Latest news with #MauricioPochettino
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Four things we learned from the USMNT's Gold Cup group stage
For as much as the Gold Cup gets denigrated, it's a much tougher tournament than it might appear. The ongoing tournament is the 11th edition in the last two decades, and this year's US are just the 10th team to make it through three group matches unscathed (Panama became the 11th on Tuesday). US manager Mauricio Pochettino has to be pleased with his team's performance. After rough showings in the pre-tournament friendly matches, a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago was cathartic, while a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia and a 2-1 victory against Haiti also showed that the US are trying to make winning a habit as their manager has asked. If Pochettino took lessons from those exhibitions and applied them to the tournament, it stands to reason that he'll take the learnings from the group stage and put them toward what the US hopes will be three knockout contests. Here are four things we learned from the USMNT in the group stage: The days ahead of the tournament began were filled with worry about the fact that Christian Pulisic would not be part of the competition, opting for summer rest rather than trying to win what would be his first career Gold Cup title (a decision that caused no shortage of drama and discourse). There is no doubt the US would be a better team with Pulisic, and when he wants to come back into the team, he'll likely go straight back into the XI barring a real showdown with manager Mauricio Pochettino. But in the group stage, the US has shown that it has players in the pool who can provide an attacking spark. Malik Tillman is most notable among them, scoring three goals in the group stage including a pair against Trinidad and Tobago and the opener against Haiti. Consistently dangerous and also hard-working, Tillman has been the breakout star of the tournament, putting the form he has often displayed with PSV on the field with the national team. 'What a player, no? What a player that is showing in this camp his talent and (ability),' Pochettino said. Indeed. It's not just Tillman, a Bayern Munich product who reportedly is drawing interest for a Bundesliga return, who is bolstering the US. Diego Luna continues to inject energy and try to create chances when he's on the field, and Quinn Sullivan certainly isn't afraid to try a few things – notably going for a rabona against Haiti but also putting a number of shots on target and linking up well with Tillman and the other attackers when he's on the field. While Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte had to pull out with injuries, Pochettino's top two goalkeepers remained in camp and look to be in open competition for the starting spot going forward. Or maybe the newer of those faces, NYCFC shot-stopper Matt Freese, is ahead for now. Freese started the first friendly of the summer against Turkey, while previous US No 1 Matt Turner played the friendly match against Switzerland that saw the Americans concede four goals in the first half. While it seems the competition is somewhat cut-throat, Pochettino laughed off the idea that Freese conceding on an error against Haiti would lead to some sort of conversation between the manager and the goalkeeper. 'Remember, the most important action is the next one. If you're thinking about the last one, you're dead. You're going to make another mistake,' Pochettino said. 'This type of accident happens and it'll happen in the future, but we're so happy with him and the quality of our keepers, of course, the way they're supporting each other.' For his part, Freese said he immediately put the error out of his mind and focused on not allowing another goal. 'You have to move on very quickly, so, thankfully, the guys we all support each other in the bad moments and in the good moments,' he said. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion We'll see where the coaching staff's thoughts are when the starting lineup comes out against Costa Rica, a team with no goalkeeping battle thanks to anchor Keylor Navas. The US came into the summer hoping they would enjoy the returns of right back Sergiño Dest, left back Antonee Robinson and striker Folarin Balogun. Instead, all three are missing the tournament because of injuries. Though striker Patrick Agyemang has scored twice in the group stage, the balance of his play has yet to convince that he's polished enough at this point in his career to be a consistent option up top. The US needs Balogun and Ricardo Pepi fit and ready to go at the 2026 World Cup. Otherwise, the may find themselves in a situation like 2022, with no great goal-scoring options in a knockout game. A similar dynamic exists among the wide defenders. While Alex Freeman has been a pleasant surprise as a serviceable option at right back, both of Robinson's replacements – Max Arften and John Tolkin – have had a few adventures, and it's clear Robinson is the best American left back by a wide margin. While the US has looked great through three group games, their chief Concacaf rivals haven't. Mexico managed just a draw with Costa Rica, and while they still have far more of their key contributors than the US does, they've struggled to score from open play, even struggling a bit against the Dominican Republic in the opener. Their Gold Cup has seen them relying on set pieces and a defense that is stingy with center back Johan Vázquez back and partnering César Montes once again, allowing Edson Álvarez to break things up in midfield. Canada struggled, and eventually drew, with Curaçao. The US will have no such margin for error now. It wouldn't be out of the question for a team with as much experience and talent as Costa Rica to relish being a stumbling block on the US's road to redemption after the last-place Nations League Final Four finish and the miserable friendlies. A great day from Navas (and perhaps a goal from Alonso Martínez) are both within the realm of possibility. It was a strong start, but the finish will matter much more, not just for this Gold Cup, but for momentum heading into the big show next year.
Fox Sports
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Gold Cup roundtable: Should the U.S. fear Canada or Mexico more?
Next up for the U.S. men's national team is a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals clash against Costa Rica on Sunday (7 p.m. ET on FOX). To recap their group stage. A 5-0 drubbing of Trinidad & Tobago, followed by 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia (an invited team to the tournament) and then an entertaining 2-1 victory over Haiti. Those aren't the biggest brand-name wins, but that's okay. The way the U.S. entered the tournament amid drama of which players are here (and who isn't), any positive momentum for coach Mauricio Pochettino and his crew was welcome. So, which players have made the most of it with the 2026 World Cup next summer? Can the U.S. finish this Gold Cup as winners? Here's what stood out from the group stage of the Gold Cup and what's for this weekend's quarterfinals. Which USMNT player has made the best case for a World Cup spot? McIntyre: Malik Tillman, without a doubt. Three years after almost making the 2022 World Cup roster as a 20-year-old, Tillman began 2025 as a coin flip for next summer. But with three goals in three games at this Gold Cup, he's staking a claim for a starting spot at main event — even when regulars like Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah return. The silky attacker seems well-suited to occupy a central playmaking role between Pulisic and Weah — the job Gio Reyna has at times filled for the U.S. Tillman's emergence this month is more bad news for Reyna, who didn't play in either of Borussia Dortmund's first two matches at the FIFA Club World Cup. But it's great for Tillman and the USMNT. Litman: Outside of Tillman, I would say Sebastian Berhalter has raised his profile. He was especially noticeable against Saudi Arabia, where he won most of his one-on-one battles and stood up for Tyler Adams when he was pushed to the ground. Berhalter has been extra impressive when it comes to set pieces, too, offering a perfect ball on Chris Richards' goal in that same match. Set pieces have been a thorn in the USMNT's side. In the past, Christian Pulisic has taken them – the overall service was suboptimal and the Americans didn't capitalize enough. Berhalter, meanwhile, offers this critical skill set that will be important for Mauricio Pochettino to take into consideration when he's mulling over roster selection for the 2026 World Cup. Who has been the biggest surprise at this Gold Cup? McIntyre: It has to be Panama's Ismael Diaz. Díaz scored five goals in the group stage, leapfrogging Tillman and into the top spot in the Golden Boot race with his hat trick against Jamaica on Tuesday. I know he also scored a hat trick in the 2023 Gold Cup, but his production so far is still a surprise. Litman: It was surprising to see Jamaica eliminated in the group stage. The Reggae Boyz went 1-2 in the group stage to skid to a third-place finish in Group C. They were surprisingly upset by Guatemala 1-0 in their first match (after beating that same squad 3-0 the week prior) and were crushed by Panama 4-1 in the third match to seal their fate. Mexico and Canada: What has stood out from the biggest rivals? McIntyre: I don't think either has looked invincible, or even all that good, at this Gold Cup. El Tri struggled to beat the Dominican Republic and settled for a scoreless tie with a banged up and shorthanded Costa Rican side (though add my name to the list of people who think Santi Gimenez's late golazo should've counted). Meantime, Les Rouges have been wholly unconvincing since their tourney-opening thumping of Honduras. Canada couldn't beat Curaçao in their second match, and they couldn't score in Tuesday's group finale until El Salvador had been reduced to nine men. They're also missing their best player in captain Alphonso Davies — and maybe some swagger because of it. Litman: I'll take Canada. From the controversy around manager Jesse Marsch which resulted in a two-game suspension, to the team tying Curaçao and only beating El Salvador 2-0 when they were down two men doesn't give good feelings that this is a team who has what it takes to win it all. If they're not careful, Canada could be ousted by Guatemala in the quarters this weekend. True or False: Will the U.S. win the Gold Cup? McIntyre: False. I think the U.S gets past Los Ticos and advances to Wednesday's semifinal against either Canada or Guatemala. Beating Canada won't be easy, though not impossible, assuming they prevail as expected. But beating Canada and then either Panama or especially Mexico, who'd take the field for the finale in front of a sea of green shirts in Houston on July 6, might be a little bit beyond a U.S. squad that is missing more than a dozen of its top players. Can it happen? Sure. It did in 2021. This group, like that one, is tight off the field and has been building momentum on it. If they play their hearts out, play together and get a bounce or two, they can win this thing. I just wouldn't bet on it. Litman: True. The USMNT should beat Costa Rica in the quarterfinal and advance to the semi, where it would face the winner of Canada-Guatemala. If it's Canada, the U.S. has an opportunity for Nations League revenge. And if this motley crew of an American squad can come together and do that, they would have the momentum to potentially take on a quality Mexico squad in the final. Playing El Tri in front of what would likely be a pro-Mexico crowd in Houston will be challenging, but that's the kind of test the team needs a year before the World Cup. Plus, wouldn't it be quite the story if the USMNT came together after all the pre-tournament drama and raised the Gold Cup trophy? Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ ByDougMcIntyre . Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . recommended Get more from FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Washington Post
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
He was raised alongside the U.S. men's national team. Now he's part of it.
MINNEAPOLIS — By almost every measure, Sebastian Berhalter is a newcomer to the U.S. men's national soccer team at this Concacaf Gold Cup. On June 1, he reported to his first training camp and, nine days later, debuted for Coach Mauricio Pochettino in the final tune-up. In the pauses between practices, games and trips, the 24-year-old midfielder absorbs instruction from the coaching staff, bonds with other novices seeking to catch Pochettino's eye before the 2026 World Cup and gains the trust of the experienced corps.
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Fernández finally flourishing with Chelsea as Benfica reunion awaits
Enzo Fernández is no stranger to the big stage. The midfielder took his chance when he broke through at the 2022 World Cup, earning a starting role for Argentina after coming off the bench to score a vital goal against Mexico in the group stage. Fernández looked as if he had been in the team for years by the time Argentina beat France in the final. He was named young player of the tournament and inevitably became a target for several big clubs. It was not long before word was filtering out of Portugal that Chelsea and Liverpool were looking at signing the former River Plate midfielder in the January 2023 transfer window. Chelsea's fear was that Arsenal and Manchester City were planning to move for Fernández in the summer. Unwilling to miss out on a key target, the decision was made to pay above the going rate. Expectations rocketed when Fernández joined for £106.7m, breaking the British transfer record. He walked into a troubled club. Seasoned players wanted out, Graham Potter was close to being sacked and there was a lot of pressure on Fernández because of his fee, even though he had moved to a new league halfway through season and had made only 25 starts for Benfica. Mauricio Pochettino, who replaced Potter in the summer of 2023, often talked about Fernández's journey moving too quickly. He was sympathetic in relation to his compatriot's workload and wanted him to improve his physique. Fernández produced flashes of quality but his partnership with Moisés Caicedo often malfunctioned. Soon there were suggestions that Chelsea were better without Fernández, who missed the end of the 2023-24 season after a hernia operation. Yet Benfica will encounter a much tougher version of Fernández when they play Chelsea in the last 16 of the Club World Cup on Saturday. The 24-year-old is in excellent shape before facing his former side for the first time. Fernández emerged as a leader last season and has added a new edge to his game, flourishing since Enzo Maresa adjusted his role, pushing him forward and challenging him to score more. There was a point when it seemed Fernández was being eased out because of the emergence of Roméo Lavia as a deep-lying partner for Caicedo. There were whispers that the Argentinian world champion was in danger of becoming a very expensive reserve. Nobody questioned Maresca when he put Fernández on the bench against Liverpool last October and started without him in four consecutive league games. The statistics suggested it was the right decision. Fernández had scored seven goals since joining Chelsea, his tackle success rate was 39%, his passing had declined and he was not creating big chances. But he responded. Fernández, named after the former Uruguay great Enzo Francescoli, set up Chelsea's equaliser after coming on against Arsenal in early November. He returned to the starting lineup against Leicester and provided a goal and an assist. 'I am trying to convince Enzo that attacking midfielders have to arrive in the box,' Maresca said. The Leicester game marked a shift. The assumption with Fernández when he joined was that he was a conductor; a direct replacement for Jorginho. Maresca sees it differently. If Fernández does not have the mobility to be a driving box-to-box midfielder and is wasted screening a defence, then ask him to do less. Contain his role and put him in the right areas. Playing higher, Fernández has turned into a box-crashing midfielder. No Chelsea player has more goal involvement in 2025 than his 14. Fernández has been their best player at the Club World Cup so far. He came off the bench to make a late run and score when Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC in their opening game. There was a reminder, too, of Fernández's ability to pick a pass when he set up Liam Delap's goal against Esperance. 'He's told me to run when he gets the ball,' Delap said. The challenge now is for Fernández to offer more in the biggest games. Eight of those 14 goal involvements have come against lowly Conference League opponents and in the Club World Cup. A headed winner against Tottenham in April and a smart finish to open the scoring against Liverpool last month offer evidence that Fernández can thrive in pressure moments. They were big goals in Chelsea's push for Champions League qualification. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Fernández is in a much better place than when he headed to the US for Chelsea's pre-season tour last year. He was a disgraced figure back then, after being filmed taking part in a racist chant after Argentina's triumph in the Copa América. Reintegrating him was a challenge. Maresca was criticised for making Fernández captain on the opening weekend of the season. Wounds have been healed, though. Fernández was forgiven after apologising to his teammates. The hope is that he has matured. Chelsea are a young team. Fernández is a competitor. He plays with a snarl. He does not shy away from confronting opponents. He has stepped up in recent months. Much of the focus after Chelsea fought back from 1-0 down to beat Real Betis in the Conference League final was on Cole Palmer's second-half brilliance but it should not be forgotten that it was Fernández who ghosted into the box to score the equaliser. More of that and people will start talking about the new Frank Lampard.
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Four things we learned from the USMNT's Gold Cup group stage
For as much as the Gold Cup gets denigrated, it's a much tougher tournament than it might appear. The ongoing tournament is the 11th edition in the last two decades, and this year's US are just the 10th team to make it through three group matches unscathed (Panama became the 11th on Tuesday). US manager Mauricio Pochettino has to be pleased with his team's performance. After rough showings in the pre-tournament friendly matches, a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago was cathartic, while a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia and a 2-1 victory against Haiti also showed that the US are trying to make winning a habit as their manager has asked. If Pochettino took lessons from those exhibitions and applied them to the tournament, it stands to reason that he'll take the learnings from the group stage and put them toward what the US hopes will be three knockout contests. Here are four things we learned from the USMNT in the group stage: The days ahead of the tournament began were filled with worry about the fact that Christian Pulisic would not be part of the competition, opting for summer rest rather than trying to win what would be his first career Gold Cup title (a decision that caused no shortage of drama and discourse). There is no doubt the US would be a better team with Pulisic, and when he wants to come back into the team, he'll likely go straight back into the XI barring a real showdown with manager Mauricio Pochettino. But in the group stage, the US has shown that it has players in the pool who can provide an attacking spark. Malik Tillman is most notable among them, scoring three goals in the group stage including a pair against Trinidad and Tobago and the opener against Haiti. Consistently dangerous and also hard-working, Tillman has been the breakout star of the tournament, putting the form he has often displayed with PSV on the field with the national team. 'What a player, no? What a player that is showing in this camp his talent and (ability),' Pochettino said. Indeed. It's not just Tillman, a Bayern Munich product who reportedly is drawing interest for a Bundesliga return, who is bolstering the US. Diego Luna continues to inject energy and try to create chances when he's on the field, and Quinn Sullivan certainly isn't afraid to try a few things – notably going for a rabona against Haiti but also putting a number of shots on target and linking up well with Tillman and the other attackers when he's on the field. While Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte had to pull out with injuries, Pochettino's top two goalkeepers remained in camp and look to be in open competition for the starting spot going forward. Or maybe the newer of those faces, NYCFC shot-stopper Matt Freese, is ahead for now. Freese started the first friendly of the summer against Turkey, while previous US No 1 Matt Turner played the friendly match against Switzerland that saw the Americans concede four goals in the first half. While it seems the competition is somewhat cut-throat, Pochettino laughed off the idea that Freese conceding on an error against Haiti would lead to some sort of conversation between the manager and the goalkeeper. 'Remember, the most important action is the next one. If you're thinking about the last one, you're dead. You're going to make another mistake,' Pochettino said. 'This type of accident happens and it'll happen in the future, but we're so happy with him and the quality of our keepers, of course, the way they're supporting each other.' For his part, Freese said he immediately put the error out of his mind and focused on not allowing another goal. 'You have to move on very quickly, so, thankfully, the guys we all support each other in the bad moments and in the good moments,' he said. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion We'll see where the coaching staff's thoughts are when the starting lineup comes out against Costa Rica, a team with no goalkeeping battle thanks to anchor Keylor Navas. The US came into the summer hoping they would enjoy the returns of right back Sergiño Dest, left back Antonee Robinson and striker Folarin Balogun. Instead, all three are missing the tournament because of injuries. Though striker Patrick Agyemang has scored twice in the group stage, the balance of his play has yet to convince that he's polished enough at this point in his career to be a consistent option up top. The US needs Balogun and Ricardo Pepi fit and ready to go at the 2026 World Cup. Otherwise, the may find themselves in a situation like 2022, with no great goal-scoring options in a knockout game. A similar dynamic exists among the wide defenders. While Alex Freeman has been a pleasant surprise as a serviceable option at right back, both of Robinson's replacements – Max Arften and John Tolkin – have had a few adventures, and it's clear Robinson is the best American left back by a wide margin. While the US has looked great through three group games, their chief Concacaf rivals haven't. Mexico managed just a draw with Costa Rica, and while they still have far more of their key contributors than the US does, they've struggled to score from open play, even struggling a bit against the Dominican Republic in the opener. Their Gold Cup has seen them relying on set pieces and a defense that is stingy with center back Johan Vázquez back and partnering César Montes once again, allowing Edson Álvarez to break things up in midfield. Canada struggled, and eventually drew, with Curaçao. The US will have no such margin for error now. It wouldn't be out of the question for a team with as much experience and talent as Costa Rica to relish being a stumbling block on the US's road to redemption after the last-place Nations League Final Four finish and the miserable friendlies. A great day from Navas (and perhaps a goal from Alonso Martínez) are both within the realm of possibility. It was a strong start, but the finish will matter much more, not just for this Gold Cup, but for momentum heading into the big show next year.
