USMNT faces Brazil and makes stabilizing statement before Copa América

The US men’s team arrived in Orlando on the brink of crisis. He will leave with his chest puffed out and his pride intact, on stable ground, heading to the Copa América.

It arrived amid protests and pressure, after a 5-1 victory over Colombia.

The response was with a statement: A 1-1 draw with Brazil, “a great comeback performance”, as goalkeeper Matt Turner said after the game.

Of course, it wasn’t the victory they wanted. It was far from perfect, and if it weren’t for Turner’s 11 saves, interpretations and narratives can be different. Brazil had twice as many shots (25) and almost twice as many quality chances. Brazil was better; Brazil is better. That hasn’t changed.

But the US fought.

He proved – to himself and the world – that the post-Colombia outbreak was perhaps a little excessive.

“What we did today,” Turner said on TNT, “may put that [Colombia game] to the bed.”

It proved, once again, that he can compete with the best teams in international football. What they haven’t managed to do yet, in five years under the command of coach Gregg Berhalter, is win one of them. But, just like against England in the World Cup, they came close to victory, close enough to remain confident that they will one day achieve it.

“We feel like we took a small step,” Berhalter said. “It’s not a big step, but it’s a small step.”

And, most importantly, it was collective.

It was emphatic, not in the score, but in the tone. The USMNT crumbled against Colombia. The players knew, as Chris Richards said: “One thing we really need to change is our mentality.” They left little doubt in Wednesday’s opening exchanges.

First, Yunus Musah shook the beam with a 30-yard burst.

Then Christian Pulisic, Captain America, entered and fired. A few minutes later, Pulisic hit Brazilian full-back Raphinha, the first of several violent fouls that raised the temperature of the game.

Pulisic was the catalyst for the USA. He scored a goal, with a successful free kick; he almost got a second after the break that would have put the Americans ahead.

Turner, however, was probably the best on the field. His 11 saves were the most by a USMNT goalkeeper since Tim Howard’s 16 in the 2014 World Cup against Belgium. And they were emblematic of the US response, because Turner’s night began as his weekend ended.

The undisputed #1 USMNT was poor against Colombia. His rust, after half a season on the bench at Nottingham Forest, seemed to show. Then, in the 17th minute, with the ball at his feet, he chose a meaningless pass, which Brazil intercepted. Seconds later, he was defeated by Rodrygo; the US was behind; and Turner’s confidence seemed shaken.

Over the next 70 minutes, however, he rebuilt everything, brick by brick, salvo by salvo.

“He stayed calm,” Berhalter said after the game. “And that’s the most important thing.”

The USMNT, in general, could have given in to the occasional Brazilian bombardment. Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr. and then Endrick were all threatening. But Joe Scally stood out against his second successive elite winger. Gio Reyna shrugged off Brazilian midfielders as they launched passes. Tim Ream, 36 and a half years late, used his guile and calmness to steady the USMNT, keeping possession in their own box. This, by and large, from players young and old, was an adult performance.

With the Copa América approaching – it starts on June 20th; the USMNT’s first game will be on June 23 against Bolivia – many concerns remain. Ream and Richards looked vulnerable to the pace. The back six were often caught with the ball in dangerous areas. Antonee Robinson, for the second game in a row, looked somewhere between gassed and absent. Ricardo Pepi, who started as a striker, hardly bet on a place in the 11.

But a draw with Brazil – only the second result for the USA in 20 meetings between these teams – was a statement: that this USMNT, on its day, can face giants.

And it was a necessary reminder before a big tournament: “We know we have a strong team,” Scally said on TNT. “We know we can make a deep run.”