SAN SALVADOR — For more than three years, Gregg Berhalter had rebuilt the U.S. men’s national soccer team through the introduction of young players thriving overseas and the implementation of an ambitious style.
Benchmarks were met in friendlies and regional tournaments. Roster depth grew and trophies were lifted. All efforts, though, were geared toward the start of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers Thursday and exorcising the ghosts of a disastrous campaign four years ago.
That long-awaited moment came in a madhouse called Estadio Cuscatlan for a 0-0 draw with El Salvador that disappointed more than it impressed.