A last-second goal ends the World Cup honeymoon for Mauricio Pochettino and the USA. Now the real work begins
Mauricio Pochettino said he was happy. He said it in English, he said it in his native Spanish. He swore he was happy.
He didn’t sound happy. And really, there wasn’t much of a reason to be.
A little more than an hour before his post-match press conference in the bowels of SoFi Stadium, Pochettino watched his USA team give up a last-second goal to Turkey that ensured a 3-2 defeat in this final match of the group stage. A weakened US side – nine changes were made from the team that faced Australia last week in Seattle – had scored quickly, gave up two first-half goals and then equalized in a strong second half.
But a goal from Kaan Ayhan, scored with the last kick of the game, handed the US its first defeat after two dominant victories to open the tournament. And with it, he may have ended the honeymoon for this USA team.
Pochettino’s surly mood after the game – brushing off questions about momentum, chastising American journalists for not congratulating him for winning Group D – was a marked change from the gregarious figure who sat in the same chair a little more than 24 hours before. The question now is if that mood was indicative of the vibes around this US team changing ahead of the knockout stages now that the bubble of invincibility has been popped.
“I think it’s all positive, and I am so positive, and I am happy,” Pochettino said in answer to a question about whether the US may have lost momentum. “Maybe I am not showing (it) because your questions are a little bit weird, but I am so happy, and the players are happy because I think we perform, we compete, and we are first.
“I was talking with the Turkish channel now, as I said, ‘Have a good trip back to Turkey,’ and we are going on. But I think now when I arrive here (in the press conference) – maybe I am confused – but maybe the mood is like we go home tonight and Turkey stay.”
Pochettino is, of course, right on some very important points. By winning its first two games of this World Cup, the USA locked up the top spot in Group D and has a Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina set for July 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s exactly what this team would have hoped for when the tournament started and gives them a favorable path for a deep tournament run.
His lineup on Thursday, which consisted of eight players making their first World Cup starts, showed off the depth of his team as key players like Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson were able to rest and avoid possible suspension for the game against the Zmajevi. Despite the multitude of changes, the Americans started the game well with an opening goal in the third minute and then fought back to tie the match in the second half after Turkey finally got on the score sheet.
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