Glendale — The University of Phoenix Stadium played host to the most important U.S. Men’s National Team game in a long time. It may have only been a friendly with no concrete consequences and a myriad of European players not present. But make no mistake about it, this was a critical game in the modern USMNT era. The contest was Gregg Berhalter’s first game in charge. That tells you everything you need to know. A 3-0 win over Panama, then, will suffice just right.
Despite being just a friendly, this match and its subplots have been dissected by American soccer news outlets since it marked the beginning of this new era for American soccer.