United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino directs his team during the FIFA World Cup match against Australia. Christian Brunskill/UPI/Shutterstock See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google Although it wasn’t a picture-perfect finish, the United States secured the top spot in Group D with a 2-1 record during the World Cup group stage.
We’ve never seen a U.S. roster of this quality; the Americans started as the betting favorite at +125 to win Group D.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team delivered on those expectations, beating Paraguay in their first game, shutting out Australia in the second, then narrowly losing to Turkey in the final group match. Despite some controversy over player rotation in that last game, the team has dispelled any doubts as the knockout rounds approach.
This is the first time since 2010 that the USMNT won its group.
The key question now: Can we continue to trust the Stars & Stripes to keep surprising everyone?
The odds favor the USMNT to keep things rolling, as they have surged in each market from pre group stage play to now.
Initially listed at 55/1 to win the World Cup outright, those odds are now at 35/1. Five teams still remain with 10/1 odds or less, but the United States is listed ahead of fellow longshots Morocco, Belgium, and Colombia a trio of immensely talented teams.
Other significant market shifts include USA’s odds of reaching the final, which shortened to 14/1 from 20/1. Similarly, their price to advance to the semifinals has tightened from +800 to just +450.
Folarin Balogun is one of many skilled position players on Team USA. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Perhaps most impressively, the Stars & Stripes saw their odds to qualify for the Round of 16 surge from +105 all the way to -600.
With the stakes even higher, so is the competition. The United States’ first task at hand is Bosnia-Herzegovina, which finished third in Group B.
USA is a -250 favorite according to BetMGM, with the match scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Santa Clara.
While it’s too early to look so far down the bracket, a victory midweek would mark the first knockout win for the Stars & Stripes since 2002.
Securing a win Wednesday would also likely pit the U.S. against Belgium in the next round.
Should they move past the Belgians, an even more formidable challenge likely awaits in the quarterfinals: a potential showdown with Lamine Yamal and powerhouse Spain.
Overall, this U.S. squad is one of the most talented teams assembled to date and for soccer fans across the country there is actual belief they will indeed win it all.
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
