The USMNT suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals. However, beyond the defeat itself, another troubling takeaway emerged: the surprisingly low attendance, with Christian Pulisic’s reaction highlighting the growing concerns.
The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals, a result that has raised serious concerns about the state of the team as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
Despite dominating possession and creating more chances, the Americans fell 1-0 to a resilient Panama side, with the visitors’ last-minute goal sealing their fate at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
However, beyond the defeat itself, two troubling takeaways emerged: a lack of clinical finishing and a surprisingly low attendance, with Christian Pulisic’s reaction highlighting the growing concerns.
Panama’s late winner stuns the US
Heading into the semi-final, the USMNT were the overwhelming favorites. Having won all three previous editions of the Nations League, the expectation was that they would comfortably dispatch Panama and march toward another final. Yet, from the opening whistle, things did not go according to plan.
Despite controlling 66% of possession, the Americans failed to break through their opponent’s well-organized defense. Mauricio Pochettino, in his first major test as USMNT head coach, saw his side struggle to impose their attacking rhythm, with Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie failing to deliver decisive moments.
With the match seemingly headed for extra time, disaster struck in the 94th minute. A defensive lapse allowed Panama’s Cecilio Waterman to find space inside the box, and his clinical finish sent the U.S. crashing out of the tournament.
It was a historic win for Panama, marking their first knockout-stage victory over the Stars and Stripes in a major competition and securing them a place in the final against Mexico. For the American side, it was a crushing blow—not just because of the result, but because of what it revealed about the team’s lack of cutting edge in crucial moments.
Low attendance draws Pulisic’s attention
While the result was bad enough, another major talking point emerged even before kickoff: the shockingly low attendance at SoFi Stadium. A competition semifinal featuring the host nation of the next FIFA World Cup should have drawn a packed house. Instead, the crowd was sparse, with vast sections of empty seats visible throughout the stadium.
Even Christian Pulisic couldn’t hide his reaction. As he stood for the national anthem, he glanced around the stadium and let out an awkward smile, seemingly acknowledging the underwhelming turnout.
Before the national anthems, Christian Pulisic looked around the stadium, saw the low attendance and smiled awkwardly. “😬” pic.twitter.com/lHwz1PsGoX
— Felipe Cárdenas (@FelipeCar) March 20, 2025
The Milan star’s body language said it all, The Athletic suggests. The lack of fan presence added another layer of concern for a team that is supposed to be building momentum for 2026.
While the late afternoon California kickoff time certainly didn’t help, the disinterest from local fans was alarming. For a country that prides itself on growing soccer’s popularity, failing to fill a stadium for a high-stakes international match raises questions about enthusiasm for the national team.
