EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - In the moments following the U.S. men's national team's loss to Turkey, coach Mauricio Pochettino was, generally, pretty happy. The soccer? Good. The energy? Good. The mistakes? Definitely bad but, after spending the spring discussing mentality and intensity, Pochettino was admittedly relieved to get the chance to break down the game on the field.
"I am just so glad we're talking about soccer," Pochettino said.
On Saturday, the soccer wasn't perfect. When you lose 2-1 to Turkey, it's not perfect. Two defensive breakdowns cost the U.S., squandering an early Jack McGlynn stunner. Johnny Cardoso's giveaway and a disastrous series of clearances doomed the U.S., but, those were soccer mistakes, not effort issues.
This was a new beginning, of sorts. A rough one, but a beginning nonetheless. Several individuals got off to inauspicious starts, namely Cardoso, who will have plenty of questions to answer because of it. There were standouts, too, players who made their own Gold Cup cases.
Tuesday will represent another chance in another friendly against another good team, Switzerland, who rolled past Mexico 4-2 on Saturday. Pochettino is glad a tone has been set, despite the loss.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Pratt & Whitney Stadium.