In today’s post, we’re going to be discussing the USMNT vs Wales National Football team lineups. Why? Because these lineups are quite possibly one of the biggest talking points heading into this summer’s World Cup. USA manager Jurgen Klinsmann has made a number of changes to his starting XI for this year’s tournament, with many pundits predicting that the Americans will come out on top. But who makes the cut and who misses out? We take a look below.
What is the USMNT?
The United States Men’s National Team, commonly referred to as the USMNT vs Wales National Football team lineups, is a national team of the United States. The team represents the country in international football competitions and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The current head coach of the USMNT is Bruce Arena.
The USMNT has appeared in ten World Cups, winning their first title in 1994. They also reached the final of the Confederations Cup in 2001, but lost 1–0 to Brazil. In Copa America Centenario they reached the semi-finals before being defeated by Argentina. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be their tenth tournament and their fourth as a co-host nation with Canada.
As of October 2019, the USMNT has a all-time record of 44 matches played, 29 wins, 8 losses and 5 draws.
How does the USMNT compare to Wales?
The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) is one of the most successful national teams in world football history. The team has won a record 22 CONCACAF Gold Cups, as well as a record seven FIFA World Cups. The USMNT also reached the final of the 2002 World Cup, but were defeated by Germany. USA’s recent success can be attributed to a combination of talented players and shrewd coaching.
The Wales National Football Team is not as successful as the USMNT. The Welsh team has only ever qualified for one major international tournament – the 1958 World Cup. Wales reached the semi-finals of this competition, but lost to Brazil. However, despite their lack of success on the international stage, Wales remain a strong footballing nation and have produced some talented players, such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.
Who are some of the key players for the USMNT?
The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) has been assembled with a mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters, as head coach Jurgen Klinsmann looks to lead the team back to glory.
Here are some of the key players for the USMNT:
GOALKEEPER: Brad Guzan – The Aston Villa goalkeeper has long been considered one of the best in the world, and he proved that once again this season. He was superb in helping Villa avoid relegation and helped his side reach the FA Cup final.
DEFENDERS: Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, Omar Gonzalez – All three players have experience playing at high levels in Europe. Cameron played for Stoke City before moving to Aston Villa, where he quickly became a first-team regular. Brooks is a product of Alabama’s college football program and signed with Hertha Berlin after making his international debut for the USA in 2011. Gonzalez joined league champions Liga MX side Pachuca prior to making his senior international debut in 2013.
MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi – Beckerman is an icon at Real Salt Lake and captain of the USA national team. Bradley has spent his entire career with Roma and recently signed a new contract with the Serie A club that will keep him at the club until 2021. Zusi enjoyed an outstanding season for Sporting Kansas City as they won their first MLS Cup title since 2006.
Who are some of the key players for Wales?
The USA Men’s National Team (USMNT) will travel to Cardiff, Wales on October 6th to take on the Welsh National Football Team. The game is set to kickoff at 8:30pm ET and be televised on NBC.
Led by head coach Gregg Berhalter, the USMNT will be looking for their fifth consecutive victory against the Welsh national team. The last time the two teams faced off was in a 2017 friendly fixture that ended in a 1-1 draw. Since then, the USMNT has made some key changes to their roster, opting not to call-up stars such as Christian Pulisic and DeAndre Yedlin due to eligibility concerns with both players.
Despite this lack of firepower, many key players for the USMNT are expected to start against Wales. These players include Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) and Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy). Out of these players, Lloyd is perhaps the most experienced when it comes to playing against Wales; she has 47 caps and scored 16 goals while playing for England, Ireland and the United States. Additionally, Rapinoe is second all-time in international goals with 15 and Acosta has 10 appearances with three goals scored. Adams also boasts impressive international experience having played in four matches for the United States, scoring one goal.
Key tactical decisions that will be made in this match
The US Men’s National team will take on Wales in their opening World Cup qualifier at RFK Stadium this Friday. Here are three key tactical decisions that will be made by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann in his starting lineup:
1. Who starts up front for the US?
For the last few years, Klinsmann has opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jozy Altidore as the main striker. Against Wales, he may change things up and start Michael Bradley in central midfield alongside Altidore. Bradley is more of a passer than Altidore and can create chances for his teammates from deep positions. This could be risky given that Wales is one of the best defensive teams in Europe and will likely try to keep the US off balance throughout the game.
2. Will Clint Dempsey play as a lone forward or as part of a attacking two?
Dempsey has been inconsistent during Klinsmann’s tenure as head coach, often struggling to find form and score goals. Against Wales, it might make more sense to put him on the wing with Landon Donovan or Juan Agudelo instead of starting him upfront. This would give Dempsey more opportunities to create scoring chances for his teammates and give them better balance within the offence.
3. How do we fill in defensively?
Injuries have forced Klinsmann to shuffle his defensive lineups throughout the qualifying campaign, and he may need to
Conclusion
In the end, it was an exciting match that went back and forth. Ultimately, the United States national football team came out on top with a 2-1 victory over Wales. With this win, they move onto the next round of qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup where they will face powerhouse teams like Portugal and France. On the other hand, Wales falls short in their quest to qualify for another major international event. Despite this loss, they must be proud of their performance as they entered into this matchup as one of the underdog teams.
