There are still barriers for this U.S. group and its young core to break, but the Netherlands’ ruthlessness and rule over the key moments spelled the end for their time in Qatar.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar — The heart was willing.
In their fourth World Cup match in 13 days, in the unforgiving crucible and rarified air of the knockout stage, the young American men gave everything. And as they promised, they stood tall and toe-to-toe with the favored Netherlands without fear or reservation. They forged forward, out-possessed, out-passed and outshot the Dutch by a significant margin, and never sagged in the face of adversity.