They played soccer as if on a field without goals, is how Coach Mauricio Pochettino described his U.S. team’s performance against Panama.
“Keeping possession, playing, playing, playing, playing, playing, playing, but not scoring,” he said on Saturday about Thursday’s 1-0 loss.
On Sunday, the USA vies for third place in the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League when it faces Canada, which lost, 2-0, to Mexico in its Thursday semifinal.
“This is an important game to see how we react,” Pochettino said. “We need to show character.”
He said failing to unlock Panama’s packed defense wasn’t for lack of effort.
“They followed the game plan,” he said. “I can’t complain that they didn’t try. We ran, we made the effort … but I didn’t see the chemistry.
“Not seeing chemistry on the field is what worried me. Maybe that was my fault. And now we need to select different players …”
Pochettino didn’t reveal what lineup changes he would make, but shared that his quest for team chemistry includes off-field observations.
“The information we receive from the field is important,” he said, “but also the information of how they are living now. How they’re together in groups. The dynamic of the group is important.”
The USA may have hired a world renowned coach in Pochettino, who’s guided teams with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Lionel Messi. But the Argentine and his staff are experiencing national team coaching for the first time.
“We are discovering a different way to work,” Pochettino said. “We are discovering things that we need to pay attention to in a different way than when we were involved in the clubs.
“Sometimes we feel frustrated. When you have the players every day, you can affect them directly in a better way. Now it’s about learning to adapt and having an effect when you only have control for a few days.”
U.S. Soccer hired Pochettino six months ago. Sunday marks his eighth game on the U.S sidelines — the same number of games club teams may play in six weeks.
Offensive midfielder Gio Reyna (31 caps/8 goals) and defensive midfielder Tyler Adams (43 caps/2 goals) are two veterans in camp for the first time under Pochettino. Adams started against Panama but Reyna remained on the bench.
On Saturday Pochettino referred to Reyna as an “important player in the past” who’s not playing much for his club. Having him in camp has been an opportunity to get to know him, Pochettino said.
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