The USMNT secured a 4–2 victory over Jamaica in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, but Mauricio Pochettino was unimpressed with the team's intensity and mentality in the second half.
The U.S. men's national team took an early and dominant 3–0 lead over Jamaica at CITYPARK. A half-volley from Christian Pulisic, an own goal from Jamaica's Di'Shon Bernard and a Ricardo Pepi strike gave the hosts a three-goal cushion heading into halftime.
The Stars and Stripes took their foot off the gas in the second half, allowing Demarai Gray to find the back of the net twice in 15 minutes. Tim Weah scored an insurance goal for the USMNT, though, sending the hosts through to the Concacaf Nations League semifinals.
Although the USMNT's victory never truly looked in doubt, Pochettino spoke with the media about the team's lack of consistency across the full 90 minutes.
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"In the second half, we didn't approach the game in the way we wanted," Pochettino said. "The goal was to win the second half, and we didn't approach it with the same intensity and mentality. It shows we still have things we need to improve."
Despite the shortcomings of the second 45 minutes, Pochettino still praised the team's first half performance. "For 45 minutes, we played in a way we want to grow, and it was fantastic for the players."
The USMNT's four-goal haul against Jamaica marks the first time the Stars and Stripes found the back of the net four times since Oct. 2023. In fact, the USMNT went 11 consecutive matches in 2024 without scoring more than two goals in a single game.
The team might not be exactly where Pochettino wants at the moment, but the USMNT is showing signs of massive improvement that could take the side to new heights on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mauricio Pochettino Remains Unsatisfied With the USMNT's Inconsistent Intensity.
