#usmnt

#usmnt

Christian Pulisic vividly remembers watching it with his family. So does Tyler Adams, who saw it with his friends from soccer camp. Memories of Tim Howard catching an Algerian header in Pretoria, and hurling it upfield to ignite the counterattack that would lead to Landon Donovan's instantly iconic goal. The goal that spared the United States men's national team's blushes at the 2010 World Cup, sneaking them out of the group stage at Algeria's expense.

To close out its World Cup preparation schedule, the USMNT will take on four-time World Cup champion Germany in the Coca-Cola Send-Off Match on June 6 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Days after halting Lionel Messi and keeping Inter Miami scoreless in a stunning 3-0 victory in the Leagues Cup final in early September, Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan received a surprising phone call while on vacation. "I answered in front of my wife, someone that has encouraged me and has given me a whole lot of confidence," Roldan told ESPN. "I had to get on a flight about five hours later." Roldan was returning to the U.S. men's national team for the first time in two years.

The adrenalin jolt that accompanies the start of the European club season has long since passed. The weather is getting colder -- in most places, anyway -- and the grind of the season is very much underway. The ups have given way to downs, or vice versa. So it goes for members of the U.S. men's national team. Injuries have piled up, and in some cases, FIFA World Cup dreams are in peril.

A little more than a month ago, the U.S. men's national team seemed to be in disarray. The results were poor, the individual performances offered little in the way of hope, and the push for competition within the team seemed based more on wishful thinking than reality. Yet with the October window now concluded, it's clear that the recent gathering of USMNT players was a success, and there has been discernible progress made in terms of the team's preparations for next summer's FIFA World Cup.

The September international window was a bit all over the place for the U.S. team, though it did finish on an upbeat note. A poor first-half performance Saturday against South Korea condemned the Americans to a 2-0 defeat, but the team rebounded Tuesday against Japan as attackers Folarin Balogun and Alex Zendejas made the most of their rare starts, contributing a goal each in a 2-0 victory.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Alejandro Zendejas scored in the 30th minute, Folarin Balogun added a goal in the 64th and the United States stopped a seven-game winless streak against top 25 opponents by beating a Japan team of mostly second-string players 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday night. The 15th-ranked U.S. was coming off a 2-0 loss to South Korea on Saturday in the first of eight friendlies before coach Mauricio Pochettino calls in players for training ahead of the World Cup.

Following Saturday's 2-0 loss to South Korea, the USMNT quickly bounced back with a more proactive attack through an experimental 3-4-3 formation. In a first half that included 63% possession, the home side created danger through high-pressing full-backs Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman. After a clever dribble from Arfsten in the 30th minute, the 24-year-old launched a cross that found Zendejas, who impressively volleyed the ball into the back of the net.

The U.S. Soccer Federation is finalizing details for the United States to play Portugal in a friendly in March, with Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium the likely venue, multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions told ESPN. The match, if held, would see Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo play in the U.S. for the first time since 2014 when he was here as part of Real Madrid's tour of the U.S.

Ahead of the USMNT facing Japan in an international friendly at the Lower.com Field, one of the best US Sportsbook, Fanduel, is offering a Bet $5 Get $300 In Bonus Bets welcome promo to all new players! Recommended offer Bet $5 and Get $300 in Bonus Bets if you Win Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA).

The players tried to do, they did what we wanted. I think I am positive because the players trust in the process, because they know that we have a plan, know here inside that we have a plan and we stick with the plan.