New coach sees attacking offense as USA’s DNA
Gregg Berhalter promises to transform the U.S. national team into a pressing, attackminded group the Americans rarely have been.
“We want to see ball circulation, breaking lines, creating goal-scoring opportunities,” he said at his introduction Tuesday. “That should be the DNA of this team.”
The 45-year-old is the first American to coach the national team after playing for it at a World Cup. He spent the past five years coaching Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, which reached the playoffs four times despite a small payroll but failed to win a title.
“Greg isn’t just the right choice, Greg is the best choice,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Carlos Cordeiro said. “He will push our men’s team forward and with an identity and approach that will be uniquely and fiercely American.”
The job had been held by Dave Sarachan on an interim basis for 14 months after Bruce Arena quit after the shocking failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup. Sunil Gulati made the decisions to hire Bob Bradley in 2006, Jurgen Klinsmann in 2011 and Arena in 2016 after consulting within the USSF, but the federation established new procedures after Cordeiro replaced Gulati in February.
English Premier League: Snubbed by Germany for the World Cup, Leroy Sane also had to deal with being dropped entirely from Manchester City’s squad early in the Premier League season.
How quickly things have turned round for the winger: Back in favor for club and country, he cannot stop scoring.
Sane chested in City’s opening goal in a 2-1 win over Watford, a seventh straight victory in the Premier League that left the defending champions five points clear. They are unbeaten after 15 games of the 38-match campaign.
Since returning from the international break where he scored in back-to-back games for Germany, Sane has netted three goals in three league matches for City. He has seven goals in his past 10 games combined for Germany and City.
A first-half injury to forward Marko Arnautovic was the last thing West Ham wanted in its match against Cardiff. It proved to be a game-changer in a way few of the home fans could have imagined.
Lucas Perez came on as the replacement for Arnautovic in the 38th minute, and scored twice early in the second half to set West Ham on its way to a 3-1 win at the Olympic Stadium.
Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser set up each other for goals as Bournemouth ended its four-game losing streak in the league with a 2-1 win over Huddersfield. It moved the small south-coast team above Manchester United into sixth place.
Even with only 10 players, Brighton was too good for Crystal Palace. Brighton shrugged off the 28th-minute dismissal of center back Shane Duffy to ease to a 3-1 home victory for a second win in four days that moved the team into the top 10.