Well that wasn’t great. The US fell late against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin 2-1. It wasn’t a successful endeavor, but this represented a more significant test of the midfield and defense. This was basically a full strength Ireland side, more comparable to a team that the US would play in the Hex or knockout stages of the Gold Cup. Also, there was no Pulisic. This represented the sternest test for the rebooted, super youthful USMNT. And it didn’t work out quite as we had hoped. Let’s break it down.
Squeezed a Little Too Hard
From the start, Ireland offered an opportunity to test that backline.