United States vs Switzerland

Geodis Park in Nashville sets the stage for a handsomely-looking international friendly between the United States and Switzerland.

The United States’ preparations for next summer’s World Cup finals are not going to plan. Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino’s men head into proceedings on a three-game losing streak, including a 2-1 friendly loss to Turkey last weekend. If it’s any consolation, all three defeats came via single-goal margins, confirming the USMNT’s fighting spirit. However, Pochettino expects more from his side in terms of resilience after a disheartening fourth-place finish in the latest CONCACAF Nations League edition in March. Another home game doesn’t offer much comfort, considering they’ve lost back-to-back matches on this soil after winning four previous on the trot. Nonetheless, neutrals may be in for a treat, as four of the United States’ last five home internationals have featured over 2.5 goals. 

In the meantime, Switzerland wiped the floor with USA’s bitter rivals Mexico last weekend, beating El Tri 4-2 in a friendly to back up a 3-1 rout of Luxembourg in March. Murat Yakin’s charges seem to be finding their feet after a disappointing seven-game winless run (D3, L4) since exiting Euro 2024 last summer. However, ten consecutive games without a clean sheet confirm where the problem lies, and Yakin must address his team’s defensive woes before the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign. Another win would help bolster Nati’s spirits, yet they’ve emerged victorious from only one of their four previous meetings with the USMNT (D2, L1). Interestingly, three of those four games saw both teams score.