Mauricio Pochettino said the defeat to Turkiye had to be viewed in context, with the US already through to the knockout stage and making wholesale changes to their starting line-up after victories over Paraguay and Australia. (Reuters)
The United States conceded a stoppage-time goal to lose 3-2 to Turkiye on Thursday but coach Mauricio Pochettino said there was little reason for concern after his side still finished top of their World Cup group.
The US will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara in the round of 32 on Wednesday, and Pochettino was frustrated that much of the post-match discussion centred on the defeat rather than the co-hosts achieving their main goal of winning Group D.
“At the moment no one congratulated us for finishing first in our group,” Pochettino said. “I congratulate the players, the staff and the fans to finish first in a very difficult group.”
Turkiye had already been eliminated before kickoff but the Argentine said the mood after the match was as if his team were the ones going home. “Our objective was to finish first, and we finished first,” he said. “I’m so positive and I’m happy. Your questions are a little bit weird.”
Pochettino said the defeat had to be viewed in context, with the US already through to the knockout stage and making wholesale changes to their starting line-up after victories over Paraguay and Australia.
“Whenever a team has already qualified and another team has already been knocked out, so many situations come into play,” he added.
Pochettino said the performance reinforced his belief in the depth of the squad, with several players making their World Cup debuts.
“We are a much better team now than before,” he said. “We qualified as number one and we went to the next round. I need to remind you that we won the group.”
Montella says Turkey leave World Cup with heads held high
Turkiye coach Vincenzo Montella said his side would return home with their chin up after ending their World Cup campaign with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over the United States in Los Angeles.
Montella praised the players for showing their skills, abilities and character despite the mental toll of already being eliminated and playing in front of a predominantly pro-US crowd.
“We can go back home with our chin up,” Montella said. “Football hurts, but I got emotional at the end of the game… Today’s match matters much more than 1,000 victories.”
Montella said Turkiye had created enough chances throughout the tournament but had not been clinical enough, while stressing he would not blame individual players for missed opportunities. He said his side had been unfortunate in their opening two matches, arguing that even a draw from either game could have changed their fate, but accepted that “football is not always fair”.
Montella said the team’s celebrations after the final whistle reflected their national pride and gave him confidence for the future.
Turkiye were making their first World Cup appearance since 2002, and Montella said he hoped they would not have to wait another 24 years to return. “Hopefully we will do better, not in 24 years but earlier than that,” he said.
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