Poch awed by U.S. leader Tillman: 'What a player'

ARLINGTON, Texas -- United States manager Mauricio Pochettino said helium was pleased to spot his squad present a "professional performance" successful defeating Haiti 2-1 successful the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang scored either broadside of halftime, allowing the USMNT to triumph its 3rd consecutive lucifer successful the tournament, and clinch the apical spot successful Group D. The U.S. volition look either Costa Rica oregon Mexico successful the quarterfinals.

The lucifer marked different awesome show for Tillman, who successful summation to scoring this 3rd extremity of the tournament, contributed connected the antiaircraft extremity with a team-high 7 recoveries. That publication without the shot was noticed by Pochettino.

"Malik, it's hard to specify him due to the fact that what a player, no?" helium said. "What a subordinate that is showing this, each his endowment and capacity. Because this benignant of player, the endowment that helium has shown with each azygous crippled and past with the capableness without ball, the enactment ethic successful the mode that helium truly is aggressive, helium recovered a batch of balls. He's ever trying to assistance the heavy press, chasing back, playing successful antithetic positions.

"He tin look similar a No. 10 successful training, betwixt the lines, utilizing the fractional space, but tin beryllium successful the close oregon near side, wide. Or helium tin driblet and play similar a No. 8, No. 6. I think, 'What a talented player.' So pleased with him."

The U.S. broke connected apical successful the 10th infinitesimal erstwhile Tillman headed location Brenden Aaronson's cross. But Haiti equalized successful the 19th infinitesimal erstwhile U.S. keeper Matthew Freese sent Tim Ream's backmost walk consecutive to Louicius Deedson, whose curling effort bushed him astatine his acold post.

The USMNT was ascendant successful the 2nd half, with Tillman going adjacent a fewer times, including an effort successful the 63rd infinitesimal that was waived disconnected for handball. But Pochettino's broadside yet broke done with 15 minutes to go. John Tolkin, making his archetypal commencement of the tournament, sent a lofted shot into abstraction for Agyemang, who rounded Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide and scored from a choky angle.

"I deliberation wide it was a bully performance. Maybe we were not arsenic objective with the chances that we had. I deliberation we should people more," said Pochettino. "But I deliberation erstwhile we people and we pb the crippled and past an accident, I deliberation that we concede the goal. I deliberation that created a small spot uncertainty successful us. Again, I deliberation it was pugnacious to woody with that, but I deliberation wide the show was good."

Pochettino added that the 2nd fractional was amended than the first, and that Haiti posed "a monolithic situation for america due to the fact that it is simply a precise bully squad that played direct, and they person precise bully players, determination with physicality, they are strong. And that was our situation for america to larn and improve."

Pochettino besides continued to amusement religion successful Freese, contempt the gaffe for the extremity the U.S. conceded, adding that helium didn't request to accidental thing to his keeper successful a bid to bolster his confidence.

"The champion mode to spot successful a subordinate is not to [say anything]. Not to beryllium cautious with this oregon cautious with that," Pochettino said. "No. Move on. Remember, the astir important enactment is the adjacent one. If you deliberation [about] the past 1 you are dead, you are going to bash different mistake."

Agyemang besides drew praise from Pochettino. The Charlotte FC guardant had respective opportunities to score, including a breakaway that was saved by Placide successful the 24th minute, but helium regrouped to people the game-winner.

"Patrick is doing a fantastic occupation for the team," the U.S. manager added. "All that helium gave to the squad contiguous and the erstwhile games also, he's a fantastic striker. Still country to improve, but we are truthful blessed with him."