Sporting KC still abuzz in wake of U.S. victory over Mexico in Concacaf Nations League

The U.S. Men’s National Team participated in perhaps the most exciting game in the history of the soccer federation on Sunday against Mexico.

Two come-from-behind goals. A goal disallowed by VAR. Extra time. A scored penalty in extra time from Christian Pulisic. A saved penalty in the final minute of play by substitute goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.

This game had everything. And it culminated with a 3-2 victory for the U.S. in the Concacaf Nations League at Denver’s Mile High Stadium.

It was just the second time in seven attempts that the U.S. defeated Mexico in a championship game — the 2007 Gold Cup final saw the U.S. beat Mexico 2-0.

But it wasn’t just the manner in which the U.S. won. It was the group of players that managed to pull off the feat. The average age of the squad was just 23.

“It’s a new generation and hopefully we can do big things,” Sporting KC midfielder Gianluca Busio said. “But it’s pretty special that we’re starting right now at this age. I think big things are really going to come from this group.”

Busio has yet to earn a senior national cap for the U.S., but at just 19 he’s already on the verge of being called up for his first senior appearance. That could come as soon as the Gold Cup in July.

“It’s every player’s dream, you want to play in those kinds of games, and especially to see Gio (Reyna) and guys like that play well, he’s a really good friend of mine,” Busio said. “I was watching and hopefully I get out there soon.”

A pair of U.S. greats with Sporting KC couldn’t take their eyes off the TV during Sunday’s game.

“It was an exciting game, as they typically are,” SKC defender Graham Zusi said. Zusi made 55 appearances for the U.S. between 2012 and 2017, providing a pair of assists in the 2014 World Cup.

Just four years removed from his last international cap, U.S. soccer has undergone a major facelift. The last time Zusi played, an 18-year-old Christian Pulisic was earning international attention and still played for Borussia Dortmund. A handful of other players, including Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron and a young DeAndre Yedlin, also suited for European teams at the time, but none of them were household names among Europe’s elite.

In Sunday’s win over Mexico? The 22-year-old Pulisic just became the first American Champions League champ, winning the competition with Chelsea. Sergiño Dest, 20, starts at right back for Barcelona. Weston McKennie, 22, pulls the strings in the Juventus midfield, and 18-year-old Reyna won Germany’s domestic cup with Dortmund last month.

“I think it’s great having these young kids play for these giant clubs over in Europe,” Zusi said. “The experience is fantastic. As long as they’re contributing and seeing time it’s fantastic.”

Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes also paid attention to Sunday’s game. Vermes made 66 appearances for the U.S. in 1988-97.

“We have players playing everywhere. Players playing MLS, players in the EPL, in Serie A, La Liga, Germany, we have all these places that our kids are playing as well,” Vermes said. “That international experience as well all lends itself to when you come back to your national team to bring that experience back.”

Vermes, an assistant coach with the U.S. under-20 team in the 2000s, also thinks the development of academies on American soil has helped the U.S. get to this point.

As MLS grew, so did its academy system. Vermes, with his pro player pathway approach to player development, was at the forefront of that growth. McKennie came from the FC Dallas Academy and 22-year-old Reggie Cannon, also from the Dallas academy, now plays with Portuguese team Boavista.

In turn, Vermes has also seen MLS get stronger and earn more respect around the world.

“I think the world is having much great respect for the American player,” Vermes said. “It’s one thing to sell a player, it’s another thing that when the player goes (overseas) that he actually has success. So you can see that happening with a lot of the guys, and that’s tremendous.”

SKC match times update

Sporting KC on Tuesday announced updated kickoff times three home matches:

• 8 p.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 28 vs. Colorado (previously 7:30 p.m. CT)
• 6 p.m. CT on Sunday, Sept. 26 vs. Seattle (previously 5 p.m. CT)
• 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 3 vs. Houston (previously TBD)

This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Sporting KC still abuzz in wake of U.S. victory over Mexico in Concacaf Nations League."