East Hartford, Connecticut – Saturday’s game marked the beginning of the most important month of Mauricio Pochettino’s mandate until the coach of the United States National Men’s Football Team.
Starting with The Friendly with Türkiye, Pochettino’s workforce has five games scheduled in June, and possibly more if they reach beyond the Gold Cup group stage.
The team is also only one year after the 2026 World Cup that the United States will participate in accommodation.
Although a 2-1 loss against Türkiye may not be the most unpleasant result, Pochettino said he was satisfied with his team’s production on Saturday.
“In general, I think we may say we deserved a draw, but we lose,” said Pochettino. “But I think we have to be positive today … I think the team showed great energy, a great mentality, a great attitude. In this kind of game, maybe if you make a mistake, you will lose.
“But you made a mistake because it is football, it’s football.”
The game started incredibly well for the United States, as Jack McGlynn got a beauty of a goal to give -the leadership in the first minute.
McGlynn’s goal fired on the multitude of Connecticut and for the next 20 minutes, the Pochettino club was clear.
However, once they faced a significant challenge from Türkiye, the United States began to slip.
In the 24th minute, a pass by Johnny Cardoso diverted Arda Güler and the back of the net to tie the game. Two minutes later, with the still augmented press, a bad distance became another goal for Türkiye, this time of Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
“In the first 15, 20 minutes I think we showed a high quality,” said Pochettino. “But due to the emotional impact of the goal we granted, this created a great disaster on the team.”
After the second goal, the visitors maintained the pressure, based on an impressive exhibition of the Turkish fans.
At the end of the first half, Türkiye had surpassed the United States 9-3 despite the fact that the home team had almost 60 percent of possession.
However, during the break, Pochettino’s squad regained its composition.
In the second, the United States bounced back well, immediately gaze on the net.
“At the end of the first half we suffered a little, but I think in the second half we recovered our energy and I think the second half was a uniform game,” said Pochettino.
The United States started five shots in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Tyler Adams, who entered the break as a substitute.
“This is the first time we have descended and we have created so many clear possibilities afterwards,” said Adams. “So it was a huge positive for us, now it’s just about putting the ball on the back of the net.”
In the 53rd, the striker Patrick Agyemang had a great look on the net, but hit him directly to goalkeeper Berke Özer.
Throughout the game, Agyemang fired three shots, but could not score a goal.
While Pochettino said that Agyemang could have been a little more focused on the whole game, he also acknowledged the task of Turkish defense.
“It was perhaps the first time he had played against two central centers with his experience and quality, playing at the top of Europe,” said Pochettino. “Today I saw Patrick struggling with two players that are some of the toughest central centers in the world.”
Even after Agyemang underwent in the 74th minute, the United States attack maintained things. However, the house squad could not yet find Igualada.
In full-time, despite controlling 59 percent of possession and overcoming its opponents 13-11, the United States fell 2-1.
However, whether it was the main coach or the players, the United States knew that they started in June on the right foot.
“We look at the highest standard, I think there are many positives to take away,” said Adams. “I think there is more positive to take away than the negatives. I think it is important for us to return to the position in which we begin to do the right things at the right times, making the correct decisions.
“Once again, I think today in a friendly game we were comfortable trying and risking things, but we have to be comfortable to assume these risks when it comes to real competition.”
The United States then has a friendlier before the Gold Cup game starts on June 15 with Trinidad and Tobago. On June 10, Switzerland will be welcomed in Nashville.
Although Pochettino always seeks a strong effort and mentality in friends, he acknowledges that the initial alignments against Türkiye and Switzerland will probably not be exactly the same for the next tournament.
“The list we have built to play in the Golden Cup and these two sympathetic games, we know that players are at different levels, which is why these two weeks are a significant preparation for the Golden Cup,” said Pochettino. “We want to win and compete very well in the Gold Cup. It will be difficult? Of course it will be difficult. What we expect is what we saw [today].
“I think the list we have is the best players we can have. We have to believe, we have to compete as we have done today and surely we will have the opportunity to win the Golden Cup.”