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00:00But on his last three starts in the fall against Japan, Ecuador and Paraguay
00:09Anthony Roberts, Balogun, couldn't quite lay that one off, but falls back anyway to the United States here with Johnny
00:16Cardoso
00:17Ware's onside down the right here. He's up against Decaipa
00:23Positive from Ware
00:24Once Weston McKennie was trying to meet it at the front post, it was well defended now for a throw
00:29on the near side for the U.S.
00:43Tillman backwards towards Tessman, who has dropped deep in the middle of the two central defenders, he's played at the
00:49back lately at club level
00:53Tillman with a really good run forward and Pulisic able to pick up the pieces here on the edge of
00:57the box
00:58Christian Pulisic trying to carve something out here, comes back towards Weston McKennie
01:03Robinson
01:10Fills here for Tillman, through for Balogun, Balogun strikes!
01:13Lobins with a save, low to his left
01:18On the half hour it remains 0-0 here in Atlanta
01:26An end-to-end encounter
01:28Two games left before Maurizio Pochettino names his World Cup squad
01:36And then after that games against Senegal and Germany prior to the opening match of the World Cup for the
01:42United States
01:43Doku down the left side as he cuts in, couldn't find a way through, he's got support there from Decaipa
01:51Back for Raska, the Rangers midfielder
02:02All the way towards Doku at that left side of the penalty area here
02:06Doku looking to create an opportunity, gets it away
02:10Robinson towards halfway, Balogun trying to hold it up but it comes straight back for Salamakis here for Belgium
02:17Belgium ranked ninth in the world coming into this international window
02:24De Bast
02:26And they're a team that's fine without possession but if if you're new to following the U.S.
02:30You're getting excited about the World Cup it definitely doesn't look like
02:33Belgium is the higher ranked team and the U.S. really
02:37Instigating this match so far
02:39Pochettino's got to be happy with the way they're performing
02:47U.S. soccer on TNT is presented by Marriott Bonvoy
02:52Where game day checks in
02:5432 minutes gone here in Atlanta
02:58Packed house at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the United States tied 0-0 with Belgium
03:05Mentioned earlier the fact that the squad will be announced in 59 days
03:08May 26th is the date to circle in New York City
03:14Mauricio Pochettino telling us yesterday that these two games will not make his decision
03:21Players performances over the course of the last 18 months since he's been here
03:25Will ultimately lead to the decision but it's very hard to see past what is happening here against Belgium
03:31And Portugal when you look to some of the close calls that he's going to have to make he said
03:36It's going to be much more difficult than any decisions he ever had to make at club level
03:42Deciding which players
03:44May or may not make a World Cup squad can be career defining for them
03:49I think talent and capabilities are not going to be the tiebreaker
03:53I talked to point it to his chest talked a lot about emotion and passion
03:56I mean it's going to be chemistry it's going to be players that just refuse to be let
04:01Left off this roster they're going to make up his mind last minute
04:05He actually said I have to pick the right team not the best team
04:11Lomans with the ball out wide to the left side
04:17Belgium will play in group g the world cup they'll kick off in seattle on june 15th against egypt
04:23They'll play in la against
04:26Iran and then new zealand in vancouver
04:29Next up for them they're in chicago on tuesday against mexico
04:33They have pre-world cup games coming up against croatia and tunisia just before the world cup kicks off
04:40And by the way, you know these frontlies get picked well in advance
04:44But this is a team that it's a good dress rehearsal a lead up
04:48But this is the team the u.s could face very early on round the round of 32 round to
04:5116
04:52They could see them early in in the world cup if things go certain ways in their groups
04:58Johnny cardoso with the ball out to ream on the left side maruzio pochettino was in attendance in madrid for
05:03a
05:03Champions league game recently for atletico madrid against spurs watching johnny cardoso
05:10McKennie
05:13That's well defended thank you very well done
05:16The past just reads what he wants to do there but it's still great running from
05:21Weston mckenny and then robinson looks sharp and there's a lot of times he's been under pressure the ball's been
05:26fired into him
05:27And he's going to clean it up pick the right pass he's looked really good
05:32Hey luke you were just talking about johnny cardoso i was reading an article by mark on a journalist said
05:37he's the best
05:37American player at the moment at atletico madrid especially started for the last five games for the roji blanco
05:44guys
05:45800 minutes with the club he has progressed and impressed in every step possible from passing percentage to duels
05:52And covered ground seven miles
05:55He covered more than any other player on the team in those legs against tottenham in the champions league matches
06:01So he's putting in his shift at the club level and of course mauricio wants to see the impact
06:05He could do on on the united states team so far in my opinion
06:09We've seen some good movements from him both attacking and defensively now see if he could keep doing it on
06:15a consistent basis
06:19We're going with the challenge not not to
06:23To say it's uh it's hypocritical or or or to fight against it, but
06:28But she says these two games won't change his mind. I think cardoso is one player it will change his
06:33mind
06:33I mean no doubt he is being trusted at the club level by probably one of the most demanding managers
06:38in the world
06:40But it's it's performing here. He needs to see and and he's done it in the past. I think cardoso
06:45has probably the biggest opportunity
06:48To carve his name into that roster
06:51Seven miles covered melissa mentioned there you are melissa most likely to cover seven miles in a game during your
06:58this was this was easy melissa
07:00Not even a question
07:03Yeah, let's put a vote on her and even now
07:06What was your average you know, but they probably didn't do it's not about how far it's not about how
07:11far you ran
07:11It's about what you do what you did when the ball came to while you were standing still
07:15Yeah, we got we got pibet about the drama here in the stadium by the way we should ask him
07:21Is he really here? Yeah, he is. Oh, man. I played against that guy didn't get near him. You know
07:25what a beautiful player
07:26The next poll we should do is who has the better set of hair are you?
07:29Kyle, Kevin de Bruyne or a pibet about the drama?
07:31You know
07:34Doku towards the byline here and Turner gets attached to it. It's just locked in on the goal line, but
07:38the flag is up or in fact, it's handball
07:42It won't count
07:48Killar is not
07:49Killar is not arguing it at all a little bit fortunate because this could hit any part of his body
07:56As that's coming through it could very easily just
08:00Come off that chest and fall down, but he doesn't argue it at all. It's hard to tell from that
08:03first replay, but the referee was right there
08:08And var agrees it's the correct decision
08:11After a brief pause a little bit lucky there
08:20It's the correct decision
08:21Mackenzie's ball forward down the right side mckenney with the flick in towards balagan the best chances have gone the
08:26way of the united states
08:31I
08:31Longans forced into action already on a couple of occasions and here the u.s get the corner on the
08:35far side
08:38Corner number four
08:40I just love what a willing runner. He is off the ball. I mean that's
08:44Definitely demonstrated coming back to the ball. He's a good link up player
08:48We've been waiting for a nine to be a consistent goal scorer. He is that right now. He's very clearly
08:53Top of that pecking order, but just his willingness almost to the end of the first half here to still
08:58be running in behind. I love it
09:01Anthony robinson across to the far side to take this one
09:07Robinson's ball to mckenney
09:12It's western mckenney with a goal
09:16For club and country a man in confident mood and it's one nil for the united states
09:30Watch where he comes from he just breathes so quickly and
09:36Looks like it was salemakis who just doesn't see him and it wasn't his man initially
09:40And that is such a wonderful touch. I mean he knows all he's got to do is just shape that
09:45foot
09:46The ball was excellent had pace on it
09:48It froze the goalkeeper because it had so much pace and wasn't at that height that he could go challenge
09:53it
09:54Let me see his
09:56Signature celebration the reaction from pochettino, but what a lovely finish there from western mckenney and
10:04Was that I don't know if that was actually
10:07Doesn't look like every action during that time, but
10:11He was the only person not exactly going bananas
10:16As in the pre-game interview I asked weston what does the team need to do to execute the game
10:21plan as simple as that score goals
10:23And that's exactly what he did pull us it now down the left side pull us it's ball back in
10:27is locked away
10:32The united states here with belgium on the ropes as we head towards the final five minutes of the first
10:37half
10:43Seventh all-time meeting us only winning once in the previous six belgium winning five
10:51Last u.s win coming in 1930 in the world cup group stage in uruguay hits docu into the box
10:56docu plays it back to de breuner
10:59And then just wide
11:11Yeah, it's it's been tough to get around ten way
11:14And you got to give way credit he's had a really good half on docu
11:17And he's had to go 1v1 a lot, but docu not only showing his incredible speed, but just the strength
11:22to throw
11:23It's him way off
11:26Manchester city man docu across for salamancas here just outside the box
11:31the best
11:33Put on by the caipa
11:35de breuner finds docu
11:40Back for kevin de breuner
11:45Looked like it took a deflection well belgium certainly wanted that
11:54Here's a look at the goal again and this will be a good look at
11:58You know just really poor enough to tuck the ball and you could see salamancas just complaining it
12:02That wasn't his mark, but you got to go challenge it weston mckenney just tucks in gets on the other
12:06side of him
12:07But look at how lovely that touches just positions that foot for it to just deflect and go into that
12:13side netting
12:14wonderful goal
12:19weston mckenney's 12th international goal
12:22and his first since scoring two and a 7-0 win against
12:27grenada back in the nations league in march of 2023
12:35coming up next it is the volkswagen halftime show
12:42get the thoughts of liam dunny
12:46brad kuzan
12:48demarcus beasley as well testament hooks this one high in towards the back post
12:54boxy pulisic
13:00robinson's ball in towards the edge of the box
13:04robinson with an assist on his return to the team
13:13and the referee just calling a halt here because anana is down
13:19the play will be stopped as the 24 year old villa man
13:25might need treatment here
13:26i'm gonna do anana
13:28actually made his debut in june of 2022 and made the world cup squad later that year
13:34he only had two caps before playing at the world cup in qatar
13:44just before that weston mckinney almost got on the end of another one and
13:48for young players at home you won't see it often but don't follow the ball when we're in the final
13:53third or we're in transition watch weston mckinney it's just the timing of the runs and how he finds
13:57that space you know great midfield goal scorers frank lampard some of these players over the years
14:03yeah it's about technique and finishing but it's just about timing and he's just he's really become
14:08a master at being able to find those little spots and time where the ball is going to go
14:19green turning out of trouble and looking for the ball downfield to balagan but it's picked up here by
14:23devast
14:41one nil for the united states here the assist from anthony robinson the goal from western mckinney
14:47in the 39th minute here at mercedes-benz stadium in atlanta
14:54rizzo pochettino hasn't yet beaten the european team during his time
14:59as the u.s head coach only played european opposition twice both
15:05last summer
15:08beats against turkey and switzerland
15:12that's for the ball out to doku down the left side
15:17doku causing problems once again matt turner with the save all the way out for the best to drive it
15:23in
15:24belgium a level in the final minute of the first half in atlanta
15:29to pass from distance with the first international goal
15:40that's it you could be critical they've given up a goal when they give up a goal that's just an
15:45excellent strike and turner does everything he can do and players are coming out there that that is just a
15:51phenomenal strike watch this wall and it's nothing a little bit you could say you know ream's got to get
15:58a
15:59foot to that it goes to the crowd but that all is traveling at such a incredible speed
16:05i think turner just he sees a little late just because it comes through so many legs so obviously
16:09it's an awful time to give up a goal but what a strike from the bass
16:21that stoppage time is presented by marriott bonvoy we're into three minutes of time being added on
16:27at the end of the half as belgium level things just before the whistle here the bass the youngster from
16:37sporting played every minute of world cup qualifying until missing the final two games in november with
16:43an injury and that's the first time he's scored at senior level for his country the catalara down
16:50the right side still going here's de bruyne all of a sudden it's the united states here on the back
17:01foot but doku can't quite keep that one in play on the far side hey guys not to not give
17:08any merit for
17:08that goal because that was a wonderful strike but on the defensive side for the u.s mauricio and jesus
17:14perez down here doku racing in towards the edge of the area comes back for unana and now mudier trying
17:21to
17:21get there robinson sliding in
17:26salamac is down the right side close down by pulisic
17:31midway through the three minutes being added on at the end of this half and all the way back to
17:35lamens melissa as i was saying mauricio and jesus perez when that initial ball was at half line
17:42he wanted balligan to step to immediate pressure in that build up three past sequences left that was that
17:49was the goal so it's about that immediate pressure that he wants that consistency that intensity when
17:53they are in that defensive transition especially at that midline when belgium is in possession
17:58all around the back here finds doku behind where is doku pulling it back and robinson
18:03across to put that ball behind for a corner what will probably be the last act of this first half
18:10fifth corner of the game coming up for belgium
18:18and doku has just slowly become a menace really a frustrating half half hour and then
18:23he's been a little bit irresistible at the end of this half
18:32we're just going in there for a word with the mekala who has come forward from the back
18:37gostling to position there with johnny cardoso
18:44the one is pulling towards the edge of the box for salamacas who drives it in turner powers away
18:52and the flag is up
19:01matt turner called into action a number of times now towards the end of the half as the whistle goes
19:07at the end of the first 45 minutes here at mercedes-benz stadium in atlanta
19:14the united states taking the lead in the 39th minute through western mckenny to bass leveling from
19:19long range in the final minute of the half u.s soccer on tnt is presented by marriott bonvoy it's
19:27one one in atlanta
19:33soccer on tnt is presented by marriott bonvoy and here at mercedes-benz stadium in atlanta it's tied
19:41one one at half time between the united states and belgium debast's first international goal
19:46cancelling out a strike from western mckenny in the 39th minute and christian roldan will be coming
19:53into this game at half time eleven changes are allowed today in this match an agreement between
19:59the united states and belgium and mauricio pochettino looks to be going to his bench
20:03after 45 minutes of play matt turner is out but still waiting for everybody else
20:10either from the united states and no sign of anybody from belgium yet either yeah they all
20:14win it none of them stand out here nothing i remember doing the opening game of copa america
20:22here in this stadium in 2024 and lionel messi in argentina decided to take their time and it ended
20:27up being a 22 minute hop time that night it's probably only one person in the world that can get
20:32away
20:32with that exactly
20:39roldan for cardoso is the change that is being made by mauricio pochettino
20:46wonder what that means
20:48hard to speculate if he picked up anything or there's any knock or if this was a planned change
20:53you would have to guess like for like but yeah listen you talk about friendlies and
20:58pochettino hates that word and belgian not looking belgian team not looking at it as a friendly but also
21:04you know you you you have camaraderie you like your guys you you're brothers you fight but
21:09it's not friendly when these two these two players are battling for a life-changing decision to get the world
21:17well that's here from mauricio pochettino here with melissa
21:22mauricio what were your thoughts on that first half performance sorry your thoughts on the first
21:28half performance what uh i think it was a good performance i think positive i'm lucky that we
21:33conceded on the end but i think the the team made a big effort um again a very good team
21:39and i think we
21:40need to be positive about the performance what was your message to the guys in the locker room for
21:45this second half no i think keep pushing uh try to to use better the ball in possession i think
21:53uh
21:54we need to have more the position we need to dominate a little bit more but i think
21:57the in in overall i think the performance is okay thank you man
22:06still waiting for belgium here it appears as it is just the one change for the united states christian
22:12roldan is a player who didn't feature much under mauricio pochettino in the early months
22:17but he's now appeared in seven games in a row since coming into the squad last september
22:24well down in the world cup squad in 2022 in qatar but didn't play
22:35and certainly he's a player that mauricio pochettino
22:38loves to have around not just on the pitch but off it as well
22:42it sounds like a cliche but dependable yeah and and listen there are players that are going to go to
22:47the world cup and not see a lot of minutes and if this is one of them he is an
22:50excellent player
22:51personality wise chemistry wise professionalism wise to have with the team during the world cup
23:02so the change confirmed johnny cardoso makes way
23:05after 45 minutes of play as christian roldan comes in it appears as if it is the same 11 for
23:12belgium that
23:12will start this second half here in atlanta
23:16we're told from the touchline that it is not an injury for johnny cardoso
23:28four shots on target for both of these sides in the first 45 minutes
23:34for 42 percent of the possession belgium with 13 shots in total to the eight from the united states
23:42and it was weston mckenny's goal that gave mauricio pochettino side the advantage only for the bas to
23:47score in the final minute of the first 45 to ensure this one is tied up both of these nations
23:55looking to
23:56extend unbeaten runs for belgium it would take it up to 10 games without a loss they've won six and
24:04drawn
24:04three of their last nine matches and they've scored in nine of those 10 games now during this unbeaten run
24:12if this one holds multiple goals on six occasions
24:18the type is with the throw forward where gets ahead to it as it drops down for tillman now christian
24:23pulisic picks this one up has a look at goal couldn't quite find the space to get the shot away
24:29tillman slowly getting back to his feet here as roldan finds pulisic
24:35testman turns mackenzie down the right side this is where
24:44now testament
24:50chris richards today by the way he is out with an injury
24:53and mackenzie is at the back alongside tim ream chris richards tonight the opportunity to start on his
25:00birthday today miles robinson missing due to an injury as well
25:10three wins in a row for the us against australia by two goals to one then in november
25:16two one against paraguay five one against uruguay
25:24this is the wall of testman
25:34i love the quote from tanner testament yesterday about his success he said
25:39whether you're playing for leon whether you're playing as a kid in birmingham alabama
25:46or at the world cup you play the same way you play with intensity
25:51and tanner testament's form for both club and country have him in with an excellent chance of
25:59making this squad for a first world cup appearance
26:04too far for his family and friends to make the drive for this one from burby malabama
26:10doku here down the left side running against christian roldan
26:16and out it goes for a corner here number six and doku continuing where he left off in that first
26:23half where he was such a threat down that left touch line as you would expect for someone
26:27who has uh achieved so much
26:34half injury in february so missed some action there but has been back of late
26:39like 90 minutes in both legs of the champions league round of 16 for manchester city and their loss
26:44against real madrid
26:48de bruyne with this corner underneath it's a claim
26:58kevin de bruyne winning the premier league six times with manchester city a couple of fa cups five
27:04league cups and champions league as well in 2023 his pulisic over halfway
27:19anton robinson with the assist today for western mckenny's go-ahead goal
27:24before the leveler right at the end of the half robinson making a huge impact down that left side he's
27:30got assists in back-to-back u.s appearances for the first time in his career but 495 days apart
27:37that's it just just 495 assistant ricardo pepe last time we saw him
27:43this is pulisic robinson down the left side
27:50and de bruyne brings it down highly effective first half for kevin de bruyne who wears the captain's
27:55armband here for belgium
28:00coming into this game 115 caps for de bruyne 166 for the other 10 starters for belgium today
28:0976 of those for munier so plenty of players who are in the earlier stages of their international
28:15careers with belgium this is where doku get a touch and then mckenny stepping inside there
28:21mckenny's ball through trying to pick out balagan across comes mekula down the left side it goes doku
28:27picks it up at the touch line looked like it might have gone out but the assisted referee is right
28:31there didn't give anything and it goes to throw the way of the united states here five minutes into
28:37the second half
28:46tim howard setting a world cup single game record with 15 saves the last time these teams met in the
28:52world cup round of 16 in 2014
28:58de bruyne and lukaku with the belgium goals that day in extra time
29:04lukaku pulling out of this squad as did trossard
29:10there's two players missing with injury after the squad have been named
29:17free kick given against him
29:33see christian ballistic right right at midfield right now right in the center circle
29:36they just at times was in the first half they've got to find him in these moments they got to
29:41try to
29:42unlock them
29:46we're running up to kuiper down this right side
29:50where did well there gets the ball back to christian pulisic who dances his way through
29:55but he couldn't find the finish
30:00he did so well to get into that position but couldn't pick out that top corner
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