The United States men’s national team meets Colombia on Saturday in a friendly that can mean much more to Gregg Berhalter and his squad than most warm-up matches.
Yes, of course, the game at Commanders Field in Maryland is a tune-up for a pivotal Copa America on home soil, but it’s also an increasingly-rare chance for Berhalter to add a win over a top international side following FIFA’s opponent-limiting switch to the Nations League calendar.
STREAM USMNT vs COLOMBIA EN ESPANOL ON PEACOCK PREMIUM
It helps that Colombia has been fantastic in recent windows, unbeaten since 2022 with wins over Brazil, Germany, Spain, and Mexico. Only the November defeat of Brazil was on home soil.
Yes, Los Cafeteros have 16 wins and five draws since a home loss to Argentina to start February 2022, a 23-match stretch which includes an 0-0 off-window draw with the USMNT to kick off 2023.
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The Yanks, for their part, have fared well against quality opposition in three of their last four chances, beating Mexico 2-0, Jamaica 3-1, and Ghana 4-0 to go with a humbling 3-1 home loss to Germany.
The USMNT will be expected to beat Bolivia and Panama in the group stage of Copa America, and likely will be heavy underdogs against Uruguay and whoever they may face in the knockout rounds (probably Brazil, who is a friendly opponent on Wednesday). Any win in one of those four tests from CONMEBOL powers wil stand out this summer, even in one of these friendlies.
Saturday is a fantastic opportunity for the U.S.
How to watch USMNT vs Colombia, stream link and start time
Kick off: 5:30pm ET, Saturday (June 9)
Stadium: Commanders Field in Landover, Maryland
TV channels en Español: Universo, Telemundo
Streaming en Español: Peacock
USMNT vs Colombia live updates — By Nick Mendola
USMNT vs Colombia live score: 0-1
Goalscorers: Arias (6′)
Not a great start! Arias scores — USMNT 0-1 Colombia (6th minute)
Antonee Robinson slides to break up a Colombia entrance into the 18, but Jhon Arias is there and smashes upper near post past Matt Turner.
Los Cafeteros, 1-0.
USMNT lineup
Turner, Robinson, Richards, Ream, Scally, Cardoso, McKennie, Reyna, Weah, Pulisic, Balogun
Colombia lineup
Vargas, Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Mojica, Lerma, Uribe, Arias, James Rodriguez, Diaz, Borre
USMNT vs Colombia Preview: Colombia focus, team news
This team is good. Ranked 12th by FIFA’s rankings — the USMNT is 11th — and 7th in ELO ratings (U.S. 22nd), the unbeaten streak is no joke and includes 13 clean sheets.
All-time caps leader David Ospina is at the back, and the ex-Arsenal goalkeeper has a terrific group of backs in front of him. There’s Spurs’ Davinson Sanchez as well as Yerry Mina, Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace), and young Yerson Mosquera.
James Rodriguez — still somehow only 32 — captain’s the side in a midfield with Palace’s Jefferson Lerma, and the depth there is not special. It’s corrected in attack, where Liverpool star Luis Diaz is joined by Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra and Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran.
Source Agencies
