USMNT’s Takeaways Following Match Against Korea Republic
The USMNT closes the window with a second straight matchup against an AFC opponent on Tuesday, Sept. 9 against Japan at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio
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HARRISON, N.J. – After the USMNT match against Korea Republic Saturday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium, head coach Mauricio Pochettino was, understandably, feeling all the expected emotions following a 2-0 loss.
“I am very disappointed about the result,” he said. “But overall, in the performance, with all that we’ve been talking about in the past, I see it as a massive improvement. I told the players that I think the results will arrive soon for sure.”
The head coach pointed out the silver lining in his post-match press conference, highlighting several important learnings from the match. Pochettino re-emphasized that he and his coaching staff are “testing many things” with this September roster, which was evident in tonight’s starting XI. Six returners from the Gold Cup featured alongside five players getting their first minutes since before summer. The head coach made a handful of substitutions throughout the night, including a four-man switch in the second half, to ensure more players saw the pitch.
One starter who embodies that strategy is Tristan Blackmon, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC center back who earned his first career cap in Saturday's match and played a full 90 minutes. Pochettino used Blackmon as an example of adding a piece to the puzzle to see if it forms the right fit with the rest of the squad.
“We’ve seen Tristan, in Vancouver, have the profile to be on the nation team, but also he needs the experience,” Pochettino said. “At this level, the pressure is different. Everything is different.”
Entering September, Pochettino explained viewing this camp as one of the last opportunities to experiment with the squad heading into the FIFA 2026 World Cup next summer. When the roster was revealed, Pochettino explained these matches would provide players the opportunity to compete. It was also a chance for Pochettino, who was named head coach one year ago next week, to get to know players in the pool he may not have coached as often in his first year on the job.
Players like that include Sergiño Dest and Falorin Balogun, who both saw playing time against Korea and earned their first caps under Pochettino. Dest started the match at fullback and came off as a sub in the second half, his first minutes with the USMNT since recovering from a ruptured ACL last year. Dest sent a sharp cross from the endline into the box that eventually led to an enticing shot on goal for forward Tim Weah.
Balogun, who entered the match as a sub in the 62nd minute, created a few dangerous chances of his own. He finished with four shots, three on target, and recorded the most touches (11) inside the opponent’s box for a USMNT substitute since 2010. He nearly converted on a well-hit volley that, if not for the heroics of Korean goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, could’ve very easily pulled one goal back for the United States.
"Of course, we've had a disappointing result today, but [Pochettino] doesn't want us to dwell on it,” Balogun said. “He wants us to take the positives from it and try to bring that into the Japan game.”
For Pochettino, players like these Dest and Balogun need minutes both on and off the pitch so he can get to know them better and determine how they fit into the larger plan.
“You’re [asking] questions like we’re a very consolidated or stable team with a roster that has been playing four years together,” Pochettino told reporters. “I think there are too many things going on in our roster. We are trying to find the best balance for different reasons.”
The manager also took away some positives from the team’s second-half performance against Korea. After conceding twice in the first half, the United States clamped down defensively in the second and allowed only one shot on goal in the second 45 minutes. Pochettino said that the team showed character in a difficult moment, increasing the urgency down two-nil, and that “the attitude was great.”
“Every game, every training session, there's always learning opportunities and learning moments,” said center back Tim Ream. "In the first half, we were a little bit too open, a little bit too easy to play against at times. We upped the tempo in the second half, and we made a few adjustments. I think we learned that we can play in different ways. But, at the same time, we have to match the tempo and the intensity of the other team. Definitely something to look at, but definitely some good things to build on as well."
And keep in mind the level of competition the USMNT is going up against. Korea Republic is no sleeper. In history, Korea has appeared in 11 World Cups and has already qualified for the 2026 edition of the global tournament.
The USMNT’s next contest will be no different. On Tuesday night, the U.S. meets 15th-ranked Japan at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Like Korea, Japan has also qualified for the World Cup in 2026.
Pochettino explained why the United States is scheduling strong opponents like Korea and Japan this window – and World Cup-bound Uruguay and Paraguay in November. Facing elite competition at this moment gives his group more exposure and experience against the kind of top-level programs the U.S. will face next summer when the stakes are the highest.
“Korea and Japan are good teams,” he said. “We don’t want to go play against teams that are maybe below us. The highest level we face is more risk because maybe we’re going to struggle to get the result at the moment, but I think we’re going to learn more. We need to get the result in the World Cup.”