>The USA team is not lacking in fitness.<
Did not say they were.They are not as big or strong as the Europeans.All the fitness in the world will not help if your opponent is bigger and stronger and just as fast.
They can't compete on headers they either get pushed off the ball or are afraid to show creativity because it will result in physical punishment (Beasley).
The European club teams the US players are own spot them and do not have a whole team of frail bodies(Rena,Couvey,Beasley,Donovan,McBride)
The US is in a "Catch-22" conundrum with soccer.
We can't win without the best athletes, but the best athletes won't want to play soccer until the US wins at a high level.