By Ryan Rosenblatt / VOAO
Editor’s Note: We’re trying something new here at AOHQ where we put our #AOFamily in the driver’s seat for U.S. National Team matches. We call it #AOLive. Their game, your comments, our recap.
For every MNT and WNT match just tag your tweets with #AOLive and you could have your hot takes, cold takes, in-game commentary, puns or whatever featured in our social review.
The Gregg Berhalter Era couldn’t have started any better. After all, three wins from three matches is perfect. But if there was a criticism, it was that the opponents weren’t especially strong.
That certainly wasn’t the case on Tuesday, though. Chile, winners of the last two Copa Americas, visited Houston for a showdown with the Yanks, and Berhalter’s boys got themselves a huge test.
The #AOFamily came from all over, by plane and by bus for this one.
With drums.
And with banners.
Everyone was hyped to see what the USMNT had.
And that excitement from the AO section came through loud and clear on the field, around the stadium and on TV.
The team was more than ready to face this challenge too, because it didn’t even take four minutes for Gyasi Zardes and Christian Pulisic to give Chile a punch in the mouth.
Party.
Unfortunately, the celebration didn’t last very long.
At least we weren’t cheated out of some entertainment. Nine minutes and two goals had us feeling some type of way.
More bad news followed as Pulisic came off with an injury.
Thankfully, Pulisic’s injury wasn’t too serious and his substitution was described as “precautionary.”
So the U.S. and Chile went into halftime level at 1-1. Not bad.
And the second half, well, there wasn’t a ton going on.
At least the beer was good.
And a 1-1 draw with Chile? That’s a solid showing. It’s hard to argue that the U.S. wasn’t up to their first test, and a stiff one at that.
Plus, that keeps Berhalter undefeated as the boss.
Toss in a good time with our #AOFamily in the stadium and across the country.
And some awesome work for charity.
I’d say it was another good night.
Now we turn our eyes to the women, who will be on the field the next two months as they get ready for the #TourdeFour. And then there’s the Gold Cup summer.
This is going to be fun.