Ferreira offers another solution in search of USMNT . striker

CHARLOTTE, NC — Let the real tournament begin.

Much as USA The men’s national team may not want to disrespect them gold Cup The partners of Group A, who have never had any real interest from the team will not be able to advance to the knockout stages. Sunday is dominating 6-0 win Trinidad and Tobago show why.

For the United States, the group stage was all about bonding the players, building relationships, and setting up the team to win a fourth Concacaf trophy in a row.

“I think from the very beginning the message was sure that we would give as many players a chance to experience this group stage,” interim coach BJ Callaghan said on Saturday. “We know with that experience it will only pay dividends in the short term, but also when we hit our long-term goals.”

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Jesus Ferreira is the best example of that. In the immediate future, the striker’s consecutive hat-tricks in the past two matches is what helps the US win the difference in goal difference with Jamaica top of Group A. Those performances are a positive sign for USMNT’s long-term depth improvement in this position.

Final World Cup During the cycle, strikers are a sore point for the US. No one captured the starting position during the qualifiers, and that was the team’s most obvious weakness in the tournament year Cata.

Ferreira, of course, is part of that equation. It’s not that he played his way out of the 26-man World Cup roster as much as the other picks played their way. Even so, his inclusion was the subject of great controversy, and when he was finally released — as a starter in the last 16. Netherlands — the stage proved too big.

Given the circumstances, his performance is not surprising. Calling a 21 year old MLS striker making his World Cup debut against one of the most talented defenders at the tournament accidentally set him up for failure. And with that comes a lasting impression that can only come from the sport’s biggest stage.

Since then, Ferreira has responded as best he can. He scored in the net Mexico in a friendly in April to maintain the team’s current six-match unbeaten streak in the competition. He is third in the MLS with 10 goals in 18 games. His six goals in three Gold Cup games means the record for most goals scored by a player in the league by a player 23 or younger (with three more games to go).

“I think all strikers will be judged by the goals they score first and foremost,” Callaghan said. “And when I see his movement and confidence in the box, you can tell the game has slowed down for him and he just put the ball in behind and that’s a positive sign. It tells us all that he is focused and committed to being our goalscorer.”

There are clear warnings about the level of competition. The three USMNT hat-tricks of his career, giving Landon Donovan the most goals in the team’s history, have all come before a dominant opponent in the Caribbean. That is in fact the important context, but that also doesn’t mean that scoring six goals in an 88-minute span isn’t worth celebrating.

USMNT players in the past also had the opportunity to score against Concacaf’s lightweight players and few took advantage of that opportunity as well as Ferriera. He was the first person to score a hat-trick in a row. In 21 matches in his career, he has scored 14 goals. He’s also shown to be a selfless player. That trait is a key factor in why coach Gregg Berhalter brought him to Qatar. After his first-half hat-trick kept the game out of reach and it was clear the US would keep goal difference against Jamaica, Ferreira could be the team’s most active player as it tries to win it back. ball control.

“I think that helps the team. It shows that we’re still in it and that keeps everyone active,” Ferreira said of his defensive effort. “I know people are tired. I’m used to competing in the heat, so I might have a little more energy than the rest of them.

“I’ve always wanted to be someone who can bring energy to the team and be able to channel that energy. We’ve always said someone can give energy to them and so for me, that person has always been the one with the power. can move people forward.”

It went unnoticed by Callaghan.

“All the work he’s been doing is leading our defence, going back down, helping to build the play,” Callaghan said. “For me, he’s had a really complete tournament so far and we’ll continue to improve him.”

It also doesn’t mean he’ll be replacing Folarin Balogun any time soon as the starter that is supposed to start with the entire USA team. It doesn’t mean he’s a better choice than Ricardo Pepihis ex FC Dallas teammates, as a pure striker. However, it is encouraging to continue to improve the depth at this location.

There were also memorable performances from other attacking players. Cade Cowell And Gianluca busio scored the first goal for the national team as the US continued to pressurize until the last minute. Cowell’s goal in particular showed what he can do, using his pace to get out of goal before he edged past the lone goalkeeper and defender in the box.

Callaghan said of Cowell: “He didn’t stop running at defenders. “He can go in, he can go out. He can create coordinated play and then he’s rewarded with goals.”

As the winner of Group A, the United States will play the runner-up of Group D in Cincinnati on July 9. That opponent will be determined on Tuesday, when Guadeloupe (four points) play Guatemala (four points) and Canada play (two points) and Cuba (zero). Among them, only Cuba was eliminated.

Alan Sonora, who strained his hamstring against St. Kitts and Nevis, will not continue with the team in the knockout stages, Callaghan said, but his roster replacement has yet to be determined. Jordan Morris was on the bench on Sunday and will stay with the team, along with Miles Robinson who started and played the first half.

midfielder Aidan Morris leaving the team for personal reasons, the team announced on Sunday, and it is unclear if he will return in the league.