In the end, they got there. The United States men's national team is headed to the 2024 Copa America on home soil, which, ultimately, was the big goal of this camp. However, there was no big celebration, no big blowout of champagne or anything like that. The mood, overall, was somewhat somber. Despite defeating Trinidad & Tobago on aggregate, Monday night certainly didn't feel like a win.
That's because it wasn't; it was a 2-1 loss. That defeat left a sour taste after what will, in the end, be seen as a hugely important camp. It's one that will have lasting ramifications, and not just because of the tournament runs it set the U.S. up for.
With the road to the Copa America now officially beginning, everything the U.S. does will now have one eye towards the summer, and it's safe to say that Sergino Dest hasn't started that road off well at all. His boneheaded red card left his team-mates seething, with the defender being scolded for his "immature" and "disrespectful" decision-making.
That leaves his grip right-back spot a bit less tight than it was before, and it raises a huge question: With two red cards in two big games just a few months apart, can the U.S. really trust Dest the most intense of situations?
That'll be one talking point going forward, but there's plenty do discuss. So, with that said, GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from camp...