United States manager Mauricio Pochettino maintained his team played better than South Korea despite Saturday\'s 2-0 defeat, emphasizing progress ahead of Tuesday\'s friendly against Japan.
Speaking at Monday\'s press conference in Columbus, Pochettino said reviewing match footage made him \"even more positive\" about the performance. The USMNT faces Japan at Lower.com Field seeking to return to winning ways.
Pochettino defended his tactical approach and praised players for executing the game plan. He stressed the importance of trusting the process with nine months remaining until the World Cup.
\"The players tried to do, they did what we wanted. I think I am positive because the players trust in the process, because they know that we have a plan,\" Pochettino said.
The Argentine coach indicated he will make several lineup changes against Japan to evaluate untested players. He emphasized the need to develop squad depth before finalizing his World Cup roster.
Pochettino suggested he might experiment further with the five-man backline used in the final 30 minutes against South Korea. The formation showed promising results in limited action.
\"Maybe yes, maybe we see that tomorrow. That is the plan [to try it] sometime,\" he said when asked about tactical variations.
The manager explained his rotation strategy centers on World Cup preparation rather than immediate results. He wants multiple options available should injuries affect key players before the tournament.
Pochettino acknowledged his competitive nature while maintaining focus on long-term development. The USMNT continues World Cup preparations with limited international windows remaining before the tournament.
