USMNT ready for Copa America battles with rivals that ‘don’t like you very much’ as Matt Turner & Gregg Berhalter reflect on morale-boosting draw with Brazil

The United States are preparing to fill the role of hosts at a major international tournament this summer. Their preparations for that event got off to a shaky start when suffering a 5-1 friendly defeat to Colombia. They followed that up by holding their own against a star-studded Brazil side in Orlando, meaning that confidence has been restored heading into clashes with more South American foes.

First-choice goalkeeper Turner, who made 11 saves against Brazil, has told reporters of the USMNT readying themselves for bigger challenges to come: “I think at the end of the day, tactics don't matter, whoever’s out there shouldn't ever matter. It's about representing something bigger than yourself. When you put on this crest, there's a certain level of expectation and we need to know that friendly or not, it doesn't matter, you're the USA, and you're going to play in Copa America and you're going to play against South American teams that don't like you very much and want to prove a point. So we have to have a certain level of intensity every single time we step out onto the pitch that we lacked in the Colombia game, but we had tonight.”

Head coach Gregg Berhalter is another that sees his squad heading in the right direction, saying of the response offered to a humbling setback against Colombia: “We feel like we made a little step. It's not a huge step, but it's a little step, to be able to play against amazingly talented Brazil team and bend but not break, and I think give them problems as well, push them as well. We think it's a good end to our preparation camp and we're ready for Copa America.”

The United States will open their quest for Copa America glory against Bolivia at AT&T stadium in Texas on June 23, before going on to face Panama in Atlanta and Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas across their other Group C fixtures.