Let’s be honest, that was not a good international window for the U.S. men’s national team despite advancing. Against the 99th-ranked country, no matter the situation, there’s no excuse for the 11th-ranked country to struggle, especially when they had a man advantage at home. It is nonsense to use the “no Christian Pulisic, no Tim Weah,” or even a “no Weston McKennie” excuse. This is a much better team than the one that last lost to Trinidad, and what just transpired? Another 2-1 loss at Trinidad, that’s right.
The 10-man Trinidad team capitulated in the final ten minutes in Austin, ultimately sealing their fate. The Sergiño Dest red card was the big talking point in Port of Spain, but that doesn’t change the fact that the U.S. was underwhelming and lost 2-1, on the night in the second leg. Even with the USA advancing to the next round of the CNL, as well as qualifying for Copa America in the summer, it’s yet another loss on the road to CONCACAF opponents, an ongoing problem under both Gregg Berhalter’s tenures.
USMNT PLAYER RATINGS FOR THE TWO-LEGGED QUARTERFINAL TIE AGAINST TRINIDAD & TOBAGO:
-GOALKEEPERS-
Ethan Horvath (N/A):
Horvath didn’t play a single minute.
Gaga Slonina (N/A):
Slonina didn’t play a single minute.
Matt Turner (4.5/10):
Clean sheet in the first game, but he didn’t really have to do much as T&T was sitting back the entire game, only having one shot in all 90 minutes. However, in the second match where he had to show up, Turner was extremely poor letting those two goals in if we’re being honest. He was caught out at the near post for Trinidad’s first goal and fumbled a shot from a free kick that most keepers would parry away. In Turner’s case, his wrists weren’t strong enough. It hasn’t been a great month for the now Nottingham Forest No.2 keeper.
-DEFENDERS-
Cameron Carter-Vickers (6/10):
I’ve expected much more from CCV and it was an opportunity to cement a starting spot. Got twisted for the first Trinidad goal much like his captain and partner Ream. Other than that, did his job.
Sergiño Dest (6/10):
If Dest hadn’t thrown a tantrum on the field, he would’ve certainly received a much higher rating. The PSV fullback was everywhere in the attack for both games but ultimately put his side in trouble after getting sent off in the most idiotic fashion. Was the ball still inbound? Yes, it was. Was the referee making some questionable calls? Yes, again, but that still doesn’t warrant a reaction like that. Even though it doesn’t make his performance bad, it does, however, influence the flow of the match and at one point made it look like Trinidad was going to do the impossible.
Kristoffer Lund (N/A):
Lund didn’t play a single minute.
Tim Ream (6/10):
The skipper showed his leadership but still didn’t have a spectacular second game, much like CCV and the rest of the backline. Barring the rocky end of the first half and the start of the second half in Trinidad, it was an average outing.
Chris Richards (N/A):
Richards didn’t play a single minute.
Antonee Robinson (8.5/10):
The most prolific player for the USMNT just happens to be their left-back in Fulham’s Jedi Robinson. Two goals and an assist in this quarterfinal tie are remarkable and he looked like a real goal threat. However, Robinson was part of the defense that fell asleep after the Dest sending off, allowing Trinidad to get one back. Other than that, it was a good camp for the 26-year-old.
Miles Robinson (N/A):
M. Robinson didn’t play a single minute.
Joe Scally (6/10):
Didn’t play in the first leg but ultimately came on in the second game after the Dest was sent off. At times, it looked like the referee wasn’t protecting him, as he was hacked down in numerous instances. Due to the circumstances, it was a decent cameo.
-MIDFIELDERS-
Paxten Aaronson (N/A):
The younger brother of Brenden, Paxten Aaronson didn’t play a single minute.
Johnny Cardoso (N/A):
Despite getting the call-up, Cardoso withdrew from the squad due to injury before the first leg in Austin.
Luca de la Torre (5.5/10):
As good as LDLT can be, that was certainly an underwhelming camp for the Celta Vigo midfielder. He didn’t get to play in the first game but ultimately played the majority of the 90 minutes in Trinidad and was a bit of an outcast.
Lennard Maloney (N/A):
Maloney was an unused sub in the first leg at Austin, but came on to play the remaining seconds in the 2-1 loss at T&T.
Weston McKennie (7.5/10):
McKennie was forced to leave the camp early due to picking up an injury. Nonetheless, the Juventus midfielder was excellent in that game at Austin. He created numerous chances as well as being fouled, leading to Trinidad being reduced to ten men.
Yunus Musah (7/10):
Even in the loss, I still thought Musah did well in the midfield. He performed admirably defensively and made efforts to initiate the attack, but I guess the forwards just didn’t feel like working.
Gio Reyna (7/10):
Scored in the first game in Austin and looked good in the second leg, but was the one to be sacrificed due to the Dest sending off to add another defender. I believe that one of the strikers on the pitch, Pepi or Balogun, had to be the one to be replaced. Reyna is the type of player you need, even if you’re losing, to retain possession and create chances. Having a double strike force won’t help you with that. Berhalter realized that mistake and took Pepi off for Tillman later in the game. Nonetheless, it was a good camp for the 21-year-old.
Malik Tillman (5/10):
It wasn’t a great camp for Tillman, and I was actually really excited to see him feature due to his club form, but unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. The PSV attacker didn’t look too impressive in Austin and was later replaced. He started on the bench for the trip to Trinidad and didn’t make much of an impact when he did come on.
-FORWARDS-
Brenden Aaronson (4/10):
I just don’t know where to start. He kept falling over and just wasn’t good, in the nicest way possible. His form is extremely worrying, as in the past few camps he featured in, it’s hard to pinpoint a standout performance, and that’s without even including his woeful club form with Union Berlin.
Folarin Balogun (5.5/10):
Silent for most of both games from Balogun but picked up an assist for Reyna’s goal to make it 3-0 for the U.S. We need to see more from the Monaco striker. It also doesn’t help that he becomes isolated at times due to how often balls are being passed out wide for a cross.
Kevin Paredes (5/10):
Paredes only played in the first game in Austin and was very quiet. He’s still quite young, at only 20, and a raw talent having just made his third senior cap. He will eventually get more chances to showcase his reasons for selection. As for now though, it wasn’t a great camp performance-wise, but a good camp in the sense of gaining experience.
Ricardo Pepi (6.5/10):
Got the go-ahead goal in Austin that opened the much-needed floodgates. If it weren’t for that first goal, the USMNT might not even be talking about the semis right now. However, it is the bare minimum considering the opposition and he didn’t do much in the second game, much like Balogun.
Alex Zendejas (N/A):
Zendejas didn’t play a single minute.
Next up on the agenda for the USMNT is the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against Jamaica, and either Mexico or Panama in the final in March at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Then after that, it’s the big one, Copa America hosted by the United States in the summer, where the final will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
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