FIFA World Cup 2022, USA review: How the Americans fared in the tournament

Bengaluru, December 6: The hopes and dreams of the United States men's national team came to an end in the round of 16 following their 3-1 defeat against the Netherlands.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first half, the USA made a resolute effort to catch up in the second half. Substitute Haji Wright scored his first World Cup goal to put the game in 2-1. However, the courageous effort couldn't overcome a Dutch team that were far superior in quality and experience.

But despite their exit from the first knock-out stage, their campaign could be termed as a modest one. The USNMT came to Qatar with the hope of making it to the knockout after missing the competition in the last two editions.

The US squad was one of the youngest squads in the tournament with an average age of 25 years 214 days when the tournament began. Over 19 players made their World Cup debut in this edition and certainly, they punched above their weight to earn something out of this tournament.

Their journey started with a 1-1 draw against Wales in the opener. However, they dominated the game for most of the part and only fell short after connecting a penalty in the last minutes.

They fought neck to neck with England in the second game and snatched one point out of it. With a victory needed in the penultimate game against Iran to advance, Gregg Berhalter's side produced, persisting nervous moments in the end to earn the first victory of its campaign. They finally surrendered against World no 8 in the knockout despite putting in a good amount of shift.

The team's talent and success throughout the competition spurred debates about the next American golden generation, and it is clear that they will compete well in the following World Cup on home soil with a more experienced and well-prepared team.