Both United States and Mexico soccer fans were left in shock and disbelief following a turn of events where the teams were swiftly and brutally eliminated from the Copa America tournament, played here on United States soil. This elimination even cost the USA’s team manager his job.
These exits not only disappointed their fanbases, but also significantly altered the tournament dynamics, opening up opportunities for other teams, like Canada, an arguably ‘doormat’ team, to advance all the way to the semifinals.
Fans like Jesse Tovar were beside themselves after the final whistles blew for the USA against Uruguay.
“It’s a disgrace honestly,” Tovar said. “I know soccer is not the most popular sport here in the US, but we have tons of talent, but it’s not even that, it’s the way they lost, losing control of their emotions, having a terrible strategy but most of all the sluggish and sleepwalking effort when things didn’t go their way.”
The highly anticipated campaigns of both teams fell well below expectations, with disappointing performances raising serious questions about their strategies and capabilities. Mexico was weak offensively and managed to score only one goal in three games, and that goal came against what should have been an easy win against Jamaica. Mexico eked out a slim victory, their only one of the tournament.
Meanwhile, the United States lost two games to beatable opponents, one against Panama where the United States played with 10 men almost the entire game after Tim Weah was booted for smacking a Panamanian player upside the head.
In the same game, the United States even managed to score a short-handed goal to even things up, but lazy defensive efforts and poor goaltending from Matt Turner allowed Panama to seize the victory, leaving the United States haplessly defeated.
It was ultimately a massive regression for the United States soccer team under the guidance of Head Coach Greg Berhalter, who left the tournament with an overall record of 44 wins, 17 losses and 13 draws.
Over the course of Berhalter’s tenure the United States struggled to secure crucial victories over quality opponents and on big stages. The team’s inability to rise to the occasion and deliver standout performances left supporters disheartened and resulted in mounting pressure on Berhalter.
The subsequent decision by the U.S. Soccer Federation to relieve him of his coaching duties July 10, reverberated throughout the soccer world, signifying the magnitude of the team’s underperformance, and putting the United States soccer team on the radar of any high-profile coach who is currently looking for a job.
Similarly, Mexico, under the leadership of their head coach, Jaime Lozano, failed to live up to the expectations, particularly in this tournament. The team’s early exit left fans and analysts deeply disappointed, searching for answers and prompted discussions about the factors contributing to their disappointing campaign, loudening calls for Lozano’s job, who has often been criticized for failing to adapt.
Fans of Mexico’s team, like Daria Oropeza, echoed sentiments of USA fans’ feelings towards this disaster.
“Every game I watch I lose more and more passion for this team, it’s sad really,” Oropeza said. “The players and coaches seem to just be running around out there with no passion or sense of strategy. It’s just really disappointing to watch that kind of effort on such a big stage where we should have had an advantage because we were playing close to home in the US and not so far away in South America”
The outcomes have sparked impassioned debates about the future of men’s soccer in both the United States and Mexico. Fans eagerly anticipate a thorough evaluation of the teams’ performances and hope for urgent implementation of impactful changes moving forward.
As the soccer community grapples with the aftermath of these unexpected exits, the focus remains on the next steps for these teams and the urgent need for the strategies they will employ to reinvigorate their standing on the international stage.
Jorge Guajardo is the sports editor and may be reached at [email protected].
