US hope for better days

– One year after a humbling failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the United States are hoping a string of upcoming friendlies will show they’re on the path to redemption.

Wednesday marked the anniversary of the United States’ shock loss to Trinidad & Tobago that ended their bid to reach this year’s World Cup. Midfielder Michael Bradley (above), back in the squad for the first time since then, said players are looking forward, not back.

“It doesn’t linger,” said Bradley, who was recalled to the US squad by interim coach Dave Sarachan for friendlies against Colombia last night and Peru next week.

Sarachan said it had always been his plan to reintroduce a veteran element to complement the young players who have stepped forward in the past year, but Bradley admitted he was never 100% certain he would be back.

“I don’t think anybody ever knows that, so you enjoy every opportunity and you don’t ever take it for granted,” Bradley said.

“For me, the opportunity to be back now and start to get to know some of the younger guys that have been around the last nine or 10 months is great,” he said.

US Soccer, aware that the wound from that night in Trinidad & Tobago is still raw for fans, marked the anniversary with a statement on their website.

“Today we look forward,” the statement said. “With the march towards 2022 underway and the 2026 World Cup in North America as our guidepost, the US team has embarked on a new journey.”

The federation played a key role in landing the 2026 World Cup for North America, along with Mexico and Canada.

There has been change at the top with the departure of Sunil Gulati and the election of former vice-president Carlos Cordeiro as the new US Soccer president and the arrival of Earnie Stewart as general manager of the national team.

But the Americans are still searching for a permanent replacement for Bruce Arena, who stepped down as coach three days after the Trinidad debacle. – AFP