Mauricio Pochettino’s Prematch Prediction Backfires Spectacularly in Record USMNT Loss

USMNT were thumped 5–2 by Belgium but Pochettino was still able to find some positives. He wasn’t the only one.

Mauricio Pochettino was downcast at the final whistle. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) boss Mauricio Pochettino came into Saturday’s friendly against Belgium with a spring in his step.

Still riding a high from his side’s historic thrashing of Uruguay back in November, Pochettino was willing to tell anyone who would listen that he is dreaming of winning the World Cup on home soil in the summer.

Shortly before kickoff at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, one of the two grounds which will host a semifinal in the upcoming tournament, Pochettino told the TNT Sports panel that he was planning on returning to the venue at the World Cup. “We try to be in the semifinal here,” he grinned, “we need to start to dream today.” A nightmare soon unfolded.

Belgium romped to a 5–2 victory in Atlanta, becoming the first side to score more than four goals against the USMNT throughout Pochettino’s entire tenure. No nation had racked up five goals against the Stars and Stripes in almost 17 years, since the 2009 Gold Cup final humbling at the hands of Mexico.

After taking a first-half lead, the USMNT’s collective fizz faded as Belgium scored three goals in the space of 15 minutes on either side of the interval. Dodi Lukébakio came off the bench for the visitors to really twist the knife with a well-taken brace before Patrick Agyemang nabbed a not so conciliatory consolation goal in the 87th minute.

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What Went Wrong for Pochettino, USMNT?

The USMNT were embarrassed by Belgium on Saturday | John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It all started so well. Before Zeno Debast blasted Belgium level in the last minute of the first half with a sumptuous (and speculative) fizzer from range, the USMNT had given as good as it had gotten.

Reshuffled in a 4-2-3-1 while out of possession, Pochettino’s side morphed into a back-three when it had the ball with one of the midfield duo dropping deeper, thereby allowing the fullbacks Antonee Robinson and Timothy Weah to plough forward. It was the Fulham man who swung the ball in from a corner for Weston McKennie to hand the hosts a deserved advantage in the 39th minute.

However, the USMNT wilted like cardboard in the rain following those early exertions. After matching Belgium for shots on target (four each) and creating two big chances to the Europeans’ zero in the first half, the balance of play dramatically swung after the break.

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Game of Two Halves for USMNT

Statistic	First Half	Second Half
Shots on Target	USMNT 4–4 Belgium	USMNT 1–6 Belgium
Big Chances	USMNT 2–0 Belgium	USMNT 1–3 Belgium
Possession	USMNT 41%–59% Belgium	USMNT 62%–38% Belgium

Stats via FotMob.

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“We were not aggressive enough,” Pochettino admitted, reflecting wryly on his side’s inability to halt Belgium’s swift forward thrusts in transition after the interval.

Having been stymied while boasting most of the ball in the first half, it was intriguing that Belgium’s threat (and the USMNT’s vulnerability) dramatically increased with less possession after the break. The Red Devils boss Rudi Garcia would subsequently explain how he adjusted his midfield into more of a mid-block for the second 45 minutes, removing the USMNT’s threat of penetrating behind Belgium’s high backline while giving his side a sturdier platform from which to spring forward.

“In the key areas, we didn’t have the right energy,” Pochettino added. “We were much more in the last third, we had better numbers. But they [Belgium] were very decisive.”

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USMNT Find Positives Amid the Rubble

The USMNT took the lead against Belgium. | Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos/Getty Images

“It is true that against Belgium we lose 5–2 and from there you can’t say nothing that can convince people that are positive things,” Pochettino began. “But I think there are too many positive things that we are seeing in the dressing room, and all these types of result, it is better it is going to happen now.”

For all the negatives to emerge from Saturday’s setback, Pochettino had some justification in his optimistic take.

“It’s only a game. It’s only a game that nothing [went] for us,” he sighed. “Disappointed with the result, but seeing the performance, we cannot say [any individual player] didn’t perform.”

Pochettino was not alone in his praise of the beaten hosts.

“This team is better than the result tonight,” Belgium boss Rudi Garcia insisted. “We started bad, but also because USA was more aggressive than us.”

As Pochettino was right to point out, the first half “is the way we want to play.” Unfortunately, “It’s only about to keep this level.”

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