It probably was the most eagerly anticipated friendly in American soccer history and although the result—a 0-0 draw with Wales—didn’t inspire, the potential of this young U.S. national team was evident during much of a rainy night in Swansea.
Coach Gregg Berhalter’s side hadn’t played in 285 days—it was early February—and the program’s highly-regarded contingent of young, European-based players hadn’t been in camp for a year. Finally together this week in Wales, they then had only two full days of training ahead of Thursday’s exhibition against the 20th-ranked Welsh.
“It’s all about expectations,” Berhalter said before the match.