As palpable as the euphoria was among the Americans players who sauntered down the tunnel beneath State Farm Stadium following the USA’s 3-0 dismantling of Mexico last Saturday night in Arizona, so was the exhaustion.
There was no hooting or hollering. The smiles were tired ones. Before walking into the desert night, playmaker Gio was asked how he’d celebrate the Stars and Stripes most lopsided win against its arch nemesis since his father Claudio’s goal capped a 4-0 victory in 1995. The 23-year-old didn’t hesitate. “I’m gonna go to sleep,” Reyna deadpanned.
Mauricio Pochettino’s young U.S. team can’t rest quite yet. Led by a fresh generation of young players — including teenagers Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall, who both scored against Mexico — the Americans are 3-0 so far during this extended, 16-day-long FIFA international window. They’ve managed 11 goals over those exhibitions, including multigoal strolls over South American foes Peru and Chile.
(Photo by Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images)
But before Pochettino’s players pack up this camp and return to their clubs, the American men’s other big rival, Canada, looms on Tuesday night in Minnesota. (Kickoff at 8 p.m. ET.)
Once a regional also-ran, the U.S. hasn’t beaten its northern neighbors in six tries dating to 2021; the USA’s shootout victory in the 2023 Gold Cup quarterfinals counts officially as a tie. They’ve lost two straight to Canada heading into Tuesday’s contest at Allianz Field in St. Paul, including last year under Pochettino in the Concacaf Nations League Finals’ consolation game.
So much has happened since then. The United States and Canada co-hosted the World Cup over the summer along with Mexico, with all three North American squads reaching the round of 16.
Both teams are different even since then; Pochettino’s current roster is almost four years younger than the one he named for soccer’s marquee quadrennial tournament. “It’s a new chapter,” the Argentine said on the eve of the match.
(Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Naturally, Pochettino and his players want to beat the Canadians, break the Americans’ five-year winless streak and complete the four-game sweep. But it’s not the coaching staff’s only priority.
The Reds have played just two times so far this window and have done far less travel. They’re better rested. Pochettino must plan accordingly.
“After three games, [the players are] not at his best,” Pochettino said. “But we can’t change reality. We have to adapt to reality and be ready for competition.
“The result,” he continued, “is important. But it’s not our main goal.”
(Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Stylistically, Canada will present a different challenge for the US than the first three September/October tests.
Led by American and former USA player and assistant coach Jesse Marsh, the Reds are extremely athletic. They press in formation, are deadly on counter-attacks and take advantage of scoring chances.
“I know Jessi very well, I respect him and I like him as a coach,” Pochettino said on Monday. “It’s always difficult to play against the teams he coaches. It’s very intense… yes, it’s a very good challenge for us.”
He also called Canadian goal machine Jonathan David “one of the greatest strikers in the world today.”
“When we were at different clubs, he was always on our radar to try to sign him,” said the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham manager. Now to see him in La Liga, at a club like Atletico Madrid, with a coach like Diego Simeone is fantastic.
(Photo by Indrawan Kumala/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the U.S. has been paced by Hall, who has three goals in his first three international games. World Cup strikers. The 18-year-old football player was included in the squad of the World Cup strikers Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright.
Mixing in inexperienced youngsters — 20-year-old Cole Campbell, nursing a minor illness, is the only player of the 28 players invited to this camp who has yet to see the field — alongside veterans like Chris Richards and captain Tyler Adams has been a theme since the start of the U.S. and World Cup. That will be the case on Tuesday, regardless of the opponent.
“I think we all know what it means to play against Mexico and Canada,” Pochettino said. “We have to focus on our performance. Not, ‘Oh, we have to win.’ We have to win. Yes, of course.
“But the journey is the most important thing,” he said. “That’s our focus right now.”