USA vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2021 friendly: What to watch for

The United States Men’s National Team complete their 2021 busy calendar tomorrow night in Carson, California when they host Bosnia & Herzegovina in a friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park. The USMNT enter the match with a 2021 record of 16 wins, 2 defeats, and 3 draws, and they’re looking for 1 more in the win column. Standing in their way is Bosnia & Herzegovina, the 61st ranked team in the world but one that presents an interesting matchup for the USMNT. With a young roster in camp, it will give some valuable experience to some American players looking to make the most of their opportunity in a USMNT uniform.

Latest Form

USA

D (1-1) - Jamaica - World Cup Qualifying

W (2-0) - Mexico - World Cup Qualifying

W (2-1) - Costa Rica - World Cup Qualifying

L (0-1) - Panama - World Cup Qualifying

W (2-0) - Jamaica - World Cup Qualifying

Bosnia & Herzegovina

L (0-2) - Ukraine - World Cup Qualifying

L (1-3) - Finland - World Cup Qualifying

D (1-1) - Ukraine - World Cup Qualifying

W (2-0) - Kazakhstan - World Cup Qualifying

D (2-2) - Kazakhstan - World Cup Qualifying

What To Watch For

Seize the moment. This is a prime opportunity for several players to make an impact on the match as well as show head coach Gregg Berhalter that in an important 2022, they will be ready when their number is called. It may be a friendly, but expect to see several guys play hard to show they can be a dependable option moving forward.

Take control in the midfield. Bosnia enters this match with a roster that has a combined 8 international caps from 5 players. You could argue that the most experienced part of the roster for the USMNT is in the midfield. That’s where the USMNT need to control the tempo of the match and keep consistent pressure on Bosnia’s defense.

Capitalize on scoring chances. Bosnia may be a team that hasn’t played well lately, but they have a system that normally tries to bog down opponents and limit their scoring chances. Scoring when the opportunity presents itself is something the USMNT is always working to improve. This will be a good test to see if the young kids can put the ball in the back of the net when it’s at their feet inside the box.

Lineup Prediction

With so many young players in camp along with some veterans, it presents some interesting options for Gregg Berhalter. In the end, this is what we predict we will see in the form of a starting lineup tomorrow:

Matt Turner is the only goalkeeper with experience in camp and the arguable #1, so he gets the start. Justin Che gets the start alongside MLS Defender of the Year Walker Zimmerman, with George Bello at left back. If Kevin Paredes had been healthy, he likely would have recevied the start at right back. Instead, it’s dual national Jonathan Gomez who we should expect to see on the right side of the back line.

In the middle, Berhalter goes with some experience, with Kellyn Acosta operating at the 6 and Cristian Roldan at the 8. Cole Bassett also gets the nod to provide some speed in the middle.

Up front, Ricardo Pepi gets the start ahead of Gyasi Zardes, who we should expect to see as a substitute later in the match. Jordan Morris is back with the national team and starts on the right wing, with Cade Cowell getting the start on the left.

Prediction

Bosnia’s lack of experience shows in this match, with the USMNT getting out in front early and carrying it throughout the match. The USMNT wins by a 3-0 score.