beneficial reference.”
Reyes concluded, “There are always aspects to tweak, and that’s our intention moving forward.”
