He thought he could change most of a U.S. men’s national soccer team lineup that had sparkled three days earlier and still get out of Estadio Rommel Fernández with at least a point Sunday. He believed the quality of depth was high enough, the chemistry strong enough and the hunger insatiable enough to remain on a straight path to a 2022 World Cup berth.
Nothing worked, and as the Americans departed this steamy capital early Monday saddled with a defeat that looked worse than the 1-0 score line, they faced growing questions and pressure ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Costa Rica in Columbus, Ohio.