It was dizzying and damaging, disenchanting and self-destructive. For U.S. men’s national team players, Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Panama was potentially haunting. On paper, it was embarrassing; in practice, draining and dispiriting, perhaps even devastating.
Yet, in a twisted way, it has yielded exactly what U.S. Soccer needs.
It has yielded exactly what many rational USMNT fans want.
On Monday in Kansas City, they will likely get a decisive verdict on head coach Gregg Berhalter, one way or the other.
They will, most probably, get either a signature win over Uruguay or a colossal, inexcusable failure.