USMNT heed Colombia wake-up call and find their intensity against Brazil

In the days after last Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Colombia, a game U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter called a “wake-up call” ahead of the Copa America, members of the U.S. team knew where the answers had to come from ahead of Wednesday night’s friendly against Brazil.

“We talked internally about what it takes and we can’t just stroll out as the U.S. men’s national team and expect to win games, that just can’t be us,” goalkeeper Matt Turner said. “And that comes from within our locker room, that doesn’t come from anywhere else.”

There was no Kumbaya moment. No “players only” meeting, Turner said. Rather, a group that grew incredibly close over the last World Cup cycle, that praised the culture that was built within the group, felt they could be honest with each other in meetings and moments around the training camp after the ugliest loss they had yet experienced.