Greetings to all football enthusiasts! The international break has offered a captivating few days of action as we experience a rare hiatus before club football resumes. I`m James Benge, and let`s delve into the latest.
The Forward Line
USMNT Relieves Pressure with Victory Over Japan
Following a tense defeat to South Korea on Saturday, Mauricio Pochettino, coach of the USMNT, was under significant pressure for a victory, even in a friendly. The match against Japan in Columbus, Ohio, presented an ideal chance to solidify his 3-4-3 tactical system and evaluate some developing players. However, the potential backlash from another loss against a top-20 ranked opponent would have been substantial.
Fortunately, the USMNT secured their much-needed win. Goals from Alex Zendejas and Folarin Balogun on either side of halftime lifted a considerable burden from the program. This victory marked their first against a highly-ranked FIFA opponent since defeating Iran in the 2022 World Cup. It`s important to note, however, that the US did not face Japan`s primary squad, as that team had played a friendly against Mexico three days prior. Despite facing a weakened Japanese side, goalkeeper Matt Freese was kept busy, making six saves, and the defense had several unnecessarily tense moments.
While it would be premature to celebrate too extensively given the circumstances, the win at least showcased a robust defensive effort from Pochettino`s side, whose public statements have often generated as much discussion as his team`s performances. The decision to switch to a back three formation appears to have paid off, with Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman emerging as promising wing-back alternatives to Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest. As Pardeep Cattry wrote, this system simply clicked:
- Cattry: “Pochettino`s formation change was the foundation for just about everything that went well on Tuesday; even those who are essentially locks for the World Cup roster like Pulisic and Tyler Adams, next to a steady Cristian Roldan in midfield, looked closer to their best. For perhaps the first time in his 11 months on the job, it felt like the head coach found a gameplan that suited the players at his disposal and the match in front of him, the disjointed and mishap-prone version of the team replaced by one that demonstrated some version of cohesion.”
Further positive takeaways include Folarin Balogun`s first national team goal since summer 2024, following a strong cameo against South Korea. The quest for a starting No.9 continues, especially as the 24-year-old still battles for a regular club spot, but Balogun has presented a more compelling case this month than Josh Sargent.
The USMNT`s next challenge involves two October friendlies that will further indicate their standing in the global football landscape. Should they aspire to a high ranking, a victory against Australia in Colorado is expected. However, a significant test awaits them prior to that against Ecuador, who concluded their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Argentina, having conceded only five goals in 18 CONMEBOL league matches. This will undoubtedly be a demanding examination for the USMNT`s attacking players.
Midfield Link Play
England and Norway Excel as European Qualifying Heats Up
While Pochettino fine-tunes his squad, many other national teams are still striving to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. For Norway, participation has been elusive since 1998, but their current squad realistically aims to top what was considered a challenging qualifying group, featuring Italy and Israel. After initial victories against these two teams in the cycle, Stale Stolbakken`s side needed to respond to Italy`s dramatic, chaotic 5-4 win over Israel in Hungary, which kept Italian hopes of topping Group I alive.
Norway`s response was emphatic. Erling Haaland scored five goals, complemented by four from substitute Thelo Aasgaard, leading Landslaget to an 11-1 victory over Macedonia, matching the biggest-ever winning margin in UEFA World Cup qualifiers. This substantial goal difference could prove crucial in the months ahead. Norway now holds a six-point lead over second-placed Italy, having played one more game, and boasts a goal difference that is 16 goals superior. Italy will not only need to defeat Norway in San Siro in November but will almost certainly require assistance from either Israel or Estonia in Oslo. The World Cup appears within reach for Haaland and his teammates, and as Chuck Booth notes, their presence would enhance the tournament:
- Booth: “It doesn`t feel like the World Cup unless the best players in the world are there, and no one will want to line up across the pitch from Martin Odegaard and Haaland if they make it to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Haaland now has a strong chance at also being the top scorer of UEFA qualifying with his ninth goal of the qualifiers, three ahead of Croatia`s Andrej Kramaric, who has six goals so far. Haaland also now has 45 goals in only 43 starts for his country as the Manchester City forward has been doing everything that he can to push his country to the world`s biggest stage.”
Norway wasn`t the only nation to achieve a commanding victory on Tuesday night. After a series of effective but uninspiring performances against weaker opponents, England delivered an irresistible 5-0 win in Serbia, showcasing the qualities Thomas Tuchel intends to harness next summer. Three of the Three Lions` goals originated from set pieces, where Declan Rice`s deliveries were exceptionally precise. Their open play was equally impressive, with Morgan Rogers assisting Noni Madueke to complete a brilliant team goal for England`s second. And, characteristic of a Tuchel team, the defense was impeccable. In their five qualifiers, they have allowed just one shot on target and a total of 0.83 xG – remarkable statistics, even considering two of their matches were against Andorra.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, France and Portugal secured narrow but vital wins against Iceland and Hungary, respectively. Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland suffered arguably the most humiliating defeat in their history, losing 2-1 to Armenia in Yerevan. In theory, Heimir Hallgrimsson`s side still has an opportunity to rally. In reality, their World Cup qualification prospects appeared all but over just three days into their campaign.
In other news, Ray Hudson, the esteemed color commentator who covered Champions League matches for CBS Sports for three years and enjoyed a 23-year career, announced his retirement.
