I've never really gotten excited about, or even approved of, Pepi.
But those two passes were outstanding!!

Senegal was seriously lacking "touch" today.
Poor showing.

I've always liked Dest.
Very happy he's back with the squad after injuries.

Gio Reyna, MIA

Freeman, big and strong

Adams, hot tempered again.
Weston simply on cruise control.

🇷🇺 ⚽ It was not permitted to bring a Russian flag into the stadium for the Champions League final, so the wife of PSG’s Russian goalkeeper, Safonov, made her own out of plastic bags pic.twitter.com/EBCWxY69at

— senore_amore (@SenoreAmore) May 31, 2026

Boo hoo

Combing through X and seeing Arsenal are sore losers and PSG are loser winners. Both fanbases are sheet, I don't know which one is worse.

Dear PSG, thank you so much for saving football yesterday. pic.twitter.com/TGJLRWJt7H

— Lazio (@LazioUTD) May 31, 2026

Also, penalty not called:

new angle just dropped.

how on earth was this not given😂😂 pic.twitter.com/asnmuKI8Bh

— foland (fan) (@propsMCFC) May 31, 2026

Why Arsenal is the most disliked team in the world and why their defeat is a massive victory for the entire sport ⁉️

Listen 👂 pic.twitter.com/O2mIsJZOej

— 𝒎𝒐𝒆. (@moe4dem) June 1, 2026

Definition of Sore Winner.

You should have stopped with "Hooray, my team won!"

Don't shoot the messenger.

FIFA rug pulled American hotels by reserving huge blocks of rooms to create false scarcity and then cancelled leading up to the event. World Cup looking like a disaster for the hotel owners.

In 1994 the Brazil team was playing at Stanford. We had a Brazilian friend so a group of us went to the hotel their fans were at and partied in the lobby the night before the US v. Brazil game. It was a great experience. Will there be scenes like that this year?

dajo9 said:

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FIFA rug pulled American hotels by reserving huge blocks of rooms to create false scarcity and then cancelled leading up to the event..

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why for?

smh said:

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dajo9 said:

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FIFA rug pulled American hotels by reserving huge blocks of rooms to create false scarcity and then cancelled leading up to the event..

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why for?

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They wanted to create scarcity driving up prices and causing a rush to buy at any price. But the demand never showed up. The hotel owners jacked up prices based on lower room availability and people didnt reserve. Now the hotel owners are screwed because FIFA's scheme didnt work.

https://www.ahla.com/news/new-report-warns-world-cup-hotel-boom-may-fall-short-expectations

sluggo said:

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sluggo said:

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concordtom said:

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Reminder
US men vs Senegal at 12:30
TBS and on the Spanish channel

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Starting lineup is weird. I thought it would be the starters for the WC minus Richards, but I no longer think that. Maybe against Germany.

Today's USMNT Starting XI vs.Senegal: 1-Matt Turner, 2-Sergiño Dest, 4-Tyler Adams, 5-Antonee Robinson, 7-Gio Reyna, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 10-Christian Pulisic, 13-Tim Ream (capt.), 14-Sebastian Berhalter, 16-Alex Freeman, 22-Mark McKenzie
Substitutes: 24-Matt Freese, 25-Chris Brady, 6-Auston Trusty, 8-Weston McKennie, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 15-Cristian Roldan, 17-Malik Tillman, 18-Max Arfsten, 19-Haji Wright, 20-Folarin Balogun, 21-Tim Weah, 23-Joe Scally, 26-Alex Zendejas
Not Dressed: 3-Chris Richards


https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2026/05/usmnt/starting-xi-lineup-notes-vs-senegal-charlotte-north-carolina

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I thought about this some more. I think this is the lineup, but McKennie and Balogun are starting out because they put on so much mileage on their lefs in Europe. They will take Reyna's and Pepi's place next time. On defense this should be a 3-4-2-1:

Pepi
Pulisic Reyna
Robinson Berhalter Adams Dest
Ream McKenzie Freeman
Turner

On offense it will be a 3-2-5:

Robinson Pulisic Pepi Reyna Dest
Berhalter Adams
Ream McKenzie Freeman
Turner

The US has almost always played 4 in the back, but this will be 3 in the back with 2 wingbacks, Robinson on the left and Dest on the right. I am happy to see Freeman on the field. He is the son of Antonio Freeman and has similar athleticism. I don't like Turner as the goalie, but maybe it will be Freese against Germany.

---

Some internet commentators thought the US played a modern 4-2-3-1 rather than 3 in the back. If so:

Pepi
Pulisic Reyna Dest
Berhalter Adams
Robinson Ream McKenzie Freeman
Turner

This formation would be asymmetric with Robinson going forward a lot and Freeman staying home. And Dest having less defensive responsibility. There is no overhead camera work in a regular broadcast so I might not be able to settle this until I go to Seattle for USA-Australia.

Cal88 said:

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Don't shoot the messenger.

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Come on, you're gloating!

Cal88 said:

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Don't shoot the messenger.

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USMNT used to get hookered all the time by our south of the border opponents faking and rolling and …


Two things happened:
1) VAR
2) We started doing it, too.

Sadly, there are many strategies at play in soccer and it's uncouth to call out one team (who your team just happens to have beaten).

If you have a problem with these strategies, take it up with the rules committee, PLEASE!

I hate the gamesmanship and I have zero feelings toward Arsenal.
But it's what the game is, and it's up to the referee to fix it.
And he did at the end of the first half.

Everything else is a farce of the rulebook's making.

USA in a WC qualifier in Costa Rica. Action was at other end of field. Joel Campbell faked this.
Referee ChiquiDracula Rodriguez was not looking, was far away. Play resumes in the offensive side for USA, but then, oh wait, what's this? An AR on the radio is ear calls Chiqui and says a foul has been committed. Ref halts plays, turns and runs to Besler who is like, yeah, nothing, whatever….
Rodriguez suddenly whips out a yellow, the second yellow, and Besler is gone.

He's like OMG you have to be kidding me. Nope. No replay or nothing.

Down a man, USA loses.


It's better these days, but there is ALWAYS an effort to effect the game in non-ball ways.

Get over it.

And who can forget Neymar, who made himself the laughingstock of global football trying to influence the refs.

Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!



Longer game highlights



Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

concordtom said:

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Cal88 said:

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Don't shoot the messenger.

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USMNT used to get hookered all the time by our south of the border opponents faking and rolling and …


Two things happened:
1) VAR
2) We started doing it, too.

Sadly, there are many strategies at play in soccer and it's uncouth to call out one team (who your team just happens to have beaten).

If you have a problem with these strategies, take it up with the rules committee, PLEASE!

I hate the gamesmanship and I have zero feelings toward Arsenal.
But it's what the game is, and it's up to the referee to fix it.
And he did at the end of the first half.

Everything else is a farce of the rulebook's making.

---

In this day and age, with social media and incidents going viral, the court of public opinion does carry its weight.

It seems like Arsenal as one of the big EPL clubs has been getting favorable calls against lesser opposition at home.

The game should not have been close, Arsenal benefitted from two critical uncalled handballs, the first one turned out to be an assist of sorts that led directly to Havertz' goal, the second one was a flagrant penalty not called where the player clumsily controlled the ball with his hand - scroll up.

concordtom said:

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Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!



Longer game highlights



Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

---

The US will never be taken seriously as a soccer nation if it's still struggling against bona fide banana republics with populations smaller than the Bay Area. I don't care about their shenanigans, we should be able to crush them on the road one man down.

Cal88 said:

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concordtom said:

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Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!



Longer game highlights



Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

---

The US will never be taken seriously as a soccer nation if it's still struggling against bona fide banana republics with populations smaller than the Bay Area. I don't care about their shenanigans, we should be able to crush them on the road one man down.

---

Soccer is designed to be low scoring- or at least just ended up this way - and the result is that anything can happen, small vs large, with the slightest little bounce. Luck is a huge part of the game, and some like it that way.

Other sports? There is a more predictable outcome.

Cal88 said:

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concordtom said:

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Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!


Longer game highlights


Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

---

The US will never be taken seriously as a soccer nation if it's still struggling against bona fide banana republics with populations smaller than the Bay Area. I don't care about their shenanigans, we should be able to crush them on the road one man down.

---

That was 13 years ago. These day we are much better than Costa Rica, we were not at that time.

Tickets remain available for the U.S. World Cup opener and resale tickets are being offered below face value.

Will there be empty seats at the U.S. opening game of the World Cup?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7317155/2026/05/29/usmnt-paraguay-world-cup-opener-tickets-fifa/

Cal88 said:

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The game should not have been close, Arsenal benefitted from two critical uncalled handballs, the first one turned out to be an assist of sorts that led directly to Havertz' goal, the second one was a flagrant penalty not called where the player clumsily controlled the ball with his hand - scroll up.

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I have reffed many games, and disagree with you.
The rule book at all levels says handling must be intentional.
The interpretation of intentional has been expanded over time to include the defender who makes themself bigger to block a shot. This is why you see defenders in the box put arms behind their back to stop liberal referees who say "oh look, he had an arm growing out of his body, and the ball touched it."
It's also why many teams simply chip the ball into defenders if they are in the box - a BS strategy in my opinion.

In neither instance did defenders intentionally touch the ball.

Go ahead, yell and scream.
But until you get your referee license and build up a few years of experience making those split second decisions, I am right and you are wrong.

Hahaha!

The question to ask yourself is
Did ball play the man or did man play the ball.

The midfield ricochet was a natural defensive flinch. Dude wasn't even looking, so that's ridiculous.

The one in the ball was a stupid ass flub he could have much better cleared first with his foot, so NOT intentional.

Ball played man.

dajo9 said:

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Tickets remain available for the U.S. World Cup opener and resale tickets are being offered below face value.

Will there be empty seats at the U.S. opening game of the World Cup?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7317155/2026/05/29/usmnt-paraguay-world-cup-opener-tickets-fifa/

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FIFA pricing $1000- 2800 per seat

Seat Geek, $900- $2500.

Still seems rich for an opener.

concordtom said:

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Cal88 said:

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The game should not have been close, Arsenal benefitted from two critical uncalled handballs, the first one turned out to be an assist of sorts that led directly to Havertz' goal, the second one was a flagrant penalty not called where the player clumsily controlled the ball with his hand - scroll up.

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I have reffed many games, and disagree with you.

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Don't quit your dayjob. ; )

sluggo said:

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Cal88 said:

---

concordtom said:

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Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!


Longer game highlights


Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

---

The US will never be taken seriously as a soccer nation if it's still struggling against bona fide banana republics with populations smaller than the Bay Area. I don't care about their shenanigans, we should be able to crush them on the road one man down.

---

That was 13 years ago. These day we are much better than Costa Rica, we were not at that time.

---

2018 was not that long ago. We might have been able to handle Trinidad, or Tobago, but not Trinidad AND Tobago! Yorkie wasn't even on that team.

Cal88 said:

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concordtom said:

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Cal88 said:

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The game should not have been close, Arsenal benefitted from two critical uncalled handballs, the first one turned out to be an assist of sorts that led directly to Havertz' goal, the second one was a flagrant penalty not called where the player clumsily controlled the ball with his hand - scroll up.

---

I have reffed many games, and disagree with you.

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Don't quit your dayjob. ; )

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Touche

Expanding the field to 48 teams is going to dilute the interest and level of play in group stage.

2026 World Cup is going to be super funnypic.twitter.com/1HpBTa1yfh

— Troll Football Media (@TrollFootball2) June 2, 2026

Cal88 said:

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sluggo said:

---

Cal88 said:

---

concordtom said:

---

Here's a better video of the whole thing. I'm STILL pissed off!!!

How much did that reffing crew get paid behind the scenes ?!?!


Longer game highlights


Soccer is often times a flocking joke!!!
But you are worried about Slow Play, after you e already won the crown. Please. That's pathetic.

---

The US will never be taken seriously as a soccer nation if it's still struggling against bona fide banana republics with populations smaller than the Bay Area. I don't care about their shenanigans, we should be able to crush them on the road one man down.

---

That was 13 years ago. These day we are much better than Costa Rica, we were not at that time.

---

2018 was not that long ago. We might have been able to handle Trinidad, or Tobago, but not Trinidad AND Tobago! Yorkie wasn't even on that team.

---

Our team was bad. Between Donovan and Dempsey and Pulisic there was like fifteen years of nothing. Youth soccer changed under Klinsmann and we are never going back.

The game against T&T was bad. But it was played on a flooded field. The lacrosse coach who headed the team at that time alienated our foreign players, who were all we had. Except a teenage Pulisic. The lacrosse coach further compounded the problem by playing the same starting 11 as like 3 days earlier.

And it still would have been okay if he had not played a completely washed Tim Howard, who let in an ugly own goal.

Pulisic is the only remaining player from that team.

People who know stuff say Kochen will be our keeper in 2030. He is a little short at 6'2'' but everything else is supposed to be there. I have not seen him play. Neil Pierre is an interesting player who I have seen play, a 6'6'' central defender who is athletic for his size. If he can outgrow his awkwardness his could also start in 2030. I have never watched a Danish league game but maybe they are available somewhere on the internet.

This is fine if he plays. Needs to leave FCB and be a first team starter at a decent level. https://t.co/yE8k2j4Wor

— USMNTProspects (@ProspectsUsmnt) June 2, 2026