Struggling spell for Pochettino as USMNT suffers a 2-0 defeat against South Korea
Mauricio Pochettino, the coach of the United States men's national soccer team, announced his squad for the September friendlies, leaving several notable players off the roster. The team faced South Korea in a friendly match, which ended in a 2-0 loss.
The haphazard backline of the United States gave up a pair of first-half goals, with Heung-Min Son scoring the opening goal for South Korea, catching debutant Tristan Blackmon on the back foot. The Korean defense effectively thwarted the American attack throughout the first half.
Despite the loss, Pochettino expressed some positive sentiments about the team's performance. He was asked when the USMNT needs to start winning games, and he replied that it should start when the World Cup begins.
The United States' attack was dangerous at times but ultimately fruitless. Link-up play from Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Diego Luna, and Tim Weah looked promising but ultimately unsatisfactory. Pulisic's effort to find substitute striker Folarin Balogun was denied twice by Jo.
The issues in the match primarily stemmed from the backline, with players looking out-of-form. Arfsten struggled with pace, while Blackmon and Ream's sloppy play led to the second goal.
Pochettino's attacking group featured familiar faces, including Pulisic, Weah, and Dest. Tim Ream, in response to a question, stated that the team's culture and standard is not dependent on individual players.
Interestingly, several players excluded from Pochettino's September friendlies but later called up for the FIFA World Cup include Jonathan Klinsmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Noahkai Banks, and Damion Downs. The addition of Sergiño Luna, a Gold Cup star, was expected in the squad.
Despite the loss, the United States had numerous dangerous chances in the second half but failed to convert. The Americans will look to bounce back in their next match.
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