Pepi Shines and Balogun Pulls a Freddy Adu 🇺🇸🦅

“Maybe just make the goals worth seven points. More people would watch it.”

—Christian Pulisic, to Tim Ream and Steve Schlanger on the Men in Blazers Network’s American Dream podcast, when asked if there was anything he could change about soccer. Download and Listen to The American Dream podcast HERE.

USMNT Friendlies: Pepi Shines, Balogun Pulls a Freddy Adu:

This week saw the USMNT play their first two friendlies under new-old coach Gregg Berhalter, taking on a pair of representatives from the Asian Football Confederation — 74th-ranked Uzbekistan and 73rd-ranked Oman.

If a 3-0 national team win can ever be seen as borderline disappointing, then that was certainly the case with the first friendly against the Uzbeks on Saturday. Two late goals flattered the scoreline of a match that saw us struggle to break through Uzbekistan’s low-block defense. It was a flat performance overall, which matched the disappointing crowd that only filled FC St. Louis’ CityPark to 69 percent capacity.

Despite a slow start in the second game, the performance was far better overall against Oman on Tuesday night. Pinpoint long balls, play switching sides frequently, solid defending from our center backs — all of it combined to make for a dominant display for the U.S. against an overmatched Oman, the imbalance of power perhaps explaining why Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn. was also only filled to 70 percent capacity. Though the crowd did include one amazing fan who wore a custom Big Rig T-shirt for the ages. 🙌

As far as individual performances are concerned, there certainly were positives to take from the two matches. Matt Turner 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (29; Park Ridge, NJ) put on an exemplary display in goal in the first match, before having to leave camp to return to England for the upcoming birth of his daughter. Big Love to Matty Clean Sheets and Family Turner ❤️ … Tim Weah 🇮🇹 (23; Rosedale, NY) and Weston McKennie 🇮🇹 (25; Little Elm, TX) impressed time and again over both matches, with McKennie distributing from midfield like a Texas David Beckham, while Weah was an attacking menace over both games, even scoring a laser-beam of a goal against Uzbekistan. Which was assisted by Juventus teammate McKennie, naturally (WATCH). … Fellow Serie A players Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were solid in both matches as well, with Pulisic’s red-hot AC Milan form carrying over to the U.S., as he scored against Uzbekistan (WATCH). Despite being one of the last players to return to the Rossoneri from international duty, CP11 is expected to start in Saturday’s Milan Derby.

The defense looked solid over the two matches, with center backs Chris Richards 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (23; Birmingham, AL) and Miles Robinson 🇺🇸 (26; Arlington, MA) hardly putting a foot wrong in a suffocating defensive display against Oman. Sergiño Dest 🇳🇱 (22; Almere, NED) spearheaded numerous attacks from right back, while Kristoffer Lund 🇮🇹 (21; Kerteminde, DEN) made his USMNT debut at left back against Oman, a rapid rise if there ever was one. One second, lad is feeding seals in Denmark, the next he’s balling out in the home of Hüsker Dü and Lefse. Which actually sort of makes it sort of like he never left Scandinavia.

Perhaps the most encouraging development over the two friendlies was seeing Ricardo Pepi 🇳🇱 (20; El Paso, TX) and Folarin Balogun 🇫🇷 (22; London, ENG) pushing each other for the right to start up top for the U.S. Long a massive question mark for the USMNT, we suddenly have two young, in-form European-based strikers to choose from at the nine spot. Both accounted for themselves well over the two games, as Pepi had a goal in both matches (WATCH 1ST | 2ND), while Balogun only scored against Oman (WATCH). Which led to Opta dropping a mindblowing stat shortly after, as, with the goal, Balogun became the first Monaco player to score a goal for the USMNT since … Freddy Adu in 2009. The lesson being, when it comes to anything having to do with young, up-and-coming soccer talent in America, all roads lead back to Freddy Adu, from now until the end of time.

Holding Out Hope for a Reyna Resolution:

The next challenge for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT is to reintegrate Gio Reyna 🇩🇪 (20; Bedford, NY). Which, from all accounts, is a challenge that is still at a very raw, tender, early stage. Yet, 283 days on from the Netherlands’ 3-1 win over the U.S. at the World Cup, the estranged manager and key young player still have not spoken.

There are so many ways this can go. Here’s to hoping it is handled with the care and sensitivity that it needs when both sides are still clearly so aggrieved. This is a deep, profound relationship problem, which transcends mere football. It is a story of mutual trauma, and betrayal. Gregg was best friends with Gio’s father Claudio growing up. The wives, Rosalind and Danielle, were friends with each other, and the children as well.

We all should just be hoping that the bigger goal can be seen by all parties here. U.S. Soccer would be well advised to broker a truce, and have Gregg fly out to Germany so the optics of fence-mending are demonstrated before the October camp, and not dealt with for the first time on U.S. soil.

Dortmund’s next match is Saturday at Freiburg. According to club and player socials, Gio has been training hard and playing with the youth teams, so don’t be surprised if he makes a return this weekend. Which would up the urgency on an already tense situation.

News and Notes:

• Some local Nottingham reports are saying that Ethan Horvath 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (28; Highlands Ranch, CO) could be leaving Forest in the not-so-distant future

• Tyler Adams 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (24; Wappingers Falls, NY) Insta’ed pics of himself working out on the pitch. Bournemouth socials also posted some photos as well. Here’s to hoping he makes his Cherries debut soon. 🍒

• Joining the ranks of Americans Abroad, Milan Iloski 🇩🇰 (24; Escondido, CA) has made the move from USL Championship side Orange County SC to FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark

• Kristian Fletcher’s 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (18; Bowie, MD) last-minute header gave the Swansea City U21s their first away win of the season in his debut (WATCH). The DC United loanee also did an interview for the club website, and had this to say about playing in the United Kingdom: “The UK is the peak of football in the world.” 🇬🇧

• Neymar had an assist Tuesday in Brazil’s 1-0 win over Peru, meaning ex-Everton legend Landon Donovan still remains the all-time international assists leader for the time being 🙌

• For those in need of a little midweek pick-me-up, fast-forward 10 seconds in this video to see a smiling Timmy Chandler 🇩🇪 (33; Frankfurt, GER) 🙂

Parting Shots:

Huge love to the singular Bob Bradley, who — after leaving Toronto FC — has decided to rejoin tiny Norwegian club Stabaek. Here’s a great behind-the-scenes look at the 65-year-old former USMNT coach’s first meeting with the players. The fascinating eight-minute, profanity-filled video comes across as equal parts All Or Nothing and The Great Santini. Meaning it’s one of the best things we’ve seen all week. Get ‘em, Bobbo.