'the Vibes Are High.' U.s. Soccer Having Fun Amid Intense World Cup Workouts

Two games, 2 wins and nan U.S. is already done to nan knockout stage of a World Cup it is hosting.

For guardant Folarin Balogun, things couldn’t beryllium going immoderate better.

“You know, if personification said earlier nan tournament, 2 games and you’d beryllium done to nan knockouts, I deliberation we each would person taken it,” he said. “We’re delighted.”

On Monday, nan U.S. sewage much bully news erstwhile Christian Pulisic, its talisman, returned to training aft missing 10 days pinch a calf injury. So Balogun said nan past point nan squad wants to do now is return its ft disconnected nan state for Thursday’s group-play finale pinch Turkey.

U.S. guardant Folarin Balogun celebrates aft scoring against Paraguay during a World Cup lucifer astatine SoFi Stadium connected June 12.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“The entity and nan purpose is to spell retired location and win,” he said earlier Monday’s believe astatine nan Orange County Great Park successful Irvine. “Three wins, 3 games. We tin create history.”

He is improbable to beryllium portion of that effort, however. Balogun, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson each picked up yellowish cards successful nan first 2 U.S. games and a 2nd booking against Turkey would time off them ineligible to play successful nan information of 32 match.

There’s nary request to consequence that successful a crippled that will alteration neither team’s World Cup destiny — nan U.S. has already won nan group while Turkey has been eliminated and will alert location aft nan match. But protecting their momentum is important for nan Americans, who past won their group successful 1930 and person won a World Cup knockout-stage crippled conscionable once.

“Game to game, moreover infinitesimal to minute, half to half, it ebbs and flows,” skipper Tim Ream said of momentum. “You tin wrestle momentum distant from teams and create your own. Every goal, each block, each every group play — everything that we’re doing is together. That’s really we create nan momentum.”

U.S. defender Chris Richards kicks nan shot successful beforehand of Paraguay guardant Julio Enciso while U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams looks connected during a World Cup lucifer astatine SoFi Stadium connected June 12.

(Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times)

“Momentum is everything,” added defender Richards. “Going into nan past crippled pinch nan group shape pinch 2 wins, hopefully we tin decorativeness pinch nan third.”

With decisive victories complete Paraguay and Australia, nan U.S. has won consecutive games successful a World Cup for nan first clip since successful 96 years. It has ne'er won much than doubly successful a azygous tournament, truthful beating Turkey would make history — and a bold connection heading into nan adjacent round.

“The belief’s ever been there,” guardant Alejandro Zendejas said. “Not conscionable now, but successful nan past FIFA windows. We’ve been playing against bully nationalist teams, respected nationalist teams, and we’ve been coming retired pinch a affirmative result. So conscionable support connected believing successful this group.”

Zendejas said 1 logic nan squad is playing truthful good is because nan players genuinely for illustration being astir 1 another. And dissimilar different nationalist squad camps, which seldom past much than 10 days, these 26 players person been together astir a month, which has helped enslaved a roster that was already tight.

“The vibes are high, nan squad is having fun,” he said. “Training is intense, but successful a bully way. That’s since nan opening of this full camp.

“It’s nosy being astir these guys. There’s a bunch of jokes. But erstwhile it comes to activity and training and games, we get serious. And we’ve been showing that.”

With coach Mauricio Pochettino apt to rotate his squad against Turkey to protect nan players pinch yellowish cards, Zendejas is among those who fig to spot nan section for nan first clip successful nan tournament. Midfielder Cristian Roldan, who is successful his 2nd World Cup but has yet to play, was successful statement to get immoderate minutes arsenic well, but he was held retired of training Monday pinch what was vaguely described arsenic a musculus strain. His position is listed arsenic time to day.

Pulisic’s domiciled successful Thursday’s crippled could beryllium Pochettino’s toughest decision. The team’s champion player, Pulisic was electrical successful nan first half of nan U.S. opener pinch Paraguay, mounting up 2 goals. But he hasn’t played since and his absence was noticeable against Australia.

So while getting him backmost of nan section would beryllium a positive, an further week’s remainder and betterment would besides beryllium valuable since location will beryllium nary room for correction successful nan knockout stages.