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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The United States Men's National Team suffered an unfortunate loss on Thursday to Turkiye, 3-2, after a last-minute goal sent their opponents and fans into a frenzy.
Although the loss stung and potentially affected some momentum, it didn't hurt the USMNT's qualification for the Knockout Phase of this World Cup, as that was achieved with their previous two wins over Australia and Paraguay. They've also learned that they'll next face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
As of this writing, the USMNT is a -255 favorite to win the match via DraftKings Sportsbook, which would mean advancing to the Round of 16. And that's where things could become much more challenging for their potential path to the World Cup Final.
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In that round, they could face Belgium, a team that achieved a 5-1 victory last night over New Zealand, ahead of the Knockout Phase. Four different players scored for Belgium, including star players Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
More news: Ousmane Dembele Makes Stunning Admission After Historic World Cup Hat Trick
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Should the USMNT advance past Belgium, a quarterfinal matchup against Spain potentially looms. The team features one of the young phenoms in international football, Yamine Lamal, and a strong overall roster, which has them still among the top two contenders to win this World Cup.
The other top contender to win it is France, featuring Kylian Mbappe. So far, they've been putting on dominant scoring performances, with Mbappe scoring two goals in their opener and another two in their second game. His teammate Ousmane Dembele then scored a first-half hat trick yesterday in their final group match against Norway.
Let's imagine a World Cup where the USMNT finds a way to advance past a formidable opponent like France. Should the improbable upset occur, the grand finale could be a showdown against one of the greatest of all-time in the sport, Lionel Messi, and Argentina.
They're the defending champs for a reason, and Messi has shown why. With five goals in Argentina's first two matches, he's risen to the top of the all-time goals scored list in World Cup history, and will likely continue to add to his record at the event. His team's success has mostly been based on his scoring performances leading them, so it should be interesting to see how their upcoming path goes.
It's not impossible that the USMNT can advance and win it all, but that potential path is certainly a massive challenge for this squad. Upsets could also happen along the way, potentially making the USMNT's path easier, depending on who emerges as opponents.
As of this writing, DraftKings Sportsbook still lists them in the top 10 contenders to win it at +2800 odds, with the World Cup Final occurring on Sunday, July 19, at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, in the United States.
More news: Former USMNT Player Calls Loss to Turkiye ‘Best Thing’ for World Cup Run
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