USA has been in must-win matches before, but facing Uruguay is 'very different'

ATLANTA —Even before Uruguay routed hapless Bolivia 5-0 in Thursday's Copa América nightcap, the math was pretty clear for the United States. Following the 10-man Americans' stunning loss to Concacaf rival Panama in their second Group C game, the U.S. players already knew that Monday's first-round finale in Kansas City against Uruguay (9 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) amounts to a must-win.

The task is as clear as it is daunting. Led by Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez, La Celeste — the 15-time South American champions, tied with Argentina as the most all-time — will present a significant challenge for the USMNT.

As deflating as Thursday's defeat was — coming in front of a raucous home crowd of almost 60,000 mostly pro-U.S. fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — they knew they had to turn the page immediately.

"I feel lucky to go into games like that, so I'm excited for it," said captain and star Christian Pulisic, who scored an early goal in the host nation's 2-0, Copa-opening win over the Bolivians last week, and who thought he'd helped set up teammate Weston McKennie for another Thursday night only for the video assistant referee to rule McKennie's strike offside.

"We have to go and play the best game of our lives and that's it. We want to go and we want to win. We want to continue in this competition."

Ever since being rehired as the USMNT's coach following a knockout stage loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Gregg Berhalter and his team have spoken openly and often about the next step this so-called "Golden Generation" of young Americans must take at the highest level. Specifically, the stated aim has been to prove that it can win a knockout game against