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Every place is spoken for now, every path is closed, and the 2026 World Cup feels a little less theoretical this morning. We know who is coming, we know more clearly who looks dangerous, and we know who still has real work to do before this tournament arrives. For Atlanta, that picture got more real too. Czechia and DR Congo both punched their tickets, and now we know they are part of the World Cup story here this summer.

That was the other thing this international window gave us. It did not just complete the bracket. It shifted the mood around the field. Some of the teams you would expect to look solid still do. Others suddenly look more vulnerable. England left Wembley with new questions. Spain left frustrated. Italy is not coming at all. Meanwhile, countries like Morocco, Argentina, Brazil, and a few others leave this window looking sharper, calmer, and more convincing than they did a few days ago.

And that is always the beauty of this sport. The World Cup picture sharpens, the global conversation spins forward, and the game never waits around for anyone. Because now, just like that, we are back to the club game. Atlanta United is back in focus, the next challenge is Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Columbus, and the work turns from international lessons back to points, performances, and the week-to-week reality of the season.

The United States closed its March window with a 2-0 loss to Portugal in Atlanta, and the scoreline told only part of the story. For stretches, especially early, the U.S. looked lively, aggressive, and capable of making a high-level European side uncomfortable. There were chances to keep the match level or even turn the pressure into something bigger. That matters, and it was a better overall performance than the one against Belgium a few nights earlier.

But Portugal also showed the difference between competing in a match and actually controlling it. Once the game settled, the visitors looked calmer, sharper, and more precise in the moments that decide games. Bruno Fernandes had too much influence, Portugal turned set pieces into real leverage, and the U.S. paid again for small mistakes against elite opposition.

That might be the biggest lesson from the entire window. The U.S. can start games well. It can create problems. It can throw the first punch. What it has not shown consistently enough yet is the ability to handle the next phase, when a top opponent adjusts and starts forcing the game into more demanding spaces.

Mauricio Pochettino’s postgame comments reflected that balance. He said the U.S. “competed really well” and lost in the “small details.” That is not a manager sounding defeated. It is a manager arguing that the team is close enough to learn from these nights, but not yet clean enough to escape them.

If the result sounded discouraging, Pochettino’s tone afterward did not. He called the match a massive opportunity to learn and said plainly, “Even if it’s painful, it’s the only way to improve. It’s the only way to learn.” That line felt like the clearest summary of how he sees this camp.

He was also more positive than the score might suggest. Pochettino said he is “more positive now than before” because he saw the team compete and believes the U.S. is “not far away.” That is an important distinction. He is not arguing that the U.S. is already where it needs to be. He is arguing that the gap is not hopeless distance. It is the kind of gap that shows up in positioning, reactions, concentration, and execution when the level rises.

That was especially evident in how he discussed the goals conceded. He did not shrug them off as random moments. He described them as specific situations the team had already reviewed and still failed to manage. That is what makes this camp useful in his eyes. These were not abstract lessons. They were real ones, exposed in real time.

His handling of Christian Pulisic fit the same theme. Pulisic played higher, closer to goal, and Pochettino liked his activity and involvement. The finishing still did not come, but the manager said the frustration was a good sign because it showed commitment and belief. In Pochettino’s mind, this was not a team shrinking. It was a team being pushed into a clearer understanding of what it still has to become.

While the U.S. was dealing with Portugal in Atlanta, the broader World Cup picture changed in dramatic ways. Italy’s crisis deepened with a third straight missed World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. Bosnia, meanwhile, are back at the finals for only the second time in their history.

Sweden are back after a dramatic 3-2 win over Poland. Czech Republic are back for the first time since 2006 after surviving Denmark in a shootout. DR Congo are heading back to the World Cup for the first time since 1974 after beating Jamaica in extra time. Those are the kinds of stories that make the tournament feel larger than just the usual list of favorites.

The most immediate American takeaway came from Türkiye. Their 1-0 win over Kosovo ended a 24-year World Cup drought and placed them into Group D with the United States, Australia, and Paraguay. That group got more interesting in a hurry. Türkiye are not just a nice story now. They are part of the U.S. scouting file.

And the final place in the field went to Iraq, who beat Bolivia 2-1 to qualify for their first World Cup since 1986. Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein scored early in each half for the Lions of Mesopotamia, who survived a late Bolivia push and completed one of the most important nights in the country’s recent football history.

Taken together, the playoff results made the tournament field complete and more emotional. Some teams are arriving with momentum. Some are arriving with scars. Some, like Italy, are not arriving at all.

This window was always going to be about more than just one U.S. result, and the wider global picture kept proving that. The playoff picture is now complete, with Iraq claiming the final berth by beating Bolivia 2-1 and joining a group of qualifiers that includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Czech Republic, Türkiye, and DR Congo as some of the night’s biggest movers.

A lot of top teams were in action, but not many looked fully secure. England lost 1-0 at Wembley to Japan, Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt, and the Netherlands had to survive nearly the entire match with 10 men just to draw Ecuador. That is a useful reminder that the top of the field still feels open. The biggest names still have the biggest talent, but not all of them are leaving this window with the same authority they carried into it.

At the same time, some teams used the window exactly the way they would have wanted. Argentina beat Zambia 5-0 in their final home sendoff before the World Cup, Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in Orlando, Morocco beat Paraguay 2-1, Senegal handled Gambia 3-1, and Ivory Coast beat Scotland 1-0. The final playoff place also went to Iraq, who beat Bolivia 2-1 to qualify for their first World Cup since 1986. Add in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Czech Republic, Türkiye, and DR Congo qualifying earlier in the day, and the field suddenly feels much more complete and much more alive.

Italy’s latest World Cup failure carried all the weight you would expect from a country that has now missed three straight tournaments. Gennaro Gattuso was reportedly on the verge of tears after the defeat, young striker Pio Esposito looked shattered after missing in the shootout, and what had looked like a controlled night turned into another chapter in a deepening national football crisis. Moise Kean had put Italy in front, but Alessandro Bastoni’s red card changed the match, Haris Tabakovic forced extra time with a late equalizer, and Bosnia and Herzegovina finished the job on penalties.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the scene was the exact opposite. Their supporters celebrated by unfurling a giant visa banner, a perfect image for a country now heading to North America this summer while Italy stays home again. Elsewhere, the off-field mood was uneasy in other places too: Ghana fired Otto Addo with 72 days to go before the World Cup, pressure is building around Saudi Arabia after its heavy loss to Egypt, and criticism continues to follow teams like Colombia, Uruguay, and Scotland even as the tournament gets closer. The talent is one thing. The emotional state of these teams is becoming another major story.

Türkiye join the U.S. group: Türkiye ended a 24-year World Cup drought with a tense 1-0 win over Kosovo and now slot into Group D with the United States, Australia, and Paraguay. Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the winner, and the result sparked celebrations at home and among the traveling support, turning the playoff success into an immediate U.S. conversation as the group became more difficult.

DR Congo’s qualification sparks rare national joy: DR Congo’s 100th-minute winner against Jamaica sparked celebrations across the country, with people dancing in the streets and hugging in what it described as a rare moment of joy for a nation battered by conflict. The win sends DR Congo back to the World Cup for the first time since 1974 and completes Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.

England’s worries grow: Japan beat England 1-0 at Wembley, the first-ever win for Japan in the matchup. Thomas Tuchel said afterward that England missed Harry Kane’s threat, leadership, and personality, and called the next stretch before the World Cup “scary” because of injuries.

Spain frustrated by Egypt: Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt and lost the No. 1 spot in the world rankings. Egypt will take real confidence from the result after frustrating one of the tournament’s top sides.

Police investigate chants after Spain-Egypt match: Spanish police opened an investigation after Islamophobic and xenophobic chants were heard during Spain’s friendly against Egypt at RCDE Stadium near Barcelona. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called the behavior intolerable, the Spanish federation condemned racism and violence inside stadiums, and Lamine Yamal said using religion as provocation makes people “ignorant and racist.”

Endrick boosts Brazil at the right time: Endrick changed the match after coming on late in Brazil’s 3-1 win over Croatia, winning the penalty for Igor Thiago’s go-ahead goal and then setting up Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time. The 19-year-old said he felt a “sense of urgency” to prove himself, while Carlo Ancelotti praised the newcomers and Casemiro said Brazil’s young players need to be protected from the pressure building ahead of the World Cup.

Messi leads Argentina’s final home sendoff: Argentina closed its last home match before the World Cup with a 5-0 win over Zambia at La Bombonera, with Lionel Messi scoring, assisting Julián Álvarez’s early opener, and handing Nicolás Otamendi a penalty in the defender’s final home appearance before retirement from international football. The result eased concerns after Argentina’s underwhelming 2-1 win over Mauritania, with Lionel Scaloni saying the previous performance now looked like “an accident.”

Back on the domestic side, the Open Cup and USL both brought meaningful movement of their own.

USL League One keeps landing Open Cup punches: USL League One teams stayed perfect against USL Championship opposition on the first night of second-round U.S. Open Cup play, going 4-0. The biggest results included Charlotte Independence beating Charleston Battery 3-2 on a late winner from 17-year-old Viggo Ortiz against his former club, while Union Omaha beat Indy Eleven 2-1 to reach the round of 32 for the third straight year.

A major USL executive change: USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis has left the league after more than a decade in senior leadership roles. His exit is significant because Papadakis played a central role in the league’s expansion strategy, especially its push to pair clubs with soccer-specific stadiums and mixed-use development projects.

What the Papadakis departure could mean: Papadakis helped shape a model where USL advanced stadium and development work before finalizing ownership groups, with One Spokane Stadium standing as one of the clearest examples. His departure comes after new outside investment in the league and raises new questions about how USL will handle its real estate-driven growth strategy, Division I plans, and broader long-term expansion model going forward.

SDH AM is live at 9:05 this morning with Jon Nelson hosting. On the rundown: Open Cupsets and tonight’s games, the USMNT’s loss to Portugal, and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s big night, plus Dylan Butler from MLSSoccer.com in hour number two.

Then at noon, Red Clay Soccer Report goes live with a full look at Georgia high school soccer, including the latest rankings, schedule, and a spotlight on Calhoun’s Taylor Sumrall. It is another busy day across the network, with the international window still echoing and the local game moving right alongside it.

Tottenham appoint Roberto De Zerbi: Tottenham have named Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach on a long-term contract, with the club just one point above the relegation zone and seven league matches remaining in a desperate fight to stay up. His arrival brings a clear football identity, but the appointment has already sparked backlash from some fan groups over his past public support of Mason Greenwood at Marseille.

Women’s Champions League quarterfinals set up big second legs: Defending champion Arsenal takes a 3-1 lead into its second-leg quarterfinal at Chelsea after winning the first meeting in the first Women’s Champions League matchup between clubs from the same city. Manchester United, meanwhile, heads to Germany down 3-2 to Bayern Munich in its quarterfinal debut, with the winners set to face either Wolfsburg or Lyon and Barcelona or Real Madrid waiting on the other side.

Canadian Premier League to trial new offside rule: The Canadian Premier League has confirmed it will become the first professional league to use FIFA’s new offside trial, where an attacker is only ruled offside if there is clear daylight between them and the second-last defender. The experiment begins with the new CPL season on Saturday, April 4, and comes alongside the launch of Football Video Support, a lower-cost video review system designed to reduce time-wasting and improve efficiency.

Bernardo Silva reportedly preparing to leave Manchester City: Goal reports that Bernardo Silva has formally told Manchester City he wants to leave at the end of the season, which would bring his nine-year spell at the club to a close. The report says Barcelona remains his preferred destination, though financial constraints could complicate that move, while City are already being linked with midfield replacements as part of a broader transition.

Napoli sanction Lukaku after training absence: Napoli have reportedly moved toward disciplinary action against Romelu Lukaku after he stayed in Antwerp during the international break to continue rehab work instead of returning to the club, with the Serie A side saying it reserved the right to punish him and decide whether to keep him in the squad. The dispute comes after Lukaku said Belgium medical exams found persistent inflammation and fluid around his left hip flexor, while Napoli had warned him to return by Tuesday’s training restart.

The March window did not answer every question for the United States, but it did sharpen the ones that matter. The team competed. It learned. It got punished in the details again. And it now moves closer to the point where potential matters less than trust.

Around the world, the field got clearer, the pressure got louder, and the summer feels a lot closer this morning than it did a few days ago. We’ll keep sorting through it across the network today.

Jason