Winners & losers from USMNT pre-World Cup friendlies

The United States Men's National Team have played their final games before the World Cup. Next up? Wales in Al Rayyan on November 21.

It didn't exactly go to plan for Gregg Berhalter over the past two matches, with the USMNT losing 2-0 to Japan in Dusseldorf before grinding out a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in Murcia.

But the fixtures still offered players a chance to prove they deserve a seat on the plane to Qatar.

So, who did just that, and who fell down the pecking order in this final international break before the real fun begins? Let's take a look...

1. Winner: Matt Turner

There's still every chance Zack Steffen will roll up to the World Cup as the USMNT's No.1, but he shouldn't.

In what was a dismal couple of games, Matt Turner stuck out way, way above his teammates with two very solid performances.

Against Japan, the Arsenal stopper used his cat-like reflexes to keep the score down, ending the match with six saves - including three from shots inside the box. It was a little quieter against the Saudis, but Turner still kept his concentration to make two stops and preserve a clean sheet.

Sure, Turner lacked a little composure with the ball and that is one of his obvious weaknesses, but he's a far better shot-stopper than any other American goalkeeper right now and doesn't appear anywhere near as mistake-prone as Steffen.

2. Loser: Aaron Long

With Chris Richards injured and John Brooks out in the cold, there was a chance for an American center-back to really stamp his authority in this window.

More and more, it seems like Berhalter is going to favor Aaron Long alongside Walker Zimmerman. And while the latter was distinctly average in this window but turned in a good qualifying campaign, the same cannot be said for the former.

Long's inclusion on this roster was already controversial given he's a 29-year-old coming off a serious injury and is yet to regain his best form for the New York Red Bulls since doing so. After these performances, there's likely to be outrage if he goes to Qatar.

Okay, for long stretches of both matches, Long was fine. He won headers, put in strong challenges, and made plenty of simple clearances. But then at multiple points throughout the match, inexplicable errors occurred.

There were numerous of instances where Long was caught too high up the field, exposing Zimmerman and his full-back while lacking the recovery pace to get back himself. And then there was the errant passing, with Long gifting possession to the opposition, often under absolutely no pressure.

There was a time when Long was a very strong MLS center-back with a bright future, but injuries and missed opportunities have taken their toll.

3. Winner: Chris Richards & Jordan Pefok

That brings us to Richards. The young center-back arguably strengthened his case as a starter more than most despite not even making the roster through injury.

Richards isn't getting anywhere near enough minutes for Crystal Palace yet, but it's early days and they're clearly invested in his talent. But even if the 22-year-old only remains a bit-part player in the Premier League, his quality in comparison to his competition remains clear.

And then there's Jordan Pefok. How did a guy who scored 42 goals across two seasons for Young Boys and four in his first eight games for Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin not make the roster?

Well, according to Berhalter, it's because "we already know what he can do".

But Pefok has just nine USMNT caps to his name. In reality, he's barely had a look-in with this group and if he gets called in now, he'll have to build chemistry with his teammates on the fly right before the big kick-off.

4. Loser: The strikers

With Pefok left at home, a huge chance was given to three other USMNT strikers, which each was unable to take for varying reasons:

• Jesus Ferreira missed a golden opportunity with a close-range header against Japan and then barely affected the Saudi Arabia game from the bench. He has a history of big misses at international level but hopefully, his fine form with FC Dallas can shine through.
• Josh Sargent was given just 45 minutes on the field during the second half against Japan. He competed okay with his opposing defenders but was barely given a look by his teammates. Given his excellent form with Norwich, Sargent wasn't tested nearly enough.
• Ricardo Pepi rode the bench against Japan and was given 59 minutes against Saudi Arabia, during which he touched the ball just 13 times and didn't manage a single shot. He certainly can't be exclusively blamed, with the teenager totally starved of service by his lackluster teammates. But now, Pepi must exclusively use his loan move to FC Groningen to inspire his own confidence, and the faith of others.

5. Winner: Joe Scally

We're probably stretching for a winner here, but Joe Scally's impact from the bench against Saudi Arabia shouldn't be ignored.

Sergino Dest was pretty good across both games in comparison to others, but that's to be expected from a player with AC Milan, Barcelona, and Ajax on his CV.

But Scally is another who really hasn't been used enough by Berhalter to this point, despite being a locked-in starter for Borussia Monchengladbach.

Against the Saudis, he replaced the disappointing DeAndre Yedlin and immediately added energy to the USMNT's right flank, driving the ball forward and firing in no fewer than five crosses in just 31 minutes. Once Scally was on, almost everything came down his flank. He was solid defensively, too.

Should Antonee Robinson not be fully fit for Qatar, there's a good argument for Dest and Scally being the starting full-backs - the 19-year-old made a very strong case in extremely limited minutes.

6. Loser: Gregg Berhalter

Honestly, it feels like these two fixtures have done nothing more than turn the pressure on Berhalter up to 11/10.

His team selection has been called into question at every single juncture and players he's placed huge faith in have severely underperformed.

What's even more worrying are his post-match quotes on Tuesday, with Berhalter claiming his players were nervous due to the pressure of trying to make the World Cup roster and lacking chemistry.

This tournament has been a long time in the making and if there's no chemistry now, the US are unlikely to find it before November 21.

All of the above has been compounded by the players who made it over the likes of Pefok and Brooks failing to hit the mark, by a distance.

Berhalter will have incredible pressure on his shoulders when it comes to choosing his roster and getting through the group stages.