CONCACAF Nations League: USMNT to continue dominating?
by Bradley Gibbs | by Tyler Doty
Do recent efforts point towards more success for USMNT?
After losing to Mexico in an international friendly back in October, which obviously followed what was ultimately a disappointing stint at the Copa America back in the summer, it was time for the US to show their quality when facing Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals.
Show their class they did, beating the Jamaicans by a goal to nil away from home in slightly subdued but solid fashion, before exploding into life in front of a home crowd at CITYPARK in St. Louis during the second leg.
In that second leg, Poch’s team showed that they have the ability to step on the gas and pull clear, scoring three first-half goals to end things before the Jamaicans had a chance to breathe. That sort of display suggests that this is a team ready for more success in this competition, that’s for sure.
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Concacaf Nations League history
A competition that is still in its infancy, much as the UEFA Nations League is in Europe, the CONCACAF Champions League is now into its fourth renewal.
Therefore, it’s far from a competition steeped in history. What little history there is, though, is firmly on the side of the USMNT.
Previous CONCACAF Nations League history:
2019-20 Winners - USA (defeated Mexico 3-2 in the final)
2022-23 Winners - USA (defeated Canada 2-0 in the final)
2023-24 Winners - USA (defeated Mexico 2-0 in the final)
As we can see, the Americans have a 100% record in the CONCACAF Nations League, winning each of the three additions to date.
Such a record will fill the current crop of players with no shortage of confidence, though being the reigning champions, especially after three successes on the spin, also brings with it a certain level of pressure. Can Pochettino’s players shoulder that pressure successfully? Follow our soccer predictions to keep up with all of the happenings around the US, Europe, and Internationally!
Another final awaits USMNT
After defeating the Jamaicans in what can be described as uncompromising style, despite conceding a couple of goals in the second leg, the US look all set to feature in their fourth straight CONCACAF Nations League final.
Of course, the Panamanians stand in their way, but is that really a problem? In Mauricio Pochettino’s second game as head coach, USMNT got the better of Panama on home soil, winning by two goals to nil.
Sure, in that relatively recent game (back in October), we saw a Panama team that can be tough to break down, but we also saw a team that lacks players who can make a difference when it matters most.
With AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic leading by example, featuring several other players thriving at European clubs right now, this US team has difference makers, and that’s key, so much so that they can get beyond Panama and feature in yet another final.
Can the streak be broken?
It’s fair to say that under Pochettino, who has now held the reins for five games, the US have shown more of a killer instinct, especially in those most recent two fixtures, which bodes well ahead of their quest for an unprecedented fourth Nations League title.
However, it is perhaps a little worrying that they came up short against the Mexicans as recently as October 16th.
Just over a month ago, Pochettino’s men lost by two goals to nil in Zapopan. Not only did they lose on that occasion, but they struggled to put their best foot forward in an offensive sense, mustering only one shot on target, despite having 52% of the possession.
However, the saving grace for the US is likely to be the fact that they’ll have the luxury of playing the final of this competition on home soil.
On American shores, the USMNT is hard to beat, there can be no doubt about that. They’ve beaten the Mexicans in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League not once, but twice in the US, doing so as recently as March 2024, so should they come through that test against Panama, which they really should, it will be anything but surprising to see them go all the way.
