Weston McKennie Sergino Dest USMNT Granit Xhaka SwitzerlandGetty Images

'This is what our team could be in the future' - USMNT takes valuable lessons from experienced Switzerland before Nations League

U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter does not see Sunday's friendly defeat against Switzerland as reason for concern, but as a good measuring stick.

It was the squad's stiffest test in at least a year-and-a-half: Switzerland, just days away from kicking off their run at Euro 2020, is the 13th-ranked national team in the world, and a side that provided a higher level of competition than the Americans have been accustomed to seeing.

Clearly, the USMNT youngsters still have a bit of growing up to do. Their 2-1 loss ended a nine-game unbeaten streak, and they finally showed cracks, coming undone several times against a more experienced group.

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But those cracks, by and large, were understandable. They were without Christian Pulisic or Zack Steffen, although the latter was replaced capably by the USMNT's Man of the Match Ethan Horvath.

They were also without Tyler Adams because of a short-term injury and Aaron Long because of a long-term one. And, as always, they are still figuring out how to play together step-by-step.

"To me it's positive," Berhalter said when reflecting on the loss. "I don't love the result. I think we could have gotten a tie out of this game. Perhaps if our finishing was a little bit better even gotten a win.

"But the guys gave a great effort and it's a great measuring stick. [Switzerland] is a team that has been playing together for a really long time. It's the same group that Switzerland has for the last four years, five years, so it's a mature group that is older than us.

"Our guys can look at that as what this team could be in the future."

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The USMNT started about as well as Berhalter could have hoped, with midfielder Sebastian Lletget scoring just five minutes in to continue his international hot streak. The lead, though, lasted just five minutes before Ricardo Rodriguez leveled the scoring on a shot that deflected off Reggie Cannon.

In the second half, the tide turned fully toward the hosts. Switzerland was largely in control through the second 45, breaking through in the 63rd minute as Steven Zuber deservedly earned the victory.

There were several individual errors along the way from the USMNT. Sergino Dest struggled defensively, lending a bit more credence to the belief that a three-at-the-back system may be in the offing sometime soon.

Josh Sargent struggled up top, looking more like the Werder Bremen Sargent than the USMNT striker of the future. And wingers Gio Reyna and Brenden Aaronson gave you bright moments and good pressing, but there was just that feeling that they needed to give the team something more.

And, after pressing effectively and with energy in the first half, the USMNT dropped off in the second, while Switzerland made a tactical tweak to swing the game in their favor.

"We definitely lost compactness in the second half," Berhalter said. "It became difficult to press. They changed their shape to a 5-3-2, having a central midfielder behind our pressing forward and we didn't really solve that."

Added Weston McKennie, who served as captain: "I think as many of you guys saw, the first half, we had it pretty under control. We've had elevation training and we're doing our thing and trying to prepare and we're working hard throughout the week. So I think it's not so much of what didn't work.

"I think it was just more a little bit heavy on the legs to maintain pressing like we did in the first half throughout the whole game. But we'll look back at the video, and Gregg will definitely go over with us how we can fix that or how we can pick and choose when we want to stay back and when we want to press."

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The U.S. will have little time to make those adjustments as the Nations League approaches.

Berhalter and co. are set to fly from Switzerland to Denver on Monday ahead of Thursday's clash with Honduras, giving them just a few days to recover and reset before the semifinals of the new CONCACAF competition.

That competition too will serve as a measuring stick on the local level, one that gives the U.S. another chance to go at some of CONCACAF's top teams with World Cup qualifying just around the corner.

"I think when you see the group and you see the potential this group has and you see how they can come here without fear and really take the game to Switzerland, it says a lot about this generation of players," Berhalter said. 

"It's exciting. I think part of my job as a coach is to find the balance between high pressing and stability and we didn't always have that today, and I'll take responsibility for that.

"But other than that, these guys are ready to go, ready to play, and it's a really good group."

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