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The United States Men’s National Team has already begun its preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and their first set of international friendlies are already just around the corner. First up, they’ll be facing off against Morocco on Wednesday, June 1 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be available to watch on ESPN2, with a livestream available on ESPN+. The United States are favored to win with odds at +110 at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Morocco comes in at +255 for the contest.
USA v. Morocco, International Friendly
Date: Wednesday, June 1
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN2
Live stream: ESPN+
Odds: USA +110, Draw +235, Morocco +255
Pick to win: USA
While it might be easy to give this win to the USMNT on paper, Morocco is a fairly formidable opponent who should be a great test for Gregg Berhalter’s men in their first World Cup preparatory friendly. Ranked 25th in the world, they’re making their second consecutive appearance in the World Cup final tournament after a 20-year absence that ended in 2018. Boasting players like Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, they’ll bring plenty of talent to the field when they meet up with the USA in Cincinnati.
Berhalter will have to make do without some key players, as Josh Sargent, Daryl Dike, Miles Robinson, and Gio Reyna hav all been ruled out with injury for Wednesday’s clash. Robinson will miss the World Cup entirely due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, so Berhalter will need to decide on a suitable replacement for the young defender. Djordje Mihailovic will also be out for the entirety of June’s matches after suffering an ankle injury with MLS side CF Montreal.
The USA will still have plenty of firepower available, as Christian Pulisic, who led the Americans in scoring with five goals in qualifying, will be in the squad for these friendlies along with guys like Jesus Ferreira, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Timothy Weah.
While both sides are extremely talented, the 15th-ranked Americans hold an edge coming into this match as they’ll be playing on their home soil, where they’ve been incredibly tough to beat. Expect Berhalter’s side to get the win as they move on and look to replicate the result against Uruguay on June 5.
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