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Their failure to qualify for the finals four years ago prompted
much soul-searching within the sport's national governing body,
even as the women's side thrived.
But they appeared to exorcise the demons of that failed attempt
in March by securing one of CONCACAF's three guaranteed World
Cup spots despite a tepid start to their campaign with draws
against El Salvador and Canada.
The achievement was met with relief in the U.S., which is set to
host the 2026 finals along with Canada and Mexico.
But if the old saying "You're only as good as your last
performance" is true, the Americans have plenty to worry about.
They failed to record a shot on goal in their penultimate
warm-up match, a grim 2-0 defeat by Japan in September.
Days later Saudi Arabia, ranked 51st in the world, held the U.S.
to a 0-0 draw as the Americans failed to find their rhythm.
Overall this year against World Cup contenders, the U.S. record
is worrying with one win, three draws and three losses.
Coach Gregg Berhalter said his side were moving in the right
direction after the Saudi friendly, telling reporters they could
be "very dangerous" when they get their confidence up.
"It comes down to a little bit of tightness, a little bit of a
lack of confidence and anxiety," he said.
"Everyone's fighting for roster spots. And, you know, instead of
coming out and really performing like the team we know we are,
we lacked a little confidence."
The U.S. World Cup squad will be announced on Nov. 9.
The heart of the team will be Christian Pulisic, the charismatic
forward the U.S. hope will drum up the sport's popularity among
fans usually more concerned with the NFL.
Berhalter, the youngest coach to manage the U.S. since 1995 when
he was appointed four years ago aged 45, knows all about the
pressure of playing for the national team having been in the
squad the last time the U.S. reached the quarter-finals in 2002.
"Confidence is a tricky thing," he said. "We want them to just
play and play with, you know, that aggression and that intensity
and the speed that we know they can."
The 16th-ranked Americans will need every bit of talent
available to them when they take on fifth-ranked England in
Group B alongside Iran and Wales.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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