'Non-factor' - Leeds United first-team regular hooked at half-time with 4/10 rating on miserable night

Brenden Aaronson endured another difficult night on the international stage as his USA side were thumped 4-0 by Isaac Schmidt’s Switzerland on Tuesday.

All four goals came inside the opening 36 minutes as a young and inexperienced USA side were blitzed in Tennessee to record their fourth straight defeat. Dan Ndoye opened the scoring inside 13 minutes before Michel Aebischer, Breel Embolo and Johan Manzambi all struck to heap the pressure on USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Schmidt got a decent 65 minutes under his belt at right-back but focus was undoubtedly on the defeated hosts.

Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Pochettino sent out an inexperienced starting line-up and paid the price, with 24-year-old Leeds United midfielder Aaronson one of the older heads. He started out on the left-wing, with 21-year-old younger brother Paxton in the No.10 slot, but struggled to make any impact before being hooked as one of five half-time changes.

GOAL USA were at Geodis Park overnight and in their player ratings, gave Aaronson a 4/10. Alongside that, they wrote: “Ran plenty, but never really got a foothold in the game. Attempted just eight passes in his 45 minutes on the field.”

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Meanwhile, Sporting News gave the Leeds midfielder a 5/10, writing: “Looked bright early on as he played on the left wing, combining with Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten well. Like his brother, however, he faded quickly and boasted just 18 total touches through the first 45 minutes, plus zero defensive actions and zero duels won out of four contested. A non-factor.”

Reaction as USMNT fall to humiliating defeat

The USA are just days away from hosting the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, with their opening fixture coming against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday night, with pressure mounting on Aaronson and his compatriots. Pochettino’s side conceded four goals in one half for the first time in 45 years last night and enter the summer tournament with virtually no momentum.

The Stars and Stripes were widely regarded as favourites to win the Gold Cup - which will also feature Junior Firpo's Dominican Republic - but a dismal run of form has seen them fall behind current holders Mexico in the bookmakers’ odds. There is also huge pressure for the nation to improve ahead of next year’s World Cup which will be held across the US, Canada and Mexico.

"First of all, I think it, of course, is our responsibility and my responsibility, the decision of the choice of the starting eleven,” Pochettino said after the defeat. “I think we wanted to give the possibility to the whole roster to have minutes and play for different circumstances and I think that is the risk that we took.

"The combination of the starting eleven of the team wasn't, I think, now after 90 minutes, the best. We need to say, blame ourselves. Criticise us. Because it was my decision, and that decision didn't work, and when that doesn't work, you need to be critical with yourself."

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