A List of USMNT Moments That Make Me Thankful for this Roller Coaster of a Team
As we gather around the Thanksgiving table, there's plenty to be thankful for as a United States men's national team supporter, both from the storied past and the promising present.
I'm forever grateful for that magical moment in 2010 when Landon Donovan tapped in a rebound in stoppage time against Algeria, securing our advancement and marking the first time we topped a World Cup group since 1930. I was 19 years old and shared that moment with my late father—a memory etched in my brain forever.
Looking further back, the 1950 victory over England stands as one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, when Joe Gaetjens' header shocked the football world. It's a reminder that American soccer has always been capable of the improbable. Paul Caligiuri's goal against Trinidad and Tobago in 1989 ended a 40-year World Cup drought, opening the door to the modern era of American soccer. Without that moment, who knows where we'd be today?
I'm thankful for the World Cup run in 2002, when the U.S. was a missed handball away from potentially reaching the semifinals. I was 11 years old, and I remember waking up in the early hours to watch a couple of the matches and not understanding the magnitude of what this run meant. Defeating top-ranked Spain 2-0 in the 2009 Confederations Cup semifinals, which I watched in my childhood living room, showed we could compete with anyone.
For the present, I'm grateful for Mauricio Pochettino's arrival and the renewed energy he's brought, though it started with plenty of question marks. Christian Pulisic is flourishing in his prime at AC Milan, while talents like Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Sergiño Dest star at Europe's biggest clubs. Folarin Balogun's commitment to our program gives us a true number nine.
Most importantly, hosting the 2026 World Cup on home soil provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The future has never looked brighter for American soccer, and for that, I'm truly thankful.
American Goalkeeper Has Been a Standout for New York Heading into the Conference Finals
When New York City FC travels to Chase Stadium on Saturday for the Eastern Conference Final, their greatest hope of containing Lionel Messi's record-breaking playoff performance may rest on the shoulders of goalkeeper Matt Freese.
The 27-year-old USMNT goalkeeper has been nothing short of sensational throughout the postseason, recording three clean sheets in four playoff matches. His most impressive display came in last weekend's 1-0 upset victory over top-seeded Philadelphia Union, where he made five crucial saves to eliminate the Supporters' Shield winners at Subaru Park.
Freese's performance against his former club was particularly poignant. Having appeared as a substitute for Philadelphia in the 2021 Eastern Conference Final—ironically losing to NYCFC before they captured MLS Cup—he returned to exact revenge. Despite Philadelphia dominating possession and outshooting the visitors 20-6, Freese remained unflappable throughout the 90 minutes.
His highlight-reel moment arrived in the 74th minute when he somehow managed to kick out his boot and deny USMNT youth international Frankie Westfield's point-blank volley, preserving NYCFC's slender advantage. He also produced critical stops on Jakob Glesnes' dangerous attempt just before halftime and Milan Iloski's late-game effort in the 92nd minute.
Now Freese faces his ultimate test: stopping an Inter Miami attack that has been virtually unstoppable. Messi has already shattered playoff records with six goals and six assists this postseason, complementing his 29-goal Golden Boot campaign. Supporting cast members Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti have combined for six goals and five assists in the playoffs, creating a multidimensional offensive threat.
NYCFC has embraced its underdog status throughout the postseason, winning consecutive road matches to reach this stage. For the Cityzens to shock Miami and advance to their second MLS Cup Final since 2021, Freese will need to deliver another masterclass performance against the most prolific attacking force in MLS history.
American Duo Had an Impact in PSV's Champions League Victory Over Liverpool
Two United States internationals played pivotal roles as PSV Eindhoven stunned Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield on Wednesday, delivering one of the most impressive Champions League performances by a Dutch side in recent memory.
Sergino Dest started and played the complete 90 minutes, providing the defensive stability and attacking threat that helped PSV weather Liverpool's first-half pressure before dominating the second period. The versatile defender completed an impressive 28-of-31 passes while creating three chances throughout the match. His most significant contribution came in the closing stages when he combined brilliantly with Ismael Saibari on the right flank before delivering a precise assist to Couhaib Driouech for PSV's fourth goal, sealing the memorable victory.
Ricardo Pepi entered the match in the 69th minute and immediately made his presence felt. The young striker, who had previously scored the winner when these teams met in Eindhoven last January before suffering an injury, was hungry to make an impact. Just minutes after coming on, Pepi cut inside from the left wing and unleashed a powerful shot that struck the base of the post. The rebound fell perfectly for Driouech, who converted PSV's third goal and effectively ended Liverpool's hopes of a comeback.
The Americans were part of a fearless PSV performance that saw the Dutch champions take an early penalty lead through Ivan Perisic before weathering intense Liverpool pressure. After Dominik Szoboszlai equalized, PSV regrouped and dominated the second half, with Guus Til restoring their advantage before the American duo helped put the game beyond reach.
The victory moved PSV to 15th place in the Champions League standings with eight points, marking a significant achievement for both the club and Dutch football's European reputation. For Dest and Pepi, the performance demonstrated their growing importance to PSV's campaign and provided valuable momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Forward Scores Second Goal in as Many Champions League Matches
Folarin Balogun is experiencing a remarkable resurgence at AS Monaco, arriving at a crucial moment both for his club and the United States national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The American striker continued his impressive scoring streak with a goal in Monaco's 2-2 Champions League draw against Pafos on Wednesday, marking his fifth consecutive start with a goal for club and country.
The 24-year-old's strike in Cyprus demonstrated both his defensive awareness and clinical finishing ability. After intercepting possession, Balogun wasted no time, unleashing a first-time finish past goalkeeper Neophytos Michael in the 26th minute to restore Monaco's lead. It was the type of confident, instinctive finish that defines strikers in peak form.
This goal represents more than just another tally for Balogun—it symbolizes his complete recovery from a difficult second season at Monaco. After arriving from Reims with high expectations following a 22-goal campaign, he managed eight goals and five assists in his debut season. However, shoulder and ankle injuries derailed his progress last year, significantly limiting his impact with just four goals in 16 appearances.
Now in his third season, Balogun has already surpassed his previous campaign's total output with six goals and an assist across all competitions. The timing of Balogun's renaissance couldn't be better, with the 2026 World Cup on home soil just under 200 days away. The striker position has been a persistent question mark for the USMNT over the last two cycles, but Balogun is providing legitimate answers.
Midfielder Scores First Champions League Goal of the Season in Juventus Win
Weston McKennie spectacularly broke his goal drought during Juventus' dramatic 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt in Norway on Tuesday, scoring what proved to be a pivotal goal in the Italian club's challenging Champions League campaign.
The American midfielder, who had struggled to find the net throughout the 2024-25 season, rose magnificently to meet Fabio Miretti's cross in the 59th minute, powering a header past the goalkeeper from six yards out. The goal gave Juventus a 2-1 lead after they had fallen behind early in the match on the artificial pitch in frigid Norwegian conditions.
McKennie's eighth career Champions League goal came at a critical juncture for the Bianconeri, who desperately needed their first win after managing only three draws and suffering a defeat to Real Madrid in their opening fixtures. The timing couldn't have been better for the Texas native, who has faced uncertainty about his place in both club and country.
The header showcased McKennie's aerial prowess as he outjumped his marker to convert the service from Miretti, who had benefited from the inspired play of substitute Kenan Yildiz. The Turkish teenager had entered at halftime and immediately transformed the match, playing a role in all three Juventus goals. While Bodo/Glimt equalized late through a penalty, Jonathan David's stoppage-time winner secured the crucial three points. The victory lifted Juventus to 22nd place in the expanded 36-team Champions League table with six points, keeping their hopes alive of reaching the knockout rounds.
For McKennie, the goal marked a significant milestone—his first of the campaign after a difficult period that saw managerial changes at Juventus and inconsistent call-ups to Mauricio Pochettino's United States national team. Among Americans in Champions League history, he now trails only Christian Pulisic, who leads with 12 goals in the competition.
On This Day in 2020, the Brooklyn-Born Striker Announced His Arrival in Norway
When Folarin Balogun stepped onto the artificial turf at the Aker Stadium in Molde, Norway, on November 26, 2020, he carried the weight of uncertainty on his young shoulders. Just months earlier, the 19-year-old striker had been on the verge of leaving Arsenal entirely, with contract negotiations stalled and an £8 million move to Brentford reportedly on the table. The club he'd joined at age eight—the club he'd chosen over North London rivals Tottenham—suddenly seemed ready to let him walk away.
But football has a way of rewriting narratives quickly. After making his senior debut as a substitute against Dundalk in late October, Balogun earned his chance to prove he belonged. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had already seen enough in training to keep faith, and technical director Edu was watching closely. The New York-born forward, eligible to represent both the United States and England at the international level, was about to make the most emphatic statement possible about his future.
The circumstances that evening in Norway were complicated. Arsenal arrived for their Group B fixture already assured of progression to the knockout rounds, their perfect record in the competition intact. Yet the match carried significance—particularly for players like Balogun fighting to establish themselves in Arteta's plans. The young striker was handed his second appearance, this time entering as a substitute in the 82nd minute with Arsenal already comfortably ahead through goals from Nicolas Pépé and Reiss Nelson.
Most teenage substitutes in such situations would be content simply to see out the match, to bank the experience and wait for the next opportunity. Balogun had other ideas. Within minutes of his introduction, the striker found himself at the center of Arsenal's attack. As the Gunners broke forward with clinical precision, Balogun positioned himself perfectly in the penalty area. When the ball arrived, he didn't hesitate. With a composed touch to control and a swift turn to create space, the 19-year-old wrapped up the victory with a clinical finish that belied his inexperience.
"I knew this was the moment I'd been waiting for," Balogun would later reflect on his first senior Arsenal goal.
The significance extended beyond the scoresheet. Here was a product of Arsenal's academy system—a player they'd nurtured since he was nine years old, who'd helped Trevor Bumstead's U16 side claim the prestigious Liam Brady Cup in 2017 by defeating Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Juventus—finally delivering on that promise at the highest level.
"We have been extremely impressed with Flo this season," Arteta said. "He has continually shown his natural ability in many training sessions with us, and we have been equally impressed with his early integration into the first-team squad on matchdays."
For a club that prides itself on developing young talent, Balogun's emergence represented both validation and opportunity. The Brooklyn-born forward possessed a rare blend of attributes—the technical ability to play with his back to goal and link play, the pace to threaten defenses in behind, and a clinical finishing instinct that suggested a natural goalscorer. His eight goals in 18 appearances for the academy that season demonstrated he was ready for more.
The goal in Molde proved to be the catalyst Arsenal's hierarchy needed. While Balogun would add another goal and an assist in his next Europa League appearance against Dundalk, finishing the group stage with two goals, the real breakthrough came off the pitch. The contract impasse that had threatened to send him to Brentford suddenly dissolved. In April 2021, Arsenal announced that Balogun had committed his future to the club with a new long-term deal running through 2025.
When Arsenal traveled to face Premier League newcomers Brentford for their 2021-22 season opener on August 13, 2021, Balogun was named in the starting XI—his first Premier League appearance and first league start for the club. The circumstances were less than ideal, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette both unavailable and Eddie Nketiah sidelined by injury. But the opportunity had arrived nonetheless, and Arteta showed his faith in the striker who'd announced himself on that artificial pitch in Norway nine months earlier.
Though Arsenal would fall 2-0 to Brentford that evening, with Balogun substituted after 59 minutes, the trajectory was set. The kid from Brooklyn who'd moved to London as a one-month-old infant, who'd risen through every level of Arsenal's academy, who'd nearly walked away over contract disputes, had established himself as a genuine first-team option for one of England's biggest clubs.
It all traced back to that moment at the Aker Stadium—a substitute appearance in a match already won, a chance seized with both hands, and a future secured with one decisive finish. The hard work, as Arteta noted, was only just beginning. But for Folarin Balogun, the moment he'd been waiting for had finally arrived.
On This Day in 2009, the American Struck Twice as Fulham Moved Into the Top Ten
When Clint Dempsey lined up against Blackburn Rovers on November 25, 2009, he was riding a wave of momentum that had transformed both his status at Fulham and his reputation across European football. The American had entered the season on secure footing—having signed a contract extension through 2013 just three months earlier—and he had responded with his most productive spell yet in a Fulham shirt.
The autumn months had seen Dempsey emerge as Fulham's most dangerous attacking threat. After scoring his first European goal in August against Amkar Perm, he had found the net again in three straight matches at the end of October and the beginning of November: a crucial equalizer away at Manchester City, the winner against Liverpool at Craven Cottage, and another goal at Wigan. Roy Hodgson's side sat ninth in the table, genuine contenders for European qualification, and Dempsey was central to those ambitions.
The match against struggling Blackburn—managed in Sam Allardyce's absence by assistant Neil McDonald—promised little entertainment in its opening stages. Fulham endured a frustrating first forty minutes as Blackburn's aggressive pressing disrupted their passing rhythm. The visitors had the game's first clear chance when Franco di Santo broke through in the second minute, only for Mark Schwarzer to rush out and deny him.
What followed was, in Hodgson's diplomatic assessment, "not the sort of game you like to watch." Neither side created quality chances as Blackburn worked tirelessly to stifle Fulham's creativity. Then, two minutes before halftime, Erik Nevland broke the deadlock. The Norwegian striker combined cleverly with Bobby Zamora before receiving Damien Duff's return pass and sliding a low shot past Paul Robinson at the near post.
That goal transformed the contest. Fulham dominated the second half with renewed confidence, and Dempsey—initially stationed on the left wing—began to find space. After missing two headed opportunities early in the half, he made no mistake in the 66th minute. When Duff cut inside from the right and unleashed a shot toward goal, Dempsey didn't hesitate. Stationed six yards out, he made certain of the finish, tapping the ball past Robinson to double Fulham's advantage.
Hodgson soon shuffled his formation, replacing the injured Zamora with Zoltan Gera and pushing Dempsey into a central striking role. The American thrived in his new position, nearly adding another goal when Chris Baird's exceptional solo run created space in the 73rd minute. Fifteen minutes later, Dempsey delivered the decisive blow. Simon Davies's cross found him in the six-yard box, where he held off his marker, turned sharply, and drilled a low shot past Robinson to complete his brace and seal a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
"We have seen us play more attractive football, but you have to be able to play well against the teams who don't allow you to play how you like," Hodgson said afterward. "If you want to beat these teams, you have to deal with that and then ask them questions."
For Dempsey, the performance was another emphatic statement in what was becoming a career-defining season. His two goals moved Fulham up to tenth place and marked his fifth goal in five Premier League matches. This personal scoring run underscored his evolution from promising contributor to indispensable match-winner.
The American's hot streak would continue through December, as he provided the assist in a stunning 3-0 victory over Manchester United on December 19. By year's end, La Gazzetta dello Sport would name him among the top eleven Premier League players of 2009—recognition that reflected his remarkable transformation from a player fighting for consistent starts into one of the division's most productive attacking forces. More importantly, his goals had helped establish Fulham as genuine contenders for their first-ever European campaign, with Roy Hodgson's side positioned firmly in the top half of the table as the calendar turned to 2010.
Matt Freese delivered a heroic performance between the posts as New York City FC eliminated the top-seeded Philadelphia Union 1-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday night. The 27-year-old USMNT goalkeeper made five crucial saves at Subaru Park, securing his 13th clean sheet of the season and sending his side to the Eastern Conference Final.
Fresh off international duty with the United States against Paraguay and Uruguay, Freese was tested early and often by the Supporters' Shield winners. Philadelphia outshot NYCFC 20-6 overall, including a 9-3 advantage in the first half, but Freese stood tall throughout the contest.
His most spectacular moment came in the 74th minute when he flung out his boot to deny USMNT youth international Frankie Westfield's point-blank volley, a save that preserved NYCFC's slender advantage. Earlier, Freese had made a quick-reaction stop on Jakob Glesnes' sharp-angled attempt in the 45th minute, while he capped his performance with a 92nd-minute save on Milan Iloski's long-range blast.
The victory held special significance for Freese, who was playing against his former club. He had appeared for Philadelphia as a substitute in the 2021 Eastern Conference Final, ironically losing to NYCFC before they went on to win MLS Cup. His performance earned him Player of the Match honors and set up a tantalizing Eastern Conference Final showdown with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
Winger Scores the Winner in the Derby Della Madonnina
Christian Pulisic delivered when it mattered most, scoring the decisive goal in AC Milan's 1-0 Derby Della Madonnina victory over Inter Milan at San Siro on Sunday. The 27-year-old USMNT star's clinical finish proved the difference in a heated rivalry match with genuine title implications, moving Milan into second place in Serie A.
The crucial moment arrived in the 54th minute when Rafael Leao orchestrated an attack that found Alexis Saelemaekers wide. The Belgian winger slipped while shooting, but his effort was pushed away by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer. However, Pulisic exemplified the striker's instinct by continuing his run. At the same time, Inter defender Manuel Akanji reacted a split second too late, allowing the American to tap home the rebound for an easy finish.
The goal marked Pulisic's triumphant return to full fitness after missing four consecutive Serie A matches with a hamstring injury. He had managed just 20 minutes against Parma before the international break and was held out of USMNT duty for matches against Paraguay and Uruguay to manage his recovery.
His fifth Serie A goal of the campaign levels him with Inter's Hakan Calhanoglu and Bologna's Riccardo Orsolini as joint top scorers in what has been a finish-challenged season across the league. Combined with two assists in eight Serie A appearances and goals in both of Milan's Coppa Italia fixtures, Pulisic has registered seven goals across all competitions.
The victory was secured despite Inter's dominant possession and multiple chances, with Mike Maignan producing heroics, including a spectacular penalty save from Calhanoglu in the 73rd minute. Pulisic's derby goal was his third against Inter, having previously scored in September 2024's league encounter and January 2025's Supercoppa Italiana final.
On This Day in 1996, the U.S. Stayed Perfect in World Cup Qualifying After a Win in Trinidad
The heat arrived before the Americans did. By the time Steve Sampson's squad touched down in Port-of-Spain on Friday afternoon, three days before kickoff, the temperature had already climbed past 90 degrees with humidity thick enough to taste. This was the Caribbean in late November—tropical, unforgiving, and exactly what Trinidad and Tobago had been counting on since the schedule was published months earlier.
Seven years. That's how long the memory had festered on this island. November 19, 1989, when Paul Caligiuri's improbable 35-yard shot had dipped under the crossbar and sent the United States to Italia '90 while Trinidad and Tobago watched from home. The champagne they'd prepared for their own celebration had been graciously—painfully—delivered to the American locker room instead. National Stadium had been a sea of 30,000 in red that day, a nation of 1.26 million people ready to become the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup.
Now the Americans were back, and Trinidad needed a miracle. Winless through three matches and sitting at the bottom of Group 1 with a single point, they faced mathematical elimination with a loss. Dwight Yorke, who had been an 18-year-old kid who played an hour that fateful day in 1989, where his World Cup dream dissolved, was now 25 and starring in the English Premier League with seven goals in his last seven matches for Aston Villa. He'd publicly appealed for support, begging the nation not to sign off on his team before the final whistle.
The crowd suggested otherwise. When Sunday arrived—kickoff scheduled for noon, the sun was already brutal—only 8,000 fans filtered into Hasely Crawford Stadium, leaving two-thirds of the seats empty. The resignation was palpable. Russell Latapy, Trinidad's captain and creative engine, hadn't even bothered to fly back from Portugal, choosing to remain with Boavista rather than witness another collapse. The team that took the field and challenged the Americans in Richmond had evaporated into the Caribbean humidity.
Sampson had made his calculations during the week. The Americans would play defensively, absorb pressure, and strike when Trinidad's desperation created openings. In 92-degree heat with 85 percent humidity, fitness would decide the match as much as talent. Eddie Pope, whose debut against Trinidad two weeks earlier had been seamless, would anchor the back line. Kasey Keller, riding three consecutive shutouts, would guard the net. Tab Ramos would patrol midfield until the conditions drained him. And somewhere in that framework, the Americans would find one moment—one lapse in Trinidad's organization—to exploit.
That moment nearly went the other way first. In the 26th minute, Hutson Charles broke free down the left channel with only Keller to beat. The goalkeeper charged off his line in a desperate slide, arriving just in time to smother the ball outside the penalty area. The Barbadian referee, Mark Ford, blew his whistle and pointed to the spot where Keller's hands had touched the ball—outside the box. Yellow card. The replays would later show Keller had been inside, but in real time, the Americans held their breath. A red card would have meant ejection, leaving them to play 64 minutes with ten men in hellish conditions. Instead, they survived with a warning and a dangerous free kick that came to nothing.
Eight minutes later, the match turned on alertness and exhaustion. Ancil Elcock clattered into Earnie Stewart from behind 25 yards from goal, and Ford whistled for the foul. Trinidad's players stopped—some to protest, some to catch their breath, goalkeeper Michael Maurice standing casually off his line. The Americans didn't stop. John Harkes, reading the moment with the instinct of a veteran, quickly rolled the ball forward to Joe-Max Moore. The forward kept running while Trinidad stood still, and from 16 yards he chipped a delicate shot over Maurice's shoulder into the empty net.
"Absolutely brilliant," Sampson would say afterward. "When you have this heat and humidity, people tend to take mental breathers or turn their backs to the ball. That's the time to put it down and play."
The goal changed everything. Trinidad, needing three points to stay alive, pushed forward with the desperation of the condemned. The second half became an exercise in American resilience. Yorke dropped deeper, trying to create from midfield. Shots rained toward Keller's goal—five saves in total, including a diving stop after substitute Stern John beat him to a cross, only to see Jeff Agoos block the attempt with expert positioning. When Keller was called for a delay of game in the 73rd minute, and Trinidad was awarded an indirect free kick from six yards out, Cobi Jones threw himself in front of Yorke's blast, taking the shot directly to the face.
Ramos, who had been fighting cramps for 20 minutes, finally succumbed in the 79th minute. He signaled to the bench, and Mike Burns entered to shadow Yorke. The injury would later be diagnosed as a torn ACL, requiring reconstructive surgery and four to six months of recovery. The most skillful American midfielder would miss the rest of qualifying and the early stages of MLS. But in the moment, his exit simply marked Trinidad's last gasp. The home side had run out of ideas and, in the withering heat, out of legs.
The final whistle confirmed what the empty seats had predicted: Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup dream was over. Again. Seven years after Caligiuri, the Americans had returned to Port-of-Spain and delivered another dose of heartbreak. This time, there was no drama, no miracle shot—just clinical professionalism and a single moment of quick thinking that Trinidad's exhausted defenders couldn't recover from.
In three matches, the Americans secured nine points from a possible nine while conceding no goals. The Americans sat alone atop Group 1, needing just a draw from their final two matches to guarantee advancement to the hexagonal final round. The mathematics had become simple: one more result and it's off to the next round.
But the victory had come at a cost. Agoos, who had blocked John's shot so heroically, picked up his second yellow card of the round and would miss the Costa Rica match. Ramos was gone for months. The team that had looked so dominant through three matches would have to navigate the final stretch with a thinner roster and mounting fatigue.
Sampson refused to celebrate prematurely. "It's a pretty darn good scenario to be in," he acknowledged, "but we can't afford to look past Costa Rica." Next Sunday in San José, in front of a hostile crowd at 3,000 feet above sea level, the Americans would face their sternest test yet. Costa Rica had lost to Guatemala earlier that day, falling to 1-2 in the group, and they would be desperate for points on home soil.
For now, though, redemption belonged to the Americans. Seven years after announcing their arrival on the world stage in this same stadium, they had returned and proven it wasn't a fluke. Caligiuri's shot changed U.S. soccer forever, opening the door to World Cup '94, MLS and legitimacy on the international stage. This victory, quieter and more businesslike, confirmed what that moment had promised: the United States was no longer a miracle story. They were a regional power, capable of winning anywhere against anyone in CONCACAF.
Cameron Carter-Vickers faces the devastating prospect of missing the 2026 World Cup after being ruled out for the remainder of Celtic's season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. The 27-year-old United States international sustained the serious injury during Celtic's Europa League victory over Sturm Graz last month, bringing his campaign to a premature and painful conclusion.
Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill delivered the grim news, confirming that Carter-Vickers won't feature again this season and may not even return to grass training until April. When O'Neill asked the defender about his World Cup prospects, Carter-Vickers candidly admitted his participation looked highly unlikely.
The timing couldn't be worse for the USMNT center-back, who was beginning to work his way back into Mauricio Pochettino's plans. Although he hadn't been a regular fixture since Pochettino took charge in late 2024, Carter-Vickers was called up for October's friendlies against Ecuador and Australia. Pochettino's recent tactical shift to a back-three formation had opened potential opportunities for the defender to stake his claim.
Carter-Vickers becomes the first member of the USMNT player pool to face missing the home World Cup through injury, with just over six months remaining until the tournament begins. The Celtic defender was part of the 2022 World Cup squad, playing the full 90 minutes in the crucial group stage victory over Iran. His absence forces Pochettino to rely on other defensive options, including Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and fellow Celtic teammate Auston Trusty as the Americans prepare for their home tournament.
After Reports Stated New Contract Talks, the Defender Was Subbed Off Injured Against Wolves
Chris Richards is set to enter contract negotiations with Crystal Palace as he approaches the final two years of his current deal. The 25-year-old United States international has established himself as a crucial component of the Eagles' defensive line alongside Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix, prompting the club to initiate discussions about extending his stay at Selhurst Park.
Since joining Palace from Bayern Munich in 2022 for approximately £10 million, Richards has demonstrated remarkable versatility, featuring at center-back, right-back and even defensive midfield. His unique ability to deliver dangerous long throws has also made him a valuable asset during set-pieces. Last season, he made 32 appearances and played every minute of Palace's FA Cup campaign, which culminated in victory over Manchester City in the final.
However, Richards provided a brief scare during Saturday's 2-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux when he required medical attention in the 83rd minute. The defender went down while Palace prepared a double substitution and was subsequently replaced by Jaydee Canvot for the remaining minutes.
Manager Oliver Glasner quickly dismissed concerns about the injury, attributing it to cramping rather than anything more serious. Richards had been managing a calf issue and was omitted from Mauricio Pochettino's recent USMNT squad to preserve his fitness. Glasner jokingly suggested the extended rest during the international break might have contributed to the cramping, expressing confidence that Richards would be available for Thursday's Europa League fixture against Strasbourg.
Playmaker Added an Assist to go with His Goal in Leverkusen's Victory
Malik Tillman delivered a career-defining performance as Bayer Leverkusen cruised to a 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg, establishing himself as a key figure in his new club's push up the Bundesliga standings. The 23-year-old American international recorded both a goal and an assist, becoming the fifth American in history to do so in a single Bundesliga match.
Tillman's impact was immediate and decisive. Just nine minutes into the match, he had a chance to score on Alejandro Grimaldo's low cross, but barely helped it into Jonas Hofmann's path, allowing the German midfielder to side-foot home the opening goal. The assist showcased Tillman's intelligent positioning and awareness in the attacking third.
The former Bayern Munich academy product sealed his impressive showing in the 33rd minute when Patrik Schick's smart flick near midfield found him in a promising position on the break. Tillman displayed composure beyond his years, calmly sending Wolfsburg goalkeeper Kamil Grabara the wrong way to make it 3-0 before halftime. The goal marked his third of the season for Leverkusen, bringing his tally to three goals and one assist in ten appearances since his summer transfer from PSV Eindhoven.
Between Tillman's contributions, Edmond Tapsoba had doubled Leverkusen's advantage in the 24th minute, heading home Aleix Garcia's pinpoint cross. Despite Denis Vavro pulling one back for the hosts in the 57th minute from Maximilian Arnold's corner, Wolfsburg couldn't mount a serious comeback.
Tillman completed 22-of-24 (92 percent) of his passes in 64 minutes on the pitch, demonstrating a well-rounded performance that extended beyond his direct goal involvements. The victory moved Leverkusen into third place and served as a timely reminder to USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino of Tillman's quality ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The Winger Marked His Ligue 1 Return With a Stunning Strike
Tim Weah marked his return to Ligue 1 action with a stunning goal as Marseille demolished Nice 5-1 on Friday, propelling Roberto De Zerbi's side to the top of the table with 28 points. The American international's strike was a memorable moment in what proved to be a dominant display from the visitors.
Weah's goal came in emphatic fashion when he collected the ball off the bounce on the right side of Nice's penalty area and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot into the top-left corner, marking his second goal of the campaign across all competitions. The 25-year-old, operating at right back, completed the full 90 minutes after missing almost a month with a thigh injury.
His contribution was part of a complete team performance that saw Marseille convert five of their eleven shots on target with ruthless efficiency. While Mason Greenwood stole the headlines with a brace that extended his remarkable form to eight goals in five league games, Weah's strike represented the fourth goal in a relentless attacking display. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had opened the scoring in the 11th minute before Greenwood doubled the advantage before halftime and added a third early in the second half.
Although Mohamed Ali-Cho pulled back a consolation goal for Nice after the hour mark, Igor Paixao added a fifth to complete the rout, with Aubameyang providing the assist in another impressive individual performance. The victory extended Marseille's remarkable run to just one defeat in their last 10 league matches, establishing them as genuine title contenders, currently two points back of PSG at the top. Their 33 goals make them Ligue 1's most potent attacking force.
On This Day in 1980, Moyers' Double in a Rain-Soaked Victory Restored Pride But Couldn't Salvage a Failed Qualifying Campaign
The mathematics of elimination are merciless. By the time the United States took the field against Mexico on November 23, 1980, the dream of reaching Spain for the 1982 World Cup had already been extinguished. Canada's draw with Mexico at Azteca Stadium a week earlier had sealed the Americans' fate, rendering their final match a footnote to a disappointing campaign. Yet on a rain-drenched evening at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, before a sparse crowd of 2,126 die-hard supporters, the United States would accomplish something that had eluded American soccer for nearly half a century.
The road to elimination had been paved with frustration and missed opportunities. When Canada arrived in Fort Lauderdale on October 25 for the opening match, Coach Walt Chyzowych had deliberately chosen Florida's Lockhart Stadium's grass surface over traditional California venues where Mexican supporters dominated the stands. Against Canada, the Americans controlled proceedings completely, dominating possession and outshooting their northern neighbors 14-9. Yet dogged Canadian defending and goalkeeper Tino Lettieri's heroics frustrated every American attack. Ricky Davis saw a point-blank effort stopped by Lettieri in the 53rd minute, while Mike Stojanovic struck the crossbar for Canada. The scoreless draw left the Americans with a single point and mounting frustration.
The return fixture in Vancouver on November 1 exposed deeper cracks in the American foundation. Canada dominated the first half with tactical discipline that the Americans couldn't match. Robert Iarusci headed home from a Gerry Gray free kick in the 24th minute, then Branko Segota converted a controversial penalty—Ty Keough was judged to have fouled Stojanovic—to give Canada a 2-0 halftime advantage. Greg Villa's late header from a Davis corner kick provided only consolation in a 2-1 defeat.
The reasons for the disjointed performance became subjects of bitter debate. Chyzowych believed the team remained divided along the fault lines of the players' strike vote taken during their European tour. Some players spoke of a West Coast-East Coast split, with native-born Americans convinced that Chyzowych favored naturalized citizens. Whatever the cause, the Americans were passive and tentative when they needed to be decisive.
The journey to Mexico City felt ominous from the outset. The team arrived only a day before the match. Their promised bus to the training facility never materialized—they took taxis instead. When they finally reached the field, the gates were locked until Angelo DiBernardo's Spanish explanations gained them entry. They trained for exactly twenty minutes before darkness fell. The lights remained off.
What transpired the following afternoon at Azteca Stadium, before 80,000 roaring Mexican supporters, bordered on humiliation. Mexico struck in the 24th minute, then delivered a devastating three-goal blitz in ten minutes before halftime. After the interval, they added a fifth. Greg Makowski was sent off. Davis converted a penalty kick in the 76th minute—becoming just the eighth American to score against Mexico in Mexico—but the 5-1 final score represented a comprehensive dismantling. Seven days later, Canada's draw at Azteca confirmed what everyone already knew: the United States was eliminated.
Which made the rematch in Fort Lauderdale a peculiar affair. With nothing to play for but pride, the Americans took the field shorthanded. Steve Pecher and Makowski were suspended. Keough remained injured. Greg Villa and several others had been recalled to their clubs. Some 2,000 empty seats testified to public indifference toward a dead-rubber fixture. Yet something shifted in the American preparation—perhaps the weight of the humiliation in Mexico City, perhaps the desire to salvage something from the wreckage.
Chyzowych deployed Davis as sweeper, with Boris Bandov and Larry Hulcer as fullbacks and Colin Fowles as stopper—a makeshift backline necessitated by suspensions and injuries. In the attack, Steve Moyers partnered with Njego Pesa, while Mark Liveric joined DiBernardo and Ringo Cantillo in midfield. Arnie Mausser, who had endured the Azteca nightmare, stood between the posts. The rain began falling before kickoff, turning the grass surface treacherous.
The breakthrough arrived in the 31st minute. Hulcer, the St. Louis native, delivered a precise free kick into the penalty area. Moyers, positioned perfectly, rose above the Mexican defense and powered a header past Ignacio Rodríguez. The sparse crowd erupted as the Americans celebrated their first goal on home soil in the qualifying campaign. The lead lasted nine minutes. Hugo Sánchez, the Mexican legend only weeks away from his transfer to Atlético Madrid, struck a free kick that Mausser initially saved. But the rebound fell kindly for Sánchez, who headed the ball into the net in the 40th minute to level the score at halftime.
The second half unfolded in driving rain, making ball control hazardous. Then, in the 65th minute, fortune smiled on the Americans. A Mexican defender, attempting to clear danger, misplayed the ball 15 yards from his own goal. The loose ball fell directly to Moyers, who required no invitation. His right-footed shot rocketed toward the corner, giving Rodríguez no chance. The California Surf forward had struck twice, and the United States led 2-1.
Three minutes later, the match descended into ugliness. A confrontation between Mexico's Mario Trejo and the United States' Pesa escalated beyond words. Guatemalan referee Marco Antonio García Regalado brandished red cards for both players, reducing each team to 10 men. Mexico pressed desperately for an equalizer in the final quarter-hour, but the reshuffled American defense held firm. Mausser commanded his penalty area with authority, atoning for the Azteca disaster. When the final whistle sounded, the Americans had accomplished what no United States team had managed since 1934: defeated Mexico in a World Cup qualifying match.
"We wanted this game," Moyers declared afterward. "We worked for each other and gave an all-out effort. We didn't do that in our other games. Tonight we jelled. We showed that we were one of the better teams tonight." The victory meant different things to different constituencies. For the players, it represented validation that they had the ability to compete, even if organizational dysfunction had prevented consistent performance. For Chyzowych, it was bittersweet vindication. The following day, New York Cosmos president Ahmet Ertegun and captain Giorgio Chinaglia called a press conference demanding the coach's resignation. For Davis and his teammates, the win was also a defense of their embattled coach.
But Chyzowych accepted the victory with clear eyes about American soccer's institutional failures. In a post-match critique that resonated far beyond Lockhart Stadium's empty seats, he issued a stark warning. "The whole administration needs to be revamped," he declared. "The authoritative body which runs soccer in the country, in theory, must start doing so in practice. The USSF must start laying down mandates and establishing policies in every league in the United States. If it doesn't do that, we will remain behind the eight-ball. We've got to start asserting ourselves, and we need full-time professionals. They can't do this as a sideline and expect the coaches to work miracles."
The Mexico victory would be Chyzowych's final match as United States head coach. He resigned shortly thereafter, shifting his focus to youth development while assistant Bob Gansler assumed caretaker duties. The national team wouldn't play another match for 16 months. For Mexico, the defeat was an embarrassment so profound that the match tape—broadcast by Televisa—reportedly vanished into the federation archives. Leonardo Cuéllar, the Mexican midfielder, would refuse decades later to discuss the game with documentary filmmakers, his silence speaking volumes about wounds that never healed.
The Americans had achieved something historic on that rain-soaked November evening. Moyers' two goals had ended a 46-year winless streak against their southern rivals, providing a moment of triumph amid a failed qualifying campaign. It was a victory without consequences, but also a victory with meaning—proof that American players could compete, that the gap wasn't insurmountable, that better days might eventually arrive if the sport's infrastructure could match its players' passion.
They called it Dos a Uno—over two decades before Dos a Cero would become American soccer's rallying cry. For the 2,126 faithful who braved the rain at Lockhart Stadium, and for the players who finally conquered their demons, it was a milestone worth celebrating even as the World Cup sailed on without them. The United States had beaten Mexico. In the Dark Ages of American soccer, that alone felt like victory enough.
After Missing the November International Window, Winger to Feature Against Inter
Christian Pulisic returns to action at the perfect moment as AC Milan prepares for Sunday's crucial Derby della Madonnina against Inter at the San Siro. The American star, who missed the USMNT's recent November matches due to a low-grade hamstring tear suffered during October's international window, made his comeback with a 20-minute cameo against Parma on November 8 and appears ready to influence one of football's most storied rivalries.
The timing couldn't be better for Milan. Pulisic has emerged as a derby specialist, transforming from a player who struggled to impact his first four Milan derbies into one of the fixture's most decisive performers. Last September, he produced a memorable solo goal, weaving through Inter's defense from 30 yards to spark a crucial 2-1 victory. He followed that with another vital goal in January's Supercoppa Italiana final and delivered an outstanding performance in April's 3-0 triumph.
Manager Massimiliano Allegri will deploy Pulisic alongside Rafael Leao for the first time in nearly 100 days, since August's match against Bari. The partnership offers Milan complementary threats: Leao provides explosive pace and unpredictable dribbling, while Pulisic operates between the lines with tactical intelligence and quick decision-making, capable of dismantling Inter's defensive structure.
Milan reportedly kept Pulisic from joining the USMNT during the November window specifically to ensure his fitness for this derby. Having recorded six goal contributions in eight appearances before his injury, the 27-year-old was in sharp form and brings his well-documented ability to step up in big matches.
The stakes are substantial. Inter currently tops Serie A with 24 points, while Milan sits just two points behind with 22. In a tightly contested title race where both teams have been difficult to beat, individual brilliance often decides derby outcomes. With Pulisic's proven track record in this fixture and his fresh legs following rest, he could once again provide the spark that tilts Sunday's clash.
His Curling Effort in the First Half Set the Tone in U.S. Win
Sebastian Berhalter's first international goal carried emotional weight far beyond the scoreline, marking a triumphant moment for the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder who has steadily worked his way into World Cup contention despite the shadow of family controversy.
The 24-year-old opened the scoring in Tuesday's 5-1 rout of Uruguay with a beautifully executed set piece in the 17th minute. After lining up for a free kick roughly 20 yards from goal, Berhalter played the ball short to Sergiño Dest, who immediately returned it. Berhalter then curled a perfectly struck right-footed effort into the upper corner past Uruguay goalkeeper Cristopher Fiermarin.
"I just had to strike through the ball, and I'm so happy it went in," Berhalter told the U.S. Soccer Podcast. "I can't even put into words, honestly, the feeling of scoring for your country."
Three minutes later, he transitioned from goalscorer to provider, delivering an excellent corner kick that Alex Freeman headed home for the second goal. The performance showcased why Berhalter has become invaluable to Mauricio Pochettino's plans—his set-piece delivery offers a crucial weapon the USMNT has lacked in recent years.
The goal added another highlight to Berhalter's breakout 2025 season, during which he led all Whitecaps players in minutes while setting career highs with 25 starts, four goals, and 11 assists. The moment was particularly sweet given the added context: Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa had previously criticized MLS for making players "lazy," yet his team conceded five goals to an American squad featuring numerous MLS players. Berhalter's goal and subsequent assist proved that MLS talent, including his own contributions, could compete at the highest international level—silencing critics while celebrating a dream come true.
Matt Freese's remarkable transformation from afterthought to national team starter reached another milestone Tuesday as he made his 12th consecutive start for the USMNT in their 5-1 victory over Uruguay. However, his focus now shifts to an emotionally charged MLS Eastern Conference semifinal as his New York City FC faces his former club, the Philadelphia Union, on Sunday.
Just a year ago, Freese was barely on the radar as Matt Turner appeared locked in as Pochettino's first-choice goalkeeper. But Turner's lack of playing time at Crystal Palace opened the door, and Freese burst through it. His breakout moment came during the Gold Cup quarterfinal against Costa Rica, where he made three crucial penalty saves, earning the nickname "Matty Ice."
Since then, Freese has been unshakeable in his commitment to excellence. During last week's homecoming to the Philadelphia area, he stayed almost entirely in the team hotel, declining family visits and interview requests to maintain his focus.
"I actually didn't see my family, I didn't do anything," Freese confirmed. "I just stayed in the hotel. I'm a bit of a loser, but when I'm in camp, I'm locked in."
Sunday's playoff clash adds personal stakes to professional ambition. Released by the Union in 2022 after their MLS Cup final run, Freese joined NYCFC and was named their MVP last season. Now the fifth-seeded Cityzens face the top-seeded Supporters' Shield-winning Union at Subaru Park—the same venue where Freese shone for the national team just days earlier.
Alex Freeman's meteoric rise continued Tuesday night as the 21-year-old Orlando City defender scored twice in the USMNT's dominant 5-1 victory over Uruguay, positioning himself as a genuine contender for next summer's World Cup roster.
Making only his 13th international appearance—just six months after his debut against Turkey—Freeman delivered a performance that showcased both his defensive prowess and attacking capabilities. His first goal came via a towering header from Sebastian Berhalter's corner in the 20th minute. 11 minutes later, he produced an even more impressive strike, deftly dribbling through Uruguay's defense, splitting Barcelona's Ronald Araujo and Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte before finishing clinically from close range.
The two-goal performance earned Freeman his first Man of the Match honors for the national team and capped a remarkable breakthrough year. Recently named MLS Young Player of the Year, Freeman accumulated nine goal contributions for Orlando City while earning MLS All-Star and Best XI selections. His consistency has made him indispensable to manager Mauricio Pochettino, who praised his composure on the ball, saying the team feels relieved when Freeman is in possession.
Freeman's ambitions have grown alongside his profile. A year ago, he simply hoped to break into Orlando's first team regularly. Now, wearing the Stars and Stripes, his focus has shifted entirely toward one objective: making the 2026 World Cup roster.
"For me, obviously, it's making that World Cup roster," Freeman stated plainly. "That's the biggest thing in my head right now, it's the biggest goal I have."
The defender has started every Gold Cup match and all six recent friendlies under Pochettino, consistently demonstrating maturity beyond his years. His combative spirit was evident during a late-game scuffle with Paraguay's Gustavo Gómez, showing he possesses the mental toughness required for international competition. With each performance, particularly his breakout showing against Uruguay, Freeman strengthens his World Cup case considerably.
Three Players Scored Their First International Goals in a Thrashing Over Uruguay
The United States men's national team delivered a stunning performance, crushing Uruguay 5-1 in a friendly at Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday night. The emphatic victory showcased the team's depth as manager Mauricio Pochettino made nine lineup changes from Saturday's win over Paraguay, with only Sergiño Dest and goalkeeper Matthew Freese retaining their starting positions.
Sebastian Berhalter opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a curled effort from a set piece, finding the upper corner to notch his first international goal. Alex Freeman quickly doubled the advantage three minutes later, heading home from Berhalter's corner kick for his inaugural U.S. goal. The Orlando City defender then added a spectacular second in the 31st minute, weaving through multiple Uruguayan defenders before slotting home from close range, giving the Americans a commanding 3-0 lead.
Diego Luna extended the margin to 4-0 in the 42nd minute, calmly finishing a well-constructed team sequence down the left side. Uruguay finally found the net just before halftime when Giorgian de Arrascaeta converted an acrobatic bicycle kick. However, Pochettino expressed frustration about the lapse in concentration during his halftime interview with TNT.
The second half saw Uruguay reduced to ten men when Rodrigo Bentancur received a straight red card in the 64th minute for a dangerous tackle on Berhalter. Substitute Tanner Tessmann capitalized shortly after, heading home a cross from fellow substitute Gio Reyna in the 68th minute to complete the rout.
The victory represents the USMNT's third win over Uruguay in ten all-time meetings and their first since 2002. The result extends their unbeaten streak to five matches against World Cup-qualified opponents, providing tremendous momentum as they prepare to host the 2026 World Cup.
On This Day in 2022, USA and Wales Share Points in Long-Awaited World Cup Opener
The roster announcement came on a crisp November Wednesday in New York, the culmination of four years, 56 matches and 88 player auditions. Gregg Berhalter, the tactician who inherited a program in crisis after the 2018 qualifying disaster, revealed his 26-man squad for Qatar with a mix of anticipated selections and one stunning omission: Zack Steffen, his longtime first-choice goalkeeper, wouldn't be making the trip.
"To tell him he's not going to be part of the World Cup team was heartbreaking for me," Berhalter admitted. The decision cleared the path for Matt Turner, Arsenal's backup keeper, to assume the starting role—a symbolic passing of the torch in a squad averaging just 25.5 years old, expected to be among the youngest in the 32-team field. Ricardo Pepi, who helped save Berhalter's job in Honduras, was also not included on the final roster.
This was Berhalter's team now, rebuilt from the wreckage of that October 2017 night in Trinidad when the program hit rock bottom. Tyler Adams, who joined the national team during that rudderless period in 2018, remembered it clearly: "We had no identity, no game plan. It was almost just like you were going to national team camp for fun." Berhalter changed that. The Columbus Crew alumnus arrived preaching possession-based soccer before adjusting to his young, athletic roster's strengths with a more direct, pressing approach.
The Americans drew Wales for their opener on November 21 at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan—a collision of drought-stricken programs. While the U.S. hadn't appeared since 2014, Wales was returning after 64 years away, having last played in 1958 when a teenage Pelé ended their run. The Welsh still had a trump card in 33-year-old Gareth Bale, their all-time leading scorer who'd just helped LAFC win the MLS Cup despite fitness concerns.
For American fans, especially Christian Pulisic—captured in that haunting image from Trinidad, head in hands amid the grass stains of failure—reaching Qatar meant everything. "He's one of the people that really felt the heartbreak back in 2017," Turner said. After four years of theorizing and character-building, Berhalter's blueprint would finally face its test.
The Americans emerged like they had something to prove. They controlled possession in the opening 10 minutes, pinning Wales deep with crisp passing and aggressive positioning. Josh Sargent flashed toward goal early, forcing Welsh keeper Wayne Hennessey into an awkward save. The U.S. looked nothing like the tentative team that had imploded in qualifying. But there were warning signs. Sergiño Dest and Weston McKennie picked up yellow cards in the 11th and 13th minutes for rough challenges on Neco Williams—bookings that would carry extra weight with suspension threats looming. Still, the Americans pressed forward.
The breakthrough arrived in the 36th minute, a sequence that captured everything Berhalter had built. Walker Zimmerman started the move, feeding Antonee Robinson, who found Pulisic. The Chelsea winger laid off a short pass to Yunus Musah, then accelerated through the center channel as Josh Sargent received and redirected the ball back to him. As Pulisic charged forward, dragging defenders with him, Tim Weah made a slashing run from the right wing. Pulisic's weighted pass arrived perfectly, and Weah needed just one deft touch with the outside of his boot to flick it past Hennessey.
"Playing with Christian is amazing," Weah said afterward. "Once he gets the ball, I just have to run behind them." Weah wheeled toward the corner flag and slid onto the turf as teammates engulfed him. In the VIP section, his father George—the former world player of the year who never got his own World Cup moment—watched alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken, living the dream through his son.
The U.S. took that 1-0 lead into halftime, having controlled two-thirds of possession. But Wales manager Rob Page made a critical adjustment, inserting 6-foot-5 striker Kieffer Moore to target the American defense with direct play. The crosses started raining down, and the complexion changed entirely. Wales grew bolder in the second half, exploiting Dest's defensive limitations and peppering the American box with long balls aimed at Moore's towering frame. Turner made a crucial save in the 64th minute after Ben Davies headed a corner kick toward goal, then watched Moore drill the rebound over the crossbar. The Americans were holding on now, no longer dictating terms.
Berhalter shuffled his lineup, bringing on Brenden Aaronson for McKennie in the 66th minute, then making three substitutions eight minutes later: DeAndre Yedlin, Haji Wright, and Kellyn Acosta. But the elusive insurance goal never came, and in the 80th minute, disaster struck. Wales broke quickly from a throw-in, working the ball to Bale inside the penalty area. As he prepared to receive it, Zimmerman clumsily slid in from behind, his challenge catching Bale's legs and sending him tumbling. The defender lay sprawled on the turf, wagging his finger and screaming "No, no, no, no, no!" as the referee pointed to the spot. "I think it was one of those where he probably just puts his leg not for the ball but to try to get in the way of me hitting the ball," Zimmerman said later. "Clever move."
Bale stepped up two minutes later, standing before a sea of red-clad Welsh supporters. His left-footed blast flew into the right corner, past Turner's outstretched hands. Wales had its first World Cup goal in 64 years, delivered by the man who always seemed destined to provide it. The clock that had crawled while the U.S. led now seemed to sprint through nine minutes of stoppage time.
The final whistle brought relief to Wales and deflation to the Americans, who'd been 10 minutes from a perfect start. Pulisic, battered and bruised from absorbing punishment all night, could only shake his head. "Disappointing for sure after such a good start," he said. "We got the goal we needed, and I guess we just dropped off in the second half."
The draw left both teams with a single point, but only Wales felt like celebrating. For the Americans, it carried the sting of two points dropped despite dominating long stretches of their first World Cup match in eight years. "We're disappointed with the nature of how the game played out, having a great first half, getting the first goal, and being in a position with less than 15 minutes left to walk away with three points," Zimmerman said.
Yet perspective mattered. A point in the opener was better than none, and the performance—particularly that dominant first half—validated much of what Berhalter had been building. The second-youngest squad in Qatar hadn't looked overwhelmed on soccer's biggest stage. They'd controlled possession, created chances, and played the confident, forward-moving soccer their coach demanded.
The challenge now shifts to England, which demolished Iran 6-2 in its opener and will present an entirely different test on Friday. "It comes down to the smallest details in games like this," captain Tyler Adams told the Fox broadcast. The Americans had learned that lesson the hard way, unable to capitalize on their superiority before Wales found its footing.
For Pulisic, who'd given everything despite being knocked down repeatedly, the frustration was tempered by pragmatism. One match played. One lesson learned. The redemption tour Berhalter had orchestrated since 2018 would have to continue the hard way, with the Americans still controlling their destiny but knowing margins for error had grown razor-thin. The World Cup, they were reminded, rarely is.
On This Day in 2021, the American Winger Ended His Injury Nightmare with a Substitute's Strike in Chelsea's Dominant Victory
The ankle wouldn't heal. Christian Pulisic suffered the injury in Honduras on September 8th during a World Cup qualifier, a seemingly routine collision that refused to resolve. Weeks turned into months. Every time recovery seemed imminent, the pain returned. Thomas Tuchel's words carried the weight of frustration and sympathy: Pulisic was "really suffering," and "recovery is not happening." The 23-year-old had made just two Chelsea appearances all season—a goal against Crystal Palace on opening day, then nothing. After missing two league matches with COVID-19, the ankle betrayed him against Honduras, followed by two months of setbacks, false starts, and the gnawing anxiety that accompanies every injured player watching from the sidelines.
But football's cruelties often arrive alongside its redemptions. When Gregg Berhalter summoned Pulisic off the bench in Cincinnati on November 12th against Mexico, nobody knew what condition the winger was truly in. The sold-out crowd, undeterred by cold and rain, had watched a frantic 0-0 stalemate for nearly 70 minutes before he subbed on to the field. Then came Tim Weah's pinpoint cross from the right, Pulisic's perfectly timed run inside the six-yard box, and the glancing header that floated past Guillermo Ochoa. The United States took first place in CONCACAF qualifying. The ankle had held. "Moments like that is what we live for," Pulisic said afterward, his relief barely concealed beneath the triumph.
The question facing Tuchel was whether that moment in Cincinnati represented genuine recovery or borrowed time. Chelsea had thrived without their American winger—six points clear atop the Premier League, an imperious defensive record, 15 different goalscorers demonstrating the depth that made individuals almost optional. Romelu Lukaku was sidelined with his own ankle problem. Timo Werner remained unavailable. Yet the Blues had barely missed a step, their 3-4-3 system functioning with ruthless efficiency. Still, as Chelsea prepared to face Leicester City on November 20th, Pulisic's name appeared on the team sheet with two words that carried weight beyond their brevity: "could feature."
Leicester's form suggested vulnerability. The King Power Stadium, once a fortress during their remarkable rise, had witnessed 12 home defeats since the start of the previous season—more than any team in the division. With Youri Tielemans missing due to a calf injury, the Foxes lined up against opponents who'd transformed dramatically since their last meeting. That January defeat at this very ground had been Frank Lampard's final match. Now, under Tuchel, Chelsea arrived as leaders with a defensive solidity bordering on arrogance—just four goals conceded in 12 matches, none from open play in five away games.
The afternoon unfolded with the inevitability of waves against a crumbling seawall. Antonio Rüdiger rose to meet Ben Chilwell's 14th-minute corner, his glancing header looping past Kasper Schmeichel. The goal came via Chelsea's most reliable route—no team had scored more headers this season, and nobody had conceded more than Leicester. Then N'Golo Kanté, given inexplicable space to advance 30 yards virtually unchallenged, fired from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. Two-nil by the 28th minute, and Leicester's Boubakary Soumaré, ostensibly assigned to contain his former teammate, had been rendered invisible.
Chelsea's dominance was so complete it bordered on exhibition. They controlled 70% of possession in the first half. Chilwell struck the crossbar when he should have scored. Jorginho threaded defense-splitting passes that carved open Leicester's backline repeatedly. The home supporters, frustrated by the gulf in quality, jeered their own team off at halftime—a response that drew sharp criticism from Brendan Rodgers afterward.
Leicester improved after the break, James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho offering more attacking intent. Édouard Mendy made a fabulous save from Daniel Amartey's long-range blast. Jamie Vardy headed over from close range. But Chelsea's control never wavered, and when Tuchel introduced his substitutes in the 66th minute, the outcome was already settled.
Five minutes later came Pulisic's moment. Hakim Ziyech checked back inside Çağlar Söyüncü, evading Jonny Evans before sliding a pass behind Leicester's defense. Pulisic's run had anticipated the delivery perfectly, arriving in space at the near post with only technique required. His first touch controlled Ziyech's cross. His second finish nestled the ball past Schmeichel from close range. The assistant referee's flag stayed down—unlike three previous Chelsea strikes ruled offside—and Pulisic had his first club goal since August, his second Premier League strike of an injury-ravaged campaign.
The simplicity of the finish belied its significance. After two months of setbacks and doubt, after watching Chelsea accumulate wins without him, after wondering whether his body would cooperate, Pulisic had delivered when called upon. The goal extended Chelsea's lead to six points at the top of the table before the weekend's later matches. More importantly, it announced his availability—that the ankle had finally, genuinely healed.
Tuchel praised his team's "huge effort" and "mature performance," acknowledging how the wing-back system brought out Chelsea's attacking versatility. The three disallowed goals suggested the scoreline could have been far more emphatic.
For Pulisic, the substitute appearance represented something more fundamental than three points. The injury that had stolen his season had taught him football's harsh arithmetic: talent means nothing when pain prevents movement, and recovery refuses to follow a linear path. But standing at the King Power, having combined with another substitute to seal a comprehensive victory, the American had reclaimed something he'd lost in Honduras—the simple certainty that his body would allow him to play. The ankle had been held in Cincinnati. Now it had held again. The nightmare was over.
On This Day in 1989, Paul Caligiuri's Left Foot Ends 40 Years of Exile
The goalless draw against El Salvador had reduced American soccer's World Cup dreams to their most desperate terms. No margin remained. No safety net existed. Trinidad and Tobago needed only a draw on their home ground to advance on goal differential, while the United States faced the stark arithmetic of elimination: win or wait another four years—or perhaps another 40.
The Americans arrived in Port of Spain on Friday night to discover several thousand Trinidadians waiting at the airport, an undulating sea of red jerseys and flags. The Daily Express had splashed "SEA OF RED" across its front page in crimson letters, a declaration of certainty rather than hope. Monday had already been declared a national holiday, win or lose. Calypso bands had composed songs about the players. Red streamers adorned car hoods throughout the twin islands. This was not merely a sporting event for 1.2 million people; it was national validation, the moment when tiny Trinidad and Tobago would walk onto the same stage as Brazil and Argentina and Germany.
For the Americans, the contrast could not have been starker. While millions of suburban children had learned to dribble soccer balls around orange cones on manicured fields, eager young men from across the world had learned the game with hunger and desperation. The United States team earned $25,000 per year—less than what some of their opponents made in a month. Their previous coach, Lothar Osiander, had sometimes worked as a waiter in a San Francisco restaurant to supplement his coaching duties. Now Bob Gansler, in charge for barely 11 months, faced the defining moment of his nascent tenure and possibly the future of American soccer itself.
The 208-minute scoring drought had done more than devastate confidence—it had poisoned team chemistry. Defenders openly questioned the forwards' production. Forwards complained about the lack of service from midfield. "I don't think one goal is too much to ask of our forwards," Brian Bliss had said after the El Salvador debacle. Bruce Murray had fired back: "If I say we're not doing our job because of lack of service, I'll make a lot of people angry. But that's the truth." In Cocoa Beach, Florida, during their final preparations, the team had held a players-only meeting to address the fractures. They claimed afterward that it concerned team spirit, but everyone understood the real agenda: desperation required unity, and they had precious little of either.
The mathematics remained brutally simple. Trinidad and Tobago could celebrate with a scoreless draw. The Americans needed victory, nothing less, or they would become a cautionary tale rather than a pioneer—the team that failed to qualify for the World Cup just four years before the United States would host the tournament. "If we don't qualify," Bliss had warned, "it would set soccer in this country back by five years." Perhaps longer. Perhaps forever.
National Stadium began filling five and a half hours before kickoff on November 19, 1989. Fans without tickets and those carrying counterfeit tickets overwhelmed security, forcing troops to turn away those attempting to maintain order. By the time the teams emerged for warmups, 35,000 spectators had transformed the venue into something between a carnival and a religious gathering, steel drums thundering beneath calypso chants, red shirts creating a visual assault that seemed to press down on the visiting Americans.
Yet something unexpected happened in those opening minutes. Trinidad and Tobago, needing only to preserve what they already possessed, could not resist their attacking instincts. Coach Gally Cummings had spoken extravagantly all week about advancing to the second round in Italy, and his players reflected that ambition rather than caution. They pushed forward, leaving space at midfield, giving the Americans room to operate. "They were playing us deep, giving us room at midfield," Paul Caligiuri would say later. "When a team does that, you take advantage when you have the chance. You don't think. You shoot."
Caligiuri himself represented one of Gansler's most significant gambles. The 25-year-old defender had played only 45 minutes across the previous seven qualifying matches, limited by commitments to his West German second-division club SV Meppen, then sidelined by a stress fracture in his left leg. He had one international goal in his career—scored against Trinidad and Tobago four years earlier—and virtually no attacking pedigree. But Gansler needed his speed against Trinidad's quick midfielders, Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke, and, perhaps more critically, someone willing to shoot with his left foot. "I figured he could put at least one left-footer on net," Gansler would say afterward, smiling at the prescience.
The 31st minute arrived with the game still scoreless, but the Americans were pressing with more confidence than they had shown in months. Tab Ramos initiated the sequence with a throw-in near midfield. Bliss collected the ball and carried it down the left flank before sliding a square pass to Caligiuri, positioned just left of center, nearly 10 yards outside the penalty area. The moment contained multitudes of improbability: the wind blowing in his face, the distance too far for most players to consider shooting, the requirement to use his left foot. Caligiuri faked right, pushed the ball left, and struck a curving, dipping shot that floated past goalkeeper Michael Maurice—whose vision was compromised by the sun—and nestled into the right corner of the net.
The goal ended 238 consecutive scoreless minutes of World Cup qualifying. More than that, it fundamentally altered the match's psychology. Trinidad and Tobago, which had been playing with the confidence of a team that needed only to avoid disaster, suddenly confronted the reality that disaster had arrived. The Americans, released from the crushing weight of their drought, began playing with the fluid confidence that had eluded them for months. They maintained possession, completed sharp passes, and used the open spaces created by Trinidad's increasingly desperate attacks. The calypso music gave way to rhythmic clapping. The red-shirted faithful grew quieter. The steel drums lost their thunder.
Trinidad created moments of danger—Philbert Jones nearly intercepting a back pass from Steve Trittschuh to goalkeeper Tony Meola, counter-attacks by Leonson Lewis threatening briefly before dissipating—but never sustained pressure. Meola, the 20-year-old from Kearny, New Jersey, playing with the supreme confidence that had defined his breakthrough year, commanded his penalty area with aggressive authority, getting to every cross, eliminating doubt with his presence. When the final whistle confirmed the 1-0 victory, captain Mike Windischmann raised his arms not in desperation this time but in triumph. At the same time, across the field, Trinidad and Tobago players collapsed to the ground, some weeping openly as the red-shirted crowd fell silent.
In the American locker room, someone produced cheap champagne bottles from a bag. The players sang patriotic songs and chanted "I-ta-ly, I-ta-ly." They poured Budweiser over each other's heads, embraced, and attempted to process what they had accomplished. "Today was our destiny, our dream," Caligiuri said, his voice still carrying disbelief. Tony Meola, who had missed Virginia's NCAA tournament victory that same afternoon to be here, seemed equally stunned: "It hasn't sunk in yet. Maybe it will in a couple of hours."
Across the hallway, Trinidad and Tobago players remained barricaded in their locker room for two hours, separated from reporters by security and Defense Forces troops, crying with wives and girlfriends while a steel drum band played outside for a celebration that would never materialize. They had reserved their tickets to Italy—some literally, others metaphorically—and now confronted the cruelty of sports, where expectation and entitlement guarantee nothing. The Americans, playing for survival, had overcome desperation with a single moment of technical execution.
The significance extended far beyond the 22 players on the field. Walter Bahr, who had assisted on the goal that shocked England 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup, stood in the corner of the American locker room, drawing parallels and distinctions. "This could be more important than the one we got, you don't know yet," he said. "We didn't know how big ours was for another 20 years." The United States would host the World Cup in 1994, and that tournament would now have context: a national team that had earned its place through merit rather than geography. The automatic qualification that awaited in five years would matter less than this victory earned on hostile ground against impossible odds.
Gansler, cool and remote by nature, allowed himself a moment of vindication. His decisions to emphasize defensive solidity, to start Caligiuri in the biggest match of the campaign, to trust Hugo Perez despite his compromised fitness—all looked prescient now rather than questionable. "I said all along this team wasn't great, but it was good enough," he told the assembled media, his tone carrying an edge directed at months of criticism. "You questioned the players' abilities, and you questioned mine. A team doesn't score two or three games back to back, and everything becomes magnified." To his players, away from the cameras, he offered something more: "We've gotten where we wanted to go. Now, we can dream a little bit."
The dreams could wait, though. For this moment, in a cramped locker room in Port of Spain, soaked in cheap champagne and Budweiser, the Americans had achieved something more fundamental than dreaming. They had ended 40 years of World Cup exile. They had validated the suburban youth programs, the minimal salaries, and the part-time coaching. They had given American soccer not just a future but a foundation. Paul Caligiuri, a defensive specialist with one career international goal, scored with his left foot from 25 yards against the wind, changing everything. The ball had dipped and curved and found the upper corner, and with it, American soccer had finally, impossibly, found its way home.
