Mauricio Pochettino praised the overall performance of his USMNT side despite losing 2-0 to South Korea in a friendly in New Jersey on Saturday, but some of his comments will raise eyebrows.
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Pochettino insisted that his team only needs to start winning “when the World Cup starts” next summer, but the defeats are stacking up for the Argentine coach as he rotates his squad and continues to experiment with nine months to go until the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
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The USMNT have lost recent friendlies against Turkiye, Swizterland and South Korea, with another challenging test against Japan coming up in Columbus on Tuesday.
Mauricio Pochettino reaction after USMNT defeat to South Korea
Pochettino said he was “disappointed with the result” against South Korea but insisted that his team are heading in right direction and the wins will come.
“Overall, I think we were better than South Korea, but in the end, if you are not clinical in your own area and the opposite box it’s difficult. We created more chances and we had the feeling that we controlled the game,” Pochettino said in his post-match press conference. “But in some action we conceded. I think we started the game in a very good way. I think we conceded in a way we should not concede. We were working this week to not give the opportunity to a player like Son to run into the space… in that situation we were so passive. When you concede after 20 minutes I think it was tough, it was difficult.
“But I think we need to be positive. Because in the second half the team played really well. We only conceded one shot on target. The team showed character. I am so pleased if I put the result to the side. I am so pleased in the way that we are evolving from the Gold Cup, today with different players, different roster to the Gold Cup, but also the players start to understand what we expect from them. Also, I think the attitude was great. The capacity to be in the game at 2-0 was difficult, against a team that is really good. I think there is a lot to be pleased [about]. Disappointed with the result because you want to win. But I think we need to take the positive things and prepare now the game against Japan that is going to be a similar challenge. Despite the result I saw many positive things.”
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