Coach Gregg Berhalter of the United States greets goalkeeper Matt Turner after losing 0-1 against Uruguay at the end of a Copa America Group C soccer match in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffman) AP KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Gregg Berhalter gave a single-word answer after the United States was eliminated from the Copa America with a loss to Uruguay when asked whether he was the right man to lead the Americans into the 2026 World Cup. “Yes,” Berhalter said. Plenty of others are sure to have plenty more to say about his future with the national team.
After a disastrous loss to Panama put the U.S. in a dire predicament, Berhalter’s lineup of players from European clubs created precious few opportunities against Uruguay.
And when Mathías Olivera found the back of the net for a questionable second-half goal, La Celeste walked out of Arrowhead Stadium with a 1-0 victory on Monday night and the Americans were left wondering how everything had gone so wrong. “We’re all going to do a review of the whole tournament and see where we fell short,” Berhalter said. “It’s obvious the Panama game hurt us, put us behind the 8-ball, and I think collectively — the staff, the players, the sporting department — have to look at where do we improve.
How do we get better? We know it’s a talented team, one with big potential, and we didn’t show it.” Berhalter and the U.S.
hoped to show the team had advanced since its round-of-16 elimination agains.
