U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino described Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Panama in the Concacaf Nations League semifinal as not truly reflecting the team’s potential, including star player Christian Pulisic.
The U.S., having won the tournament three times, lost after what Pochettino labeled a first half that was “painful” to watch, with the team dominating possession but failing to produce quality chances. They made 12 shots but resulted in just 0.68 expected goals against a defensive Panama. Pulisic specifically struggled, managing only one shot throughout the match.
“It’s not [an] excuse, but a player like him is under high pressure in the last few months,” Pochettino commented. “For sure, that is not the Christian we want to see because I think he can do much better.”
The head coach expressed hope that the circumstances surrounding injuries would shift for the upcoming match against Canada. He emphasized the importance of building chemistry within the team and expectations for improvement moving forward.
Upcoming Match Details:
- Match Date: Sunday, March 23
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
- Live Stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Canada +225; Draw +230; USMNT +114
Pochettino also indicated adjustments would be necessary to improve the team’s performance and competitive edge in future matches.
