The world cup opening match may have been played already. That’s all well and good. For the USMNT and the nation hosting the lion’s share of the World Cup fixtures, including the Final… the tournament dawns after the sun sets on the East Coast.
The US play their opening group stage match tonight. Their opponent, Paraguay, will look to spoil the experience, and, despite losing to the US narrowly in a friendly staged last November, the South American stalwarts are capable of that. Though the squad does not feature a plethora of European based superstars, nobody should overlook a team that manages to qualify directly out of the brutal gauntlet that is CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying. MLS aficionados will recognize such players as Miguel Almiron, the former Newcastle player who has returned to Atlanta United, his current Atlanta teammate Matias Galarza, Braian Ojedo of Orlando City, and Andres Cubas of The Vancouver Whitecaps. This is the nation’s first World Cup since 2010, and they will be eager to make this one count, even, or especially if, it means throwing a host nation’s potential knockout journey into jeopardy.
The USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino delivered decent performances in their two tuneup matches heading into the tournament. They defeated World Cup dark horses, Senegal, despite a massive turnover in personnel at halftime and the concession of a brace to Sadio Mane. Though they lost to Germany, the challenges the German players put in on the Americans indicate that they were not comfortable with them in flow.
Even now, there are some questions about the starting lineup tonight. Though Matt Freese is widely expected to be the one to claim the goalkeeper’s gloves for this match, Matt Turner returning to the goalmouth is still an outside possibility. Tyler Adams has worryingly been managed in training with limited participation, and even if fit, his midfield partner could be any of Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, or even Malik Tillman pushed further back. And though Mark McKenzie has impressed defensively between likely starters, Alex Freeman and Tim Ream, US fans will be anxious to see Chris Richards fit to start. The Crystal Palace center back did appear in training this week, eliciting cheers from the crowd at the facility. Whether the treatment he has undergone will be enough remains to be seen.
Let’s face it, there are wildly varying expectations out there of what the US can accomplish this summer. However, this is almost universally acknowledged as the most talented World Cup squad the US has ever fielded in a World Cup, its stars seasoned in some of the world’s best leagues. As eyes turn, let’s knock on some wood, and get ready to disturb the neighbors.
It’s all happening tonight.
How to Watch
USMNT vs. Paraguay
Advertised Kick-off Time: 9:00pm Eastern, 6:00pm Pacific
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Available TV: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish), Universo (Spanish)
Available streaming: Fox Sports (English), Fox One (English), Tubi (English), Peacock (Spanish), FuboTV (Free Trial)
So what are the odds that Richards is ready to go and starts?
If you’re not part of the medical trainers and are checking him out today, it’s pretty rhetorical.
Schrödinger’s CB
Own goalllll, own goal-own goal-own goal— own goalllll, Ooown Goaalll!!!
Well, after Owen Goal’s performances for DCU, it’s only natural that Pooch would have him on the NT roster.
Balogun through Pulisic.
Please, sir, may I have another?
That might have been the best USMNT half played in a World Cup I’ve seen in my life.
It is VERY nice to not feel like we’re marginally gonna do something
Ream didn’t even touch Almiron
And new VAR rule intervention. No yellow on Ream and Almiron sees a yellow for simulation instead.
Andddd Almiron gets Ream’s yellow, and that’s good VAR
This was the ideal start. Even being able to kick yourself over something, and still have room to improve with the result never really getting close to jeopardy.
Awesome.
The best 45 minutes of soccer the USMNT have ever played–and in a WC opener to-boot! What a perfect start. And they get an extra day’s rest over Australia.