Mauricio Pochettino faced his first loss as the United States head coach on Tuesday, falling 2-0 to Mexico in a friendly match. The defeat ended the U.S. team’s seven-match unbeaten streak against their old rivals, which dated back to 2019. Goals from Raul Jimenez and Cesar Huerta sealed the victory for Mexico, breaking the American side’s run of dominance in the rivalry.
Pochettino came into the contest without key players, including midfielder Tyler Adams and forwards Tim Weah and Folarin Balogun. Additionally, he traveled to Mexico without star winger Christian Pulisic and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, as both had returned to their respective clubs. On the other hand, Mexico’s lineup featured 38-year-old Andrés Guardado, who made his 182nd and final appearance for the national team, setting a new record for caps.
Jiménez broke the deadlock with a stunning long-range shot, curling the ball from over 25 yards out into the net for his 34th international goal. He then set up Mexico’s second goal, chasing down a through ball and, after Tim Ream’s attempted clearance, regaining control to deliver a pass to Huerta for the finish.
Mexico defeat USMNT 2-0 and hand Mauricio Pochettino his first loss in just his second game in charge ❌ pic.twitter.com/K8hlAVyFci
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 16, 2024
“It wasn’t a great performance,” said Pochettino .“But this type of game I think is perfect for us to learn. I think we started the game well after we conceded the goal, I think the impact was massive for us, and, of course, they started maybe to win the duels and to be a little bit better, a little bit more aggressive than us,”
“Overall I think Mexico was a little bit better than us and fully deserved the victory. But for us, it’s a process that we started a few days ago and today was a great opportunity for our players to visit a very difficult place to play. I think only we can improve from and learn from this experience.” added the former Tottenham Hotspur manager.
Pochettino, who took over from Gregg Berhalter last month, began his tenure with a 2-0 victory against Panama in his debut match. He emphasized the need for patience as he continues to assess the USMNT roster. “We need time to properly evaluate all the players, and get to know them well, and only then can I provide a more detailed perspective on the team’s needs.”
With the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals against Jamaica coming up in November, the focus now shifts to preparing for that crucial month.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
