- USMNT beat Ghana 4-0
- Balogun scored the third
- Berhalter impressed with forward
WHAT HAPPENED? The USMNT brushed aside Ghana on Tuesday in a one-sided contest that ended in a 4-0 victory. Monaco forward Balogun was once again in the thick of things and got on the scoresheet to hand the hosts a 3-0 lead within 22 minutes. This was his third strike in the last six international appearances. Balogun impressed with his runs behind the defence and his composure in front of goal, and Berhalter is delighted to see his team providing the former Arsenal man with the service he needs to thrive.
WHAT THEY SAID: "You can tell guys were looking for him and that's the most important thing. He's one of the best players I've ever coached at running behind the backline and you need guys picking up on his runs and you need guys brave enough to play the ball," the USMNT boss told reporters after the match.
"Today, you saw that so I think that was a step forward for the team in terms of getting Balo on the ball. You saw he was able to score and he could have had a couple of more."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: After a demoralising 3-1 defeat to Germany in their previous match, Berhalter's men looked to prove a point right from the first whistle. Gio Reyna arguably put in his best shift ever while playing for the USMNT and managed to score a brace within the 45 minutes that he was handed by Berhalter. Moreover, he was involved in the build-up that led to Christian Pulisic's penalty, which the AC Milan forward converted with ease.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Balogun will be looking to continue with his rich vein of form when he returns to action with Monaco against Metz on Sunday.