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Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie had been probably dozing in Italy. A number of different U.S. males’s nationwide workforce starters had been recovering from accidents. And of their absence Tuesday evening, the USMNT misplaced to Mexico for the primary time in over 5 years — in a match marked by debates over its significance.

On one hand, it was U.S.-Mexico, the CONCACAF Clasico, a , and due to this fact a recreation that either side insisted they’d play to win.

On the opposite, it was solely a pleasant, a pre-test with out tangible consequence; and so, after , new U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino to return to their golf equipment.

The end result, on Tuesday in Zapopan, Mexico, was a 2-0 loss to El Tri — and a efficiency that, frankly, by no means appeared able to delivering a victory.

“It appeared just like the USA did not need to play. It appeared like no one needed the ball,” former USMNT star DaMarcus Beasley mentioned on TNT at halftime. “No one’s up for this second, enjoying in opposition to Mexico in Mexico.”

And halfway by way of the primary half, Raúl Jiménez punished their sloppiness. Passive possession led to an aimless American lengthy ball, then a foul 25 yards from aim. Jiménez curled the following free kick over a U.S. wall, and previous goalkeeper Matt Turner, to provide the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Raúl Jiménez with an ideal free kick to provide Mexico the 1-0 lead 🎯

Watch Mexico vs. USA stay on TNT and Max 📺

Previous to the aim, the sport had been uneven and comparatively even. Afterward, the hosts took and maintained management. The People could not muster something going ahead — not even a single shot within the first half. (They in the end put one on the right track, within the 79th minute.)

And shortly after halftime, Mexico doubled its lead with a direct assault. Jiménez, a 33-year-old reborn star, received a back-and-forth battle with 37-year-old defender Tim Ream, and César Huerta beat Turner to make it 2-0.

For a lot of the remaining 40 minutes, one-way site visitors saved coming. And American frustration simmered, as a result of earlier iterations of the USMNT had gotten up for this second. The 2012 workforce received at Estadio Azteca. Over the subsequent three World Cup cycles, U.S. groups went to Mexico Metropolis and acquired a degree every. They hadn’t misplaced in Mexico since 2009.

And in recent times, they’d taken management of the rivalry. The USMNT had received 5 of its final seven in opposition to Mexico, and drawn the opposite two. It received three straight Nations League titles. The U.S. had, for the primary time ever, .

Which is, partially, why eyebrows raised when U.S. Soccer introduced Sunday that Pulisic, McKennie and Ricardo Pepi wouldn’t make the journey to Guadalajara.

However , had legitimate causes.

McKennie felt discomfort final week, and counsel he is scuffling with muscle fatigue.

Pulisic just isn’t injured, however “he arrived just a little bit drained,” Pochettino mentioned Friday. “He is enjoying each single recreation, each single minute” for AC Milan — which, Pochettino mentioned, made him and his employees “just a little bit frightened.”

So, Pochettino made the kind of determination {that a} coach of lesser stature may not have the ability to make in his first month main a nationwide workforce; he performed the lengthy recreation.

Pochettino has pressured that the “precedence goes to be to reach in one of the best situation for the World Cup,” as he mentioned at his introductory information convention. And no pleasant 20 months out, regardless of the opponent, goes to have a big influence on their situation come June 2026.

What would have an effect is Pulisic’s health. “After we really want him, he must be in type, comfortable, sturdy,” Pochettino mentioned final week. “As a result of he has monumental expertise, he is a implausible participant.”

So he let Pulisic return to Milan, a call that not solely manages his bodily and psychological load, but in addition builds belief between participant, nationwide workforce and membership.

Pochettino additionally took off Antonee Robinson, maybe the USMNT’s second-most reliable participant, at halftime of Tuesday’s recreation.

After holding McKennie out of Saturday’s recreation, he spoke about eager to “shield” McKennie. “We did not need to take a danger,” Pochettino mentioned.

Nor ought to he.

However the end result — a primary loss to Mexico since a , one of many early low factors of the Gregg Berhalter period — was nonetheless exhausting to abdomen.

And the efficiency was one of many USMNT’s worst of the final two years — particularly given the state of the opponent, .

It uncovered the U.S. participant pool’s lack of depth behind Pulisic and McKennie — and Folarin Balogun, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards and Gio Reyna, all of whom are injured.

It additionally supplied a well timed reminder — that regardless of the passion surrounding Pochettino, the brand new boss has quite a lot of work to do.