'The vibes are high.' U.S. soccer having fun amid intense World Cup workouts

4 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here. Two games, two wins and the U.S. is already through to the knockout stage of a World Cup it is hosting. For forward Folarin Balogun, things couldn’t be going any better. “You know, if someone said before the tournament, two games and you’d be through to the knockouts, I think we all would have taken it,” he said. “We’re delighted.” On Monday, the U.S. got more good news when Christian Pulisic, its talisman, returned to training after missing 10 days because of a calf injury. So Balogun said the last thing the team wants to do is take its foot off the gas for Thursday’s group-play finale with Turkey. U.S. forward Folarin Balogun celebrates after scoring against Paraguay during the teams’ opening World Cup match at SoFi Stadium on June 12. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) “The object and the aim is to go out there and win,” he said before Monday’s practice at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. “Three wins, three games. We can create history.” He is unlikely to be part of that effort, however. Balogun, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson all picked up yellow cards in the first two U.S. games, and a second booking against Turkey would leave them ineligible to play in the round of 32 match. There’s no need to risk that in a game that will change neither team’s World Cup fate — the U.S. already won the group while Turkey has been eliminated and will fly home after the match. But protecting their momentum is important for the Americans, who last won their group in 1930 and have won a World Cup knockout-stage game just once. “Game to game, even minute to minute, half to half, it ebbs and flows,” captain Tim Ream said of momentum. “You can wrestle momentum away from teams and create your own. Every goal, every block, every set play — everything that we’re doing is together. That’s how we create the momentum.” U.S. defender Chris Richards kicks the ball in front of Paraguay forward Julio Enciso while midfielder Tyler Adams looks on. (Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times) “Momentum is everything,” defender Richards added. “Going into the last game with the group stage with two wins, hopefully we can finish with the third.” With decisive victories over Paraguay and Australia, the U.S. has consecutive wins in a World Cup for the first time in 96 years. It has never won more than twice in a tournament, so beating Turkey would make history — and a bold statement. “The belief’s always been there,” forward Alejandro Zendejas said. “Not just now, but in the past FIFA windows. We’ve been playing against good national teams, respected national teams, and we’ve been coming out with a positive result. So just keep on believing in this group.” Zendejas said one reason the team is playing so well is because the players genuinely like being around one another. And unlike other national team camps, which rarely last more than 10 days, these 26 players have been together nearly a month, which has helped bond a roster that was already tight. U.S. players hope goals scored in front of a record-setting crowd is the start of fulfilling their obligation of elevating the sport during the tournament. “The vibes are high, the team is having fun,” he said. “Training is intense, but in a good way. That’s since the beginning of this whole camp. “It’s fun being around these guys. There’s a bunch of jokes. But when it comes to work and training and games, we get serious. And we’ve been showing that.” With coach Mauricio Pochettino likely to rotate his squad against Turkey to protect the players with yellow cards, Zendejas is among those who figure to see the field for the first time in the tournament. Midfielder Cristian Roldan, who is in his second World Cup but has yet to play, was in line to get some minutes as well, but he was held out of training Monday with what was vaguely described as a muscle strain. His status is listed as day to day. Pulisic’s role in Thursday’s game could be Pochettino’s toughest decision. The team’s best player, Pulisic was electric in the first half of the opener with Paraguay, setting up two goals. But he hasn’t played since, and his absence was noticeable against Australia. So while getting him back on the field would be a positive, an additional week’s rest and recovery also would be valuable since there will be no room for error in the knockout stages.

'The vibes are high.' U.S. soccer having fun amid intense World Cup workouts

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'The vibes are high.' U.S. soccer having fun amid intense World Cup workouts

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