With a chance to enter the CONCACAF Gold Cup on a positive note, the U.S. men’s national team instead continued its slide with an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Switzerland in a friendly at Nashville on Tuesday.
The U.S. squad is missing most of its best players, but it now takes a four-match losing streak into its Gold Cup opener against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday.
Switzerland, No. 20 in the FIFA world ranking, took advantage of nonexistent defending for a 4-0 halftime lead that had the home crowd booing the performance of the 16th-ranked squad. The Americans also lost 2-1 to Turkey on Saturday.
The losing streak is the longest since the USMNT took five straight defeats in 2007.
Dan Ndoye (13th minute), Michel Aebischer (23rd), Breel Embolo (33rd) and Johan Manzambi (36rd) did the damage against goalkeeper Matt Turner.
The last time the U.S. trailed by four at the half was 1980 vs. Mexico. It was the first time ever the Swiss led an away match by four goals at halftime (373 matches).
The U.S., 1-5-4 against Switzerland with the win coming in October 2007, and did not have a shot on target from seven attempts. The Swiss had seven shots on goal.
The USMNT took its worst shutout loss since a 4-0 defeat against Costa Rica in 2016.
In the absence of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun and Sergino Dest, among others, coach Mauricio Pochettino fielded a lineup that averaged 18 appearances and age 25 years, 246 days.
Pochettino was further hampered because World Cup veteran midfielder Tyler Adams did not play due to a foot injury. Adams’ status is unknown for the Gold Cup, the last competitive tournament for the U.S. until the World Cup begins on June 11, 2026.
Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, whose father, Gregg, was Pochettino’s predecessor until being fired 11 months ago, started in his debut to become the seventh father and son to play for the USMNT.
Damion Downs replaced Berhalter in the 75th minute for his debut.
Also, Brenden and Paxten Aaronson became the fourth brothers to start the same U.S. match.
–Field Level Media
