Alex Calabrese talks USMNT at World Cup on ‘9 Good Minutes’

CHICAGO – We’ve reached the knockout stage of the World Cup, and the United States men’s national team is still playing soccer.

In three games in Group B, they were able to get five total points, one each from ties against Wales and England before a dramatic 10 win over Iran on Tuesday gave them the three they needed to advance.

That means a very exciting Saturday is ahead for supporters of the team as they get ready to face the Netherlands in the Round of 16 at 8 a.m. central time. It’s the biggest challenge yet for a very young team that features a host of athletes making their World Cup debuts.

Alex Calabrese of Hot Time in Old Town took some time this week to join “9 Good Minutes” to talk about the performance of the USMNT so far in the game, what they might see in the knockout stage, along with other topics in the tournament.

Along with paying attention to the world soccer scene, Alex does a lot of reporting on Chicago Fire FC, so he shared his thoughts on the MLS club as they start preparing for the upcoming season. He discussed a few players on the roster that will be key contributors in 2023, the performance of first year manager Ezra Hendrickson along with the club’s decision to keep their front office intact.

You can watch Alex’s full interview on “9 Good Minutes” with Larry Hawley on WGN News Now by clicking on the video above.