EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Despite enduring a third successive defeat, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino remains optimistic about the future outcomes for his team. “We need to believe. We need to compete like today and for sure we’re going to have the possibility to win the World Cup,” Pochettino commented after the USA squandered an early advantage in a 2-1 friendly loss to Turkey on Saturday.
The match saw Jack McGlynn finding the net just 59 seconds into the game for the U.S., a squad missing many of its regular players, as Pochettino decided to overhaul the roster following a lackluster performance at the CONCACAF Nations League final four held in March.
Despite the U.S. managing 60% of the possession and having more shots than Turkey with a 13-11 count, vulnerabilities in defense allowed Turkey to capitalize. Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürko?lu scored in a rapid two-minute, 20-second window midway through the first half, turning the match in their favor.
Under Pochettino, the U.S. team, now holding a record of 5-4, has faced three consecutive defeats for the second time within a year. Pochettino, the 53-year-old Argentine, has a coaching history with Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea. Reflecting on the match, he remarked, “Today, who is going to tell me, oh, we showed lack of, we showed lack of — lack of what today? The team showed what (it) needed to show. … Playing in this way, they are going to win most of the games.”
Since 1930, the U.S. has not made it to the World Cup semifinals, and their last quarterfinal appearance was in 2022. Responding to recent setbacks, Pochettino replaced eight starters from the Nations League’s loss to Canada in March and only retained Max Arfsten, Diego Luna, and Patrick Agyemang in the playing XI. “Some guys that are coming in — and they’re not thinking twice about taking someone on. It’s not playing safe. It’s like, let’s take risks and try to go after this thing,” remarked midfielder Tyler Adams, who joined the fray at the start of the second half. “I think having fresh faces, guys that aren’t fearless, young guys, that’s going to help us.”
With less than a year left before the U.S. co-hosts the World Cup, their next friendly fixture is against Switzerland on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee. Following this, they kick off the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15.
“I am really sad because I think this group of players are working so hard and I think we deserve (a) better result today,” lamented Pochettino. “I think we performed well. I think we’re brave enough. I think the attitude was: Go and press, match in every single aspect a team like Turkey that is one of the best teams in the last year in Europe.”
Alex Freeman, a 20-year-old making his debut, started for the U.S. alongside Matt Freese, another debutant, who was selected as the goalkeeper. Matt Turner, the regular starter since 2022, was absent from Crystal Palace’s squad post-March 1. Quinn Sullivan and Nathan Harriel also debuted as substitutes 65 minutes into the game.
McGlynn managed to put the U.S. in front early on by receiving a pass from Malik Tilman, and after several touches, he curled a left-footed shot from outside the penalty box into the far post, marking his second goal across five international appearances. His rapid goal was the fastest for the U.S. since Shaq Moore scored within 20 seconds against Canada in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Turkey’s equalizer came in the 24th minute when Freese pushed the ball to Johnny Cardoso, who ended up inadvertently assisting Güler after the ball deflected past Freese. Just minutes later, in the 27th minute, an attempt by Miles Robinson to clear O?uz Ayd?n’s shot resulted in the ball reaching Aktürko?lu, who secured Turkey’s lead with a sharp one-timed shot for his 12th international goal and sixth in just eight matches.
Reflecting on the performance, Pochettino stated, “Of the goals that we concede, that created a big mess on the team.”