{"id":518283,"date":"2022-11-30T05:06:26","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T02:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/usmnt-even-more-dangerous-with-pressure-off\/"},"modified":"2022-11-30T05:06:26","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T02:06:26","slug":"usmnt-even-more-dangerous-with-pressure-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/usmnt-even-more-dangerous-with-pressure-off\/","title":{"rendered":"#USMNT even more dangerous with pressure off"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2bf89511ab4\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2bf89511ab4\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/usmnt-even-more-dangerous-with-pressure-off\/#%E2%80%9CUSMNT_even_more_dangerous_with_pressure_off%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;USMNT even more dangerous with pressure off&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CUSMNT_even_more_dangerous_with_pressure_off%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;USMNT even more dangerous with pressure off&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<div class=\"inline-module inline-module--columnist inline-module--author\">\n<div class=\"inline-module--author__img\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"76\" height=\"69\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/08\/mark-cannizzaro1.png?w=76&amp;h=69&amp;crop=1\" class=\"attachment-nyp_columnist size-nyp_columnist\" alt=\"Mark Cannizzaro\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/08\/mark-cannizzaro1.png 76w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/08\/mark-cannizzaro1.png?w=38 38w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 76px) 100vw, 76px\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Fittingly, it took \u201cCaptain America\u2019\u2019 to save America on Tuesday in Qatar.<\/p>\n<p>He gave up his body \u2014 and risked possibly the rest of his World Cup \u2014 to do it.<\/p>\n<p>Christian Pulisic, the dynamic and indispensable 24-year-old American midfielder, kicked U.S. soccer into the knockout round of 16 with the only goal of a taut 1-0 U.S. victory over Iran in the third and final Group B match that America had to win outright or go home.<\/p>\n<p>Pulisic didn\u2019t even get to witness live the finished product of the biggest victory for U.S. soccer in eight years, because he suffered an abdominal injury while scoring the goal after crashing into Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and taking a knee to his midsection.<\/p>\n<p>He was brought to an area hospital for observation while his teammates hung on for dear life in a tense second half.<\/p>\n<p>About an hour after the match, Pulisic tweeted a picture of himself in a hospital bed with the message: \u201cSo f\u2013king proud of my guys. I\u2019ll be ready Saturday don\u2019t worry.\u2019\u2019 That was by followed by four emojis of hands clasped in prayer and three hearts.<\/p>\n<p>The Pulisic goal was symbolic of the end result, because he gave up his body to get to a Sergi\u00f1o Dest cross on front of the goal in the 38th minute.<\/p>\n<p>That hellbent Pulisic effort \u2014 his body be damned \u2014 was emblematic of the way the U.S. played this match from the opening kickoff in that it was all about advancing out of the group stage at whatever cost.<\/p>\n<p>The pressure in this match was excruciating.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE6ER.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"World Cup\" class=\"wp-image-24835686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE6ER.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE6ER.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE6ER.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Team USA celebrates at the end of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B win over Iran. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was that way all day \u2014 right into the agonizing 100th minute of the match with the American players, gassed from giving everything they had and from the stress that came with trying to hold onto the most important lead they\u2019ve ever held in their soccer lives.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>When it was over, the first thought to come to mind \u2014 other than hope for the prognosis for Pulisic to be positive \u2014 is that the U.S. team may never play a match with the kind of intense pressure that came with Tuesday\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>The Americans, who until Tuesday\u2019s exorcism were still living with failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, would have been excoriated had they not been able to get by Iran and get to the knockout stage.<\/p>\n<p>Now with that out of the way, this should liberate the Americans, who should now be in house-money mode.<\/p>\n<p>Who knows? Maybe the U.S. will \u2014 ahem \u2014 break out and score two goals against the Netherlands in their round of 16 match Saturday despite the fact they managed only two in the three-<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> group stage.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/><strong>Follow all the 2022 World Cup action with more from the New York Post<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>This is meant to take absolutely nothing away from the U.S. national team, but the fact is it\u2019s exactly where it was supposed to be all along after the group stage. Only No. 5 England, which also advanced, was ranked higher in the group than the Americans, who are ranked 16th.<\/p>\n<p>Now, U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter, who hasn\u2019t held back from publicly stating his intention that America is an advancing soccer nation capable of beating the big boys, gets his chance to show that he\u2019s right.<\/p>\n<p>The fact is the Americans were the better team than all three of their opponents in the group matches, tying Wales 1-1 and England 0-0 before Tuesday.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE73Z.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"USA\" class=\"wp-image-24835718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE73Z.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE73Z.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE73Z.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter celebrates with midfielder Yunus Musah.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>No one is more deserving of this than Pulisic, who took the 2018 failure to get to the World Cup the hardest. He was 19 at the time and a rising star hoping to the reach his sport\u2019s pinnacle for the first time. He took it personally.<\/p>\n<p>Pulisic, all those years ago, said, \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s ever going to completely go away until I\u2019m in a World Cup.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Well, on cue and on brand, he\u2019s been the Americans\u2019 best player in this \u2014 his first \u2014 World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGoing back to him not qualifying for the last World Cup and being here now and qualifying us through \u2026 that\u2019s just the work of God,\u2019\u2019 U.S. forward Tim Weah, a New York City native, said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re very thankful he threw his body in there,\u2019\u2019 U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie, who delivered the incredible long-ball to Dest so Dest could head the cross onto Pulisic\u2019s right foot.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/WCup_Iran_United_States_Soccer_60016jpg-3115f.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"World Cup\" class=\"wp-image-24835730\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/WCup_Iran_United_States_Soccer_60016jpg-3115f.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/WCup_Iran_United_States_Soccer_60016jpg-3115f.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/WCup_Iran_United_States_Soccer_60016jpg-3115f.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>The United States celebrates its win over Iran on Tuesday.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cA night of dreams,\u2019\u2019 Weah called Tuesday. \u201cI always say it\u2019s us against the world. No one believed the U.S. could play good football. We\u2019re just here trying to show the world. It\u2019s a beautiful day.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>McKennie said the U.S., the youngest team in this World Cup, \u201cwanted it on our shoulders.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe love this type of stuff,\u2019\u2019 McKennie said. \u201cWe love the pressure and the excitement. We\u2019re a young team. We have our own swagger. We did it today.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Yes, they did. And now there\u2019s more to get.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/11\/29\/world-cup-2022-usmnt-even-more-dangerous-with-pressure-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;USMNT even more dangerous with pressure off&#8221; Fittingly, it took \u201cCaptain America\u2019\u2019 to save America on Tuesday in Qatar. He gave up his body \u2014 and risked possibly the rest of his World Cup \u2014 to do it. Christian Pulisic, the dynamic and indispensable 24-year-old American midfielder, kicked U.S. soccer into the knockout round of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":518284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/AFP_32WE6ER.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[136380,127469,107789,135821],"class_list":["post-518283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-11-29-22","tag-2022-world-cup","tag-christian-pulisic","tag-us-mens-national-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=518283"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518283\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/518284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=518283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=518283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=518283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}