USMNT vs. Oman: Top Storylines and Predictions for 2023 Friendly
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The United States men’s national team finishes off the September international window with a friendly match against Oman. (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Gregg Berhalter’s side needs to show some improvement after only beating Uzbekistan by three goals on Saturday.
The USMNT needs to do a better job of breaking down an organized defense inside Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Oman is expected to play a ton of defense against a team that sits 60 places above it in the FIFA men’s world rankings.
Berhalter did not reveal his entire starting XI for Tuesday, like he did the day before the Uzbekistan match, but he did announce Ethan Horvath will start in goal.
USMNT Needs to Be Sharper Against Organized Defense
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The Americans were expected to put more than three goals past Uzbekistan on Saturday.
Timothy Weah scored in the fourth minute, but then the USMNT did not score again until the 90th minute.
The USMNT can’t let a 1-0 result drag into the final minute of the second half against Oman. It needs to be more clinical in the final third regardless of who starts.
Berhalter handed starts to Weah, Folarin Balogun and Christian Pulisic on Saturday. Pulisic and Weah could start again with Ricardo Pepi on Tuesday. Pepi scored one of the two late goals against Uzbekistan.
The USMNT manager could also try another attacking setup with a more natural attacking midfielder behind the forwards.
Brenden Aaronson would be the perfect player for that strategy. The USMNT could distribute through the middle more and allow more creativity between the No. 10, the wingers and the starting striker.
Berhalter told reporters on Monday that he will mix up the starting XI, per Steven Goff of the Washington Post.
A potential attacking setup with Aaronson, Pulisic, Weah and Pepi could create more significant chances and allow the Americans to be up by multiple goals at halftime.
Ethan Horvath to Start in Goal
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Horvath received the starting nod in goal with Matt Turner away from the squad due to the birth of his child.
Turner, the USMNT’s first-choice goalkeeper, started and produced a clean sheet against Uzbekistan.
Horvath probably will not receive chances to impress the coaching staff on Tuesday, so he just needs to do the simple things right when the ball is near him.
The 28-year-old netminder needs to be in the right positions when shots do come in from Oman, and he needs to have some good distribution to set the attackers on their way.
Horvath needs a solid performance to retain his position on the USMNT goalkeeper depth chart.
Zack Steffen, Gabriel Slonina, Sean Johnson and Drake Callender are among the other goalkeepers Berhalter can consider for future rosters.
A consistent 90-minute showing will at least keep Horvath in front of the up-and-coming goalkeepers in the USMNT program, like Callender and Slonina.
Prediction
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United States 5, Oman 0
Anything less than a multi-goal victory will be viewed as a disappointment for the USMNT.
The Americans can’t be as sluggish in attack as they were against Uzbekistan, and expect that to motivate them to put on a show in front of goal in the first half.
The influx of some hungry attackers, like Aaronson and Pepi, could freshen up the play in the final third and lead to multiple first-half tallies.
Berhalter’s side needs to be sharper on Tuesday to set a good tone for the October friendly matches against Germany and Ghana.
We will not learn too much from Tuesday’s game, but if the USMNT can at least win in dominant fashion, it will be viewed as progress after Saturday’s showing.
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