The U.S. men’s national team concluded their September friendlies with wins against Uzbekistan and Oman, scoring seven and conceding none in the process. Although the two Asian countries are ranked 73rd and 74th respectively, the October friendlies against Germany and Ghana will prove to be a greater test for the squad and manager.
USMNT MATCH RATINGS FOR SEPTEMBER FRIENDLIES
-COACH-
Gregg Berhalter (5/10):
The squad he called up and the team selections were refreshing to see, compared to his previous tenure. The game itself should’ve been a bit better considering the opposition and at times the match would become stall. In terms of sheer results, a pair of victories with a combined scoreline of 7-0 marked a successful return for Berhalter in this initial phase. However, given the caliber of opponents, this outcome was somewhat anticipated. The real litmus test awaits next month when facing off against Germany and Ghana, promising a far more intriguing challenge.
-GOALKEEPERS–
Matt Turner (8/10):
Matt Turner only played the full 90 against Uzbekistan with Ethan Horvath playing against Oman. Turner made several crucial saves, including a remarkable stop when star forward Eldor Shomurodov had a clear shot at goal. Without Turner guarding the net, the U.S. might not have secured the victory. The Nottingham Forest keeper earned man of the match for his great performance.
Ethan Horvath (7/10):
Was the more quieter of the two American keepers as Oman didn’t show as much of a threat compared to an Uzbekistan team that drew 3-3 to Mexico on Tuesday. Nonetheless, a shutout is a shutout.
-DEFENDERS-
Sergiño Dest (8/10):
He’s just incredible, isn’t he? Albeit against this competition, it shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the PSV fullback was a complete menace down that right flank combining really well with Tim Weah.
DeJuan Jones (6/10):
DeJuan Jones has been included in the roster for the upcoming friendly against Oman. He takes the place of Borussia Moenchengladbach fullback Joe Scally, who departed from the USMNT squad due to family-related reasons. Despite being added late, the Revs fullback assisted Pepi’s goal. Considering he only played 14 minutes, I can’t give him anything more than a six.
Antonee Robinson (6/10):
Robinson looked very busy against an Uzbekistan team that surprised many of us. Didn’t do anything spectacular but also didn’t do anything wrong. It looks like he picked up a knock which is why he wasn’t picked for the match against Oman.
Kristoffer Lund (7/10):
Palermo fullback Kristoffer Lund’s one-time switch from Denmark to the U.S. has been approved by FIFA, marking his debut in the USMNT camp. Although he didn’t see much action in the initial match due to Antonee Robinson’s injury, he played the full 90 minutes against Oman. He delivered an impressive performance, indicating he deserved to be Robinson’s backup at the LB spot.
Tim Ream (5.5/10):
We all expected more from the skipper on the day against Uzbekistan, especially in his hometown. Looked a bit sloppy at times and against tough opponents, they’ll punish you.
Chris Richards (7/10):
Looked solid in both games. Richards looks to have locked down a CB spot. We shall see how he fairs against heavyweight nations.
Miles Robinson (6/10):
The Atlanta United central defender only played against Oman and we have no complaints. Solid performance.
Mark McKenzie (6/10):
He came off the bench late on both occasions and did what was asked of him, decent camp for the Genk CB.
-MIDFIELDERS-
Weston McKennie (9/10):
The best player in these September games. His long range of passes is a joy to watch which led to many chances and even picked up an assist against Uzbekistan. The Juventus midfielder should’ve scored against Oman and was so close to a perfect rating.
Yunus Musah (7/10):
The midfield duo of Musah and McKennie is something to cherish in the upcoming years, and we’re yet to have Tyler Adams back. Musah hardly put a foot wrong, especially against Oman, but again, we have to take that into account.
Luca de la Torre (6.5/10):
The Celta Vigo man unfortunately suffered a nose injury and it was extremely unfortunate. LDLT played really well against Uzbekistan but was forced to come off. With Tyler Adams out, de la Torre showed he could step up and fill in his shoes.
Tanner Tessmann (5/10):
Luca de la Torre’s substitute. Not a disastrous performance but also not a pretty one. The Venezia man gave away the ball which gave Uzbekistan a chance to score and against any decent opponent, that’s a goal given away. However, Tessman did win a ball that would eventually be scored by Pepi.
Brenden Aarsonson (7/10):
It was a fantastic camp for the on-loan Union Berlin player. With a goal and an assist after the two friendlies, he now aims to carry this international form into his club performance.
Malik Tilmann (6.5/10):
Decent camp for the new PSV attacking mid. Tilmann came off the bench against Uzbekistan to win a penalty. He started against Oman and overall did well.
-FORWARDS-
Christian Pulisic (5/10):
Call it harsh or not, but this wasn’t a stellar camp for CP10. We’re well aware of his exceptional abilities at his peak, and it’s evident he didn’t showcase that against these two Asian nations. His set pieces, apart from the late penalty he scored against Uzbekistan, didn’t quite measure up. Whether he was concerned about potential injuries or perhaps taking it a bit easy given the opposition, we’re eager to witness a stronger performance from the Milan winger.
Tim Weah (7/10):
If I were the opponent, I’d say Weah was the most threatening American attacker. His pace and link-ups are enough to wreak havoc against backlines. The Juventus wideman scored against Uzbekistan and, honestly, should’ve scored once again against Oman. The only thing missing in Weah’s game is his final product; he needs to be a bit more clinical.
Kevin Paredes (6/10):
Paredes makes his debut for the USMNT and it only takes a minute to register his first goal contribution. Maybe not an official contributor but he still forced an own-goal. In the limited minutes he played, he still looked a bit raw but will only take more game time to develop that.
Folarin Balogun (6.5/10):
He was quiet in the first match but found the net in the second. His poaching instinct capitalized on a keeper’s save that landed on his feet, and that’s all you can ask for, especially when you hardly get the ball.
Ricardo Pepi (8/10):
El Tren! Back-to-back super-sub appearances for the PSV striker, and he’s starting to regain Berhalter’s trust after a surprising drop ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. Similar to Balogun, Pepi wasn’t being supplied many chances, but he certainly knows how to make the most of his opportunities.
Notes
Drake Callender and Cade Cowell both didn’t play a single minute in these September friendlies.
As mentioned under DeJuan Jones’ rating, Joe Scally left the camp due to family reasons.
Benjamin Cremaschi made his USMNT debut coming on as a sub in the United States’ dominate win over Oman. Cremaschi played the ball to Kevin Paredes, who forced the own goal to make it four-nil to the U.S. The Inter Miami youngster played under 20 minutes.