US concedes 4 first-half goals, falls to Switzerland 4-0 for first 4-game losing streak since 2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The United States gave up four goals in the first half and looked unprepared for next year's World Cup, getting routed by Switzerland 4-0 in a friendly on Tuesday night as the Americans lost their fourth straight game for the first time since 2007.

Dan Ndoye scored in the 13th minute, Michel Aebischer in the 23rd, Breel Embolo in the 33rd and Johan Manzambi in the 36th. The Americans failed to put a shot on target and have lost four consecutive home games for the third time and first since 1988.

Switzerland won its third straight match and extended the U.S. winless streak against European opponents to eight games since 2021. Fans at Geodis Park booed loudly as the U.S. gave up four goals by the 40th minute for the first time since Nov. 9, 1980, at Mexico and the first time ever at home, according to Opta.

The match was played one year and one day before the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S. starts. Going into their CONCACAF Gold Cup opener against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, the Americans are 5-5 under Mauricio Pochettino, who took over after first-round elimination last year’s Copa America led the U.S. Soccer Federation to fire coach Gregg Berhalter.

Ndoye burst behind Nate Harriel to run onto a through pass for the first goal; Manzambi dribbled past Max Arfsten along the endline to leave Aebischer with a tap-in for the second; goalkeeper Matt Turner spilled Ricardo Rodriguez's shot to leave Embolo an open net for the third; and a mix-up when Quinn Sullivan passed to Sebastian Berhalter as the former coach's son slipped created a giveaway that led to Manzambi's first international goal.

The U.S. had not lost four straight games since a five-game skid in 2007. The Americans were missing Christian Pulisic (wanted time off); Yunus Musah (personal reason not disclosed); Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna (headed to the Club World Cup); Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Folarin Balogun (injured); and Sergiño Dest (regaining fitness).

Turner played his first game for club or country since March 23. Berhalter started in his debut, and Brenden and Paxten Aaronson became the fourth set of brothers to start for the U.S., and the first since George and Louis Nanchoff in 1979.

Pochettino made nine changes from Saturday's 2-1 loss to Turkey, keeping only Arfsten and midfielder Johnny Cardoso. The U.S. made five changes to start the second half and Damion Downs made his debut in the 75th minute.

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United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson, left, stands with his brother forward Paxten Aaronson before an international friendly soccer match against Switzerland, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso (15) kicks the ball past Switzerland defender Nico Elvedi, right, during the first half of an international friendly soccer match Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Switzerland forward Breel Embolo (7) kicks the ball away from United States forward Brian White, right, during the first half of an international friendly soccer match Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino looks onto the field during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against Switzerland, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Switzerland forward Breel Embolo (7) celebrates his goal with midfielder Johan Manzanbi (9) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against the United States, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Ahn Sung-ki, one of South Korean cinema’s biggest stars whose prolific 60-year career and positive, gentle public image earned him the nickname “The Nation’s Actor,” died Monday. He was 74.

Ahn, who had suffered blood cancer for years, was pronounced dead at Seoul's Soonchunhyang University Hospital, his agency, the Artist Company, and hospital officials said.

“We feel deep sorrow at the sudden, sad news, pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and offer our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family members," the Artist Company said in a statement.

President Lee Jae Myung issued a condolence message saying Ahn provided many people with comfort, joy and time for reflection. “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice,” Lee wrote on Facebook.

Born to a filmmaker in the southeastern city of Daegu in 1952, Ahn made his debut as a child actor in the movie “The Twilight Train” in 1957. He subsequently appeared in about 70 movies as a child actor before he left the film industry to live an ordinary life.

In 1970, Ahn entered Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies as a Vietnamese major. Ahn said he graduated with top honors but failed to land jobs at big companies, who likely saw his Vietnamese major largely useless after a communist victory in the Vietnam War in 1975.

Ahn returned to the film industry in 1977 believing he could still excel in acting. In 1980, he rose to fame for his lead role in Lee Jang-ho’s “Good, Windy Days,” a hit coming-of-age movie about the struggle of working-class men from rural areas during the country’s rapid rise. Ahn won the best new actor award in the prestigious Grand Bell Awards, the Korean version of the Academy Awards.

He later starred in a series of highly successful and critically acclaimed movies, sweeping best actor awards and becoming arguably the country’s most popular actor in much of the 1980-90s.

Some of his memorable roles included a Buddhist monk in 1981’s “Mandara,” a beggar in 1984’s “Whale Hunting,” a Vietnam War veteran-turned-novelist in 1992’s “White Badge,” a corrupt police officer in 1993’s “Two Cops,” a murderer in 1999’s “No Where To Hide,” a special forces trainer in 2003’s “Silmido” and a devoted celebrity manager in 2006’s “Radio Star.”

Ahn had collected dozens of trophies in major movie awards in South Korea, including winning the Grand Bell Awards for best actor five times, an achievement no other South Korean actors have matched yet.

Ahn built up an image as a humble, trustworthy and family-oriented celebrity who avoided major scandals and maintained a quiet, stable personal life. Past public surveys chose Ahn as South Korea’s most beloved actor and deserving of the nickname “The Nation’s Actor.”

Ahn said he earlier felt confined with his “The Nation's Actor” labeling but eventually thought that led him down the right path. In recent years, local media has given other stars similar honorable nicknames, but Ahn was apparently the first South Korean actor who was dubbed “The Nation's Actor.”

“I felt I should do something that could match that title. But I think that has eventually guided me on a good direction,” Ahn said in an interview with Yonhap news agency in 2023.

In media interviews, Ahn couldn’t choose what his favorite movie was, but said that his role as a dedicated, hardworking manger for a washed-up rock singer played by Park Jung-hoon resembled himself in real life the most.

Ahn was also known for his reluctance to do love scenes. He said said he was too shy to act romantic scenes and sometimes asked directors to skip steamy scenes if they were only meant to add spice to movies.

“I don’t do well on acting like looking at someone who I don’t love with loving eyes and kissing really romantically. I feel shy and can’t express such emotions well,” Ahn said in an interview with the Shindonga magazine in 2007. “Simply, I’m clumsy on that. So I couldn’t star in such movies a lot. But ultimately, that was a right choice for me.”

Ahn is survived by his wife and their two sons. A mourning station at a Seoul hospital was to run until Friday.

FILE - South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki smiles for a photo on the red carpet at the 56th Daejong Film Awards ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, June 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki attends an event as part of the 11th Pusan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 13, 2006. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)