- Portugal beat the US 2-0 without Cristiano Ronaldo as Trincão and João Félix struck
- Christian Pulisic wasted chances as the US stayed winless vs Europe since 2021
- Ronaldo expected back next week; US squad announcement due 26 May
Clinical Portugal, Same Old US Problems
No Ronaldo, no problem. Portugal looked slick, organised and ruthless in Atlanta, easing past the United States 2-0 before a loud crowd of 72,297 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After that five-goal lesson from Belgium, this was another reality check for the hosts: Europe continues to be their blind spot, the streak now at eight straight defeats and winless in 10 against the continent, outscored 22–6 in the run.
For those tracking tournament form — and even eyeing the odds on the best football betting sites — the takeaway was simple: Portugal’s depth travels. With Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined by a hamstring issue, Roberto Martínez’s side still controlled the key moments, guided by Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha between the lines.
The breakthrough was beautifully constructed. Under pressure, Weston McKennie coughed up a tough ball that Vitinha snapped onto before threading Fernandes. As US centre-backs closed, Fernandes’ deft backheel freed Francisco Trincão, who took a touch and slid past Matt Freese for his third international goal. After the break, a Fernandes corner pinballed out to João Félix, left unmarked on the edge, and his crisp half-volley skidded in off the far post for number 12 with his country. Clinical, composed, and very Portuguese.
The US tinkered by moving Christian Pulisic into a central role, but the experiment didn’t bite. He squandered two decent looks and was hooked at half-time; he’s now scoreless in eight straight US games since November 2024 and in 12 for AC Milan since 28 December. Freese returned in goal after Matt Turner started versus Belgium, yet the defensive structure again looked a stride off against elite movement.
What It Means for the Weeks Ahead
Portugal are sharpening for a World Cup group with Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia, and Martínez expects Ronaldo back next week from that hamstring. On this evidence, the supporting cast is more than up to it — Fernandes dictated, the wide rotation was sharp, and the press triggered at the right times.
Stateside, the clock is ticking. Mauricio Pochettino is set to name his World Cup squad on 26 May, with final warm-ups against Senegal and Germany. The US open on 12 June vs Australia, then face Paraguay before closing the group against Turkey on 25 June. Unless there’s more bite in the box and firmer set-piece discipline, that European hoodoo won’t lift any time soon — and the margins will be unforgiving when the real stuff starts.
Bio:
Football fanatic, you will often find me on the terraces at lower league matches on a Saturday afternoon. I leave the Premier League matches to the prawn sandwich brigade; grassroots football for me all the way.
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As the lead copywriter, it’s my job to turn my colleagues’ “messy notes” (sorry, guys!) into clear, engaging content. From bookmaker reviews to betting predictions, I make sure everything is polished, accurate, and easy to read
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