"But I think the US Men's National team is fitter, I think they're more mobile, I think they have more dynamism in the way that they attack, the way that they press," McCarty said.
Expressing absolute confidence, McCarty indicated that expectations remain high regardless of individual player availability. "I think we are clear favorites going into this game," he stated.
He reiterated that the program's progression makes anything less than a victory a massive disappointment.
"And I would be very disappointed, even without Folarin Balogun, if we lost this game, that is how confident I am in the US Men's National Team," McCarty said.
Pulisic: Belief and Resilience
Team captain Christian Pulisic spoke to reporters on the University of Washington campus Sunday morning, describing the operational culture under manager Mauricio Pochettino.
"We're American, it's what we do," Pulisic said.
The forward emphasized the psychological resilience that helped the squad win their group despite critical injuries to key personnel.
"We believe anything is possible," he added.
Pulisic concluded by summarizing the collective competitive spirit driving the host nation.
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"We're a team that's gonna fight, we're going to give it everything we've got, and we believe that we can win this thing," he said.
