The first-choice U.S. men's national team’s final camp before World Cup qualifying begins in September was never supposed to be easy. Four games in 11 days, transatlantic travel, training and playing at altitude—it’s all designed to steel a young American squad that’s still trying to find its competitive feet.
And so it kicked off with a test on Sunday that concluded in disappointing fashion, but which coach Gregg Berhalter hopes will be beneficial in the long run. The USA’s 2–1 friendly loss to Switzerland in St. Gallen ended a nine-game unbeaten streak dating back to November 2019. It also offered an opportunity to compete against seasoned and experienced opposition that was far superior to some of the regional middleweights the USA has played in recent months.