Mauricio Pochettino is confident the “process is going to work, for sure” after the United States finally gave a convincing performance in the 2-0 defeat of Japan.
Pochettino has come in for criticism from fans and the US media, not just for a record of six defeats in his first 11 games but more for a lack of obvious playing style less than 12 months out from the World Cup they co-host alongside Canada and Mexico.
But goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun meant a much-needed win in Columbus and gave Pochettino the chance to look ahead with confidence.
It’s about the process – Pochettino
The Argentine said: “[We’ve needed] time because the players need to know us, the staff need to know us, we need to adapt to them, we need to adapt to the player.
“We need to know the player … that is a big picture that we talk [about], but sometimes people want the result tomorrow, and why you don’t call this [player] or call another.
“[What’s] most important is the process. The most important today, [is it about] winning or lose? No, it’s about the process. It’s about the player really believing in what we are doing. That they respect us, how we respect them. We are capable to build that relationship … give time to the process and the process is going to work, for sure.”
Zendejas and Balogun provide the goals, Pulisic provides the spark
Zendejas opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, converting Max Arfsten’s cross with a crisp volley, and Balogun made sure of the win after running on to a pass from the impressive Christian Pulisic and slotting past Keisuke Osaka.
Home goalkeeper Matthew Freese made some important saves at the other end to preserve the win.
“We’re building something big here. He’s obviously a top coach and it takes time, and he tried to emphasize that to us to be patient,” Balogun said. “Confidence, I think it’s really important. The results are at the end of the day the sort of industry we’re in.”
Pochettino now has another month to assess the display and that of his side in Saturday’s defeat to South Korea before the next international beak that sees the USMNT take on Ecuador on October 10 and Australia four days later.
