The win wasn't as comprehensive as the Gold Cup opener but, for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT, it was just as important
AUSTIN, Texas – There was a word that Mauricio Pochettino kept emphasizing in the moments after the U.S. men's national team's win over Saudi Arabia Thursday night: process. He said it seven times throughout his postgame remarks. Yes, that's two wins from two to start the Gold Cup. Yes, the USMNT are into the quarterfinals of this competition for the 18th time in 18 editions. But the process? That's ongoing.
In some ways, Thursday night's win made that more evident. It ended up being largely a snoozer, decided by Chris Richards' 63rd-minute goal to seal a 1-0 victory and mark back-to-back Gold Cup victories after the USMNT had lost four straight entering the tournament.
Facing a Saudi Arabia team that had the quality to play with them but the mentality not to, the U.S. had to scrap and fight for every chance. Those ended up being few and far between.
Pochettino didn't mind that. Just as he was pleased with the barnstorming 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the Gold Cup opener, Pochettino was equally happy with how his team inevitably figured out how to solve Saudi Arabia. This game did now wow anyone, but it's an important win – for this team, that matters.
"We need to feel proud," Pochettino said, "but, at the same time, relaxed. In the same way we were talking after the two defeats against Switzerland and Turkey, it's about staying calm. Because I feel we need to focus on the process that we've started. I think, talking about that process, we are so happy and so proud of this group of players."
The USMNT have now advanced past the group in all 18 editions of the tournament, and only once failed to reach the semifinals – in 2000 when they lost to Colombia in a penalty shootout. The U.S. have won the Gold Cup seven times – in 1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2021. Mexico has won the tournament nine times, including in 2023.
The U.S. will play one more group stage match, vs Haiti on Sunday night, and sit at the top of Group D. Mexico and Costa Rica in Group A also clinched spots in the knockout round. Group B and Group C resume play Friday to determine more of the knockout field. The quarterfinals are June 28-29 in Minneapolis and Glendale, Arizona.
"When everyone wants to destroy everything, sometimes you have to say, 'No, we are on our way.' " Pochettino said. "It's difficult to defend when you don't win, but we are in a good way. We are doing well. We need time, and I think that this is a process that is going to provide us the possibility to be more solid and bring the victory that we want."
There was that word again: process. It carried the USMNT past and overmatched Trinidad and Tobago, past a bunkered Saudi Arabia, and now into the knockout rounds.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Q2 Stadium.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Chris Richards
The clear Man of the Match, Richards was far and away the best player on the field for either team.
He was vital to the U.S. defensive effort, sniffing out Saudi Arabia's only real breaks forward. And he inevitably got the goal with a tidy set-piece finish from Sebastian Berhalter. These are the type of performances teams require from a go-to center-back, and Richards continues to grow into that role.
"He's a great guy and this is fantastic for him," Pochettino said. "He won the FA Cup and now he's translating all of his experience to the team with his performances. But the most importnat thing is he is so humble. That's what we like the most. He arrived and is always so open to learn or to talk. We are so happy with him."
This was one of his better performances and, given his efforts on the club level with Crystal Palace, he has reason to believe that more are on the way.
"It gave me a lot of confidence just knowing that I got free on two corners tonight," Richards said. "I knew that, once my time was called, I was eventually going to put one into the back of the net. It gives me a lot of confidence going forward through the rest of the tournament when it comes to these set pieces."
AdvertisementAFPLOSER: Saudi Arabia
From the opening whistle, Herve Renard's side played like a team that figured, you know, a draw wouldn't be so bad. They packed the middle, made things ugly and looked to break when they could. For the minnows of this tournament, that's generally a good strategy when facing a team such as the U.S.
The thing is that Saudi Arabia aren't a minnow; this is a good team, one capable of playing actual soccer. An Invited team for this Gold Cup, Saudi Arabia chose not to actually do that against the USMNT, and – while that's partly understandable given the tournament setting and what a draw would have meant – it was largely unwatchable.
Renard's side didn't do themselves proud on Thursday. It didn't have to be this way. They could have attacked and tried to seal a knockout round spot. It didn't happen, and so it'll all be down to the final group game for them.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Sebastian Berhalter
Admittedly, this was far from a perfect game from Berhalter. There were a few mis-touches, a few decisions that could have been slightly better. In the end, though, he had the quality on the ball to make a difference. Berhalter's set piece was perfectly-placed, finding a stretching Richards for the only goal.
"We worked on that all week long," Richards said, "but it's been a little windy and the ball is a little interesting. As soon as I saw that ball in there, I locked on and said, 'It has to be me.' "
For some time now, the U.S. has struggled to make the most of set pieces. But at least on Thursday, Berhalter showed he had the quality to deliver. That will help as this tournament marches on, although the Vancouver Whitecaps star does face a fight to keep his spot with Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso back in the fold. His effort, though, has been noticed by the man who makes those decisions.
"I am so happy with him," Pochettino said after the game. "He's a player with the quality, the delivery, on set pieces, and he's also very competitive. I really like the way he gets involved. He's fighting with opponents, and this means he's very competitive and wants to win."
Getty Images SportLOSER: Haji Wright
Shortly before kickoff, it was announced that Wright would miss Thursday's match due to an Achilles injury. Pochettino didn't quite clarify the status of that injury post-game, but his description seemed grim.
"We will communicate something on his injury in the next few days," Pochettino said with a sigh.
If Wright is indeed dealing with something significant, that's bad news for both the player and the team. Wright showed in the win over Trinidad and Tobago that, at the very least, he could be a fantastic supersub either out wide or down the middle. Given Patrick Agyemang's performance against Saudi Arabia, which was decent but certainly not spectacular, it seemed the door would be open for someone such as Wright to get minutes as a striker.
Wright had much to gain this summer and, if this it ends prematurely, it'll be a tough blow for a player right on the fringes in a crowded attack.