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Jeff Carlisle, US soccer reporter
ARLINGTON, Texas — The U.S. men’s national team’s win over Bolivia on Sunday was, among other things, a tale of two strikers.
Folarin Balogun scored his fourth international goal in the 44th minute of his Copa America debut with a perfect shot to the far post to extend the USA lead to 2-0 after Christian Pulisic scored the opening goal in the third minute. Then there was Ricardo Pepe, who was unable to convert any of the four open opportunities presented to him after coming on as a substitute for Lejeune in the 65th minute.
This division continued after the match: Logon enjoyed his success, while Pepe rushed through the maze of the mixed zone, fulfilling his nickname “El Tren” (“The Train”), although in this case he did not stop. .
“As a striker, when you play in a tournament of this size, you just want to score that goal and build confidence,” Balogun said. “I was able to do that today. I would say it puts me in a good position mentally moving forward.”
The reactions of both players were understandable. The USMNT’s primary center forward has been there for most of the year, with Balogun and Pepi getting most of the reps. Any change in luck at this stage seems to be of great importance.
It’s a development that has been a constant talking point in the run-up to the Copa America. Both strikers have dealt with up and down seasons at club level. Following his summer move from Arsenal, Balogun’s inaugural campaign with Monaco saw him in and out of the starting lineup, scoring just eight goals overall after scoring 21 times the previous season on loan at Reims; Pepe spent most of the season with PSV Eindhoven, trailing Luuk de Jong, who scored 38 goals in all competitions this season, but contributed nine goals.
Balogun appears to be getting the benefit of the doubt from manager Gregg Berhalter. Rarely has there been an American striker whose arrival has been more eagerly anticipated than his own. Because he is able to represent any of the three different national teams — England and Nigeria being the other two — his decision to represent the United States was seen as a massive coup for Berhalter and the American program.
However, Balogun’s arrival was slower than just a raging inferno. There was the goal he scored against Canada in the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League final, but there was little in terms of production. Often it seems that his teammates simply do not see the lightning runs he makes behind the opposition defence.
But there have been signs in recent weeks that some field chemistry has finally been established. A deft pass from Anthony Robinson found Balogun in the goal area during the recent friendly against Colombia, and there were similar connections on Sunday. Balogun himself feels an increasing level of familiarity.
“I don’t feel like the new guy anymore,” he said. “I feel like personally, I need to go through that transition to become someone who is dependable, someone who is consistent, someone who changes games. So yeah, I mean, I don’t think you can achieve that being someone new so I feel confident in this group and everyone has helped me feel that way.” “Method.”
As for Pepe, he has been on assignment with the United States since being left out of the 2022 World Cup squad, scoring seven of his 10 international goals since that exclusion. He has also proven to be adept at coming off the bench and impressing with his movement and ability to carve out chances. Five of his ten international goals came as a substitute.
But if he is to replace Balogun, it will mean converting more of his opportunities when they come. Pepe’s expected goal tally, or xG, against Bolivia was 2.08, hence his frustration after the final whistle.
Berhalter seems determined not to put any undue pressure on Pepe. The American coach still has a lot of faith in him, highlighting the impact he had against Bolivia: including the striker’s “relentless running”, pressing and stopping the play.
“I know (Pepe) was a little disappointed after the game, but you know, when you get a lot of chances against an aggressive team, you’re doing something right,” Berhalter said.
Here lies the problem when judging the attacker’s performance. Balogun’s touch has betrayed him more than a few times. Pepe had as many touches inside the opponent’s penalty area in 25 minutes as Balogun did in 65, but the game also changed in the second half, becoming more open. But for all the extra attributes a striker brings, they are ultimately judged on their ability to convert chances, and that is where Balogun had the advantage on this day.
Norwich City striker Josh Sargent is waiting for the opportunity. The team’s striker was suffering from a foot injury and did not recover in time to participate in the Copa America. After Sunday’s game, Sargent said the recovery process is ongoing, but he is ready to step in if necessary.
“I worked hard to get back in shape,” he said. “Maybe not 100%, but the foot and ankle feel very good at the moment.”
He also had an encouraging word for Pepe: “I think it was a bit unfortunate for Pepe today. He did really well, and any other day scores that. So, move on to the next day, the next game and keep going.” “.
The competition for playing time is skewed in Balogun’s favor at the moment, especially with Haji Wright – the CONCACAF Nations League champion last March – positioned as more of an option on the wing. But as the Bolivia match showed, that can change in an instant. Now it’s a matter of continuing that pressure against Panama on Thursday.
“I think it allows me to build momentum,” Balogun said of his goal. “It’s always nice to come into a tournament, and to score in the first game as well. So I’m always looking to build momentum and add to my tally.”
