LANDOVER, Maryland – The U.S. men’s national team began its most important summer in a decade surrounded by expectations and excitement, by 55,494 fans here outside Washington D.C. – and 23 minutes into a high-profile friendly, a game yet to be announced In another test for a still unproven USMNT, some of those fans chanted, “USA, Colombia es tu papá!”
USA, Colombia is its father.
They were decked out in Colombian yellow, to support one of the top 10 teams in the world, the same type of team that has become a USMNT standard. And they repeated the chant during a 5-1 defeat of the Americans.
Over 90 minutes on Saturday at Commanders Field, Los Cafeteros became yet another elite team that the USMNT couldn’t match.
They beat the Americans in a game whose outcome was, in a sense, inconsequential. But it was part of an ongoing pattern. It was yet another opportunity for the Yankees to prove to the world and to themselves that they can take down football’s superpowers; and it was, in the end, another missed opportunity.
They fell behind in less than six minutes and lost by two goals in the 19th. first time since 1995 that a USMNT conceded two goals in less than 20 minutes.
Jhon Arias’ opening goal lit up a pro-Colombia crowd.
Rafael Borré’s acrobatic finish shortly afterwards sucked the life out of North American fans who looked at the two starting 11 on paper and saw a balanced clash.
They analyzed the US starting 11, made up exclusively of players from the big five European leagues. “Where everyone is playing, the levels they are playing at and what they have achieved this year speaks for itself,” Christian Pulisic said on Friday. “It’s an exciting time.”
And yet, in about five years under coach Gregg Berhalter, the U.S. has yet to beat a top-25 opponent outside of CONCACAF in an A-team game.
Colombian players, on the other hand, no all come from the vaunted Big Five. Some did, but others came from Mexico’s Liga MX, Turkey’s Super Lig, Brazil’s Série A and the Qatar Stars League.
They have, however, become a dynamic unit, who are unbeaten in 22 games for over two years.
The USMNT remains a long way from that mark.
