Poch hails 'humble' Richards, expects decisive play

AUSTIN, Texas - United States manager Mauricio Pochettino hailed the show of center-back Chris Richards, who delivered astatine some ends of the tract successful the American's1-0 triumph implicit Saudi Arabia successful the Gold Cup.

He besides said it's the benignant of show helium has grown to "expect" from prime players similar Richards and his U.S. teammates.

With the win, the USMNT guaranteed advancement to the knockout stages of the tournament, and volition unafraid the apical spot successful Group D with a necktie oregon triumph against Haiti. Even if the U.S. was to suffer that match, it would instrumentality a Saudi triumph implicit Trinidad & Tobago arsenic good arsenic a seven-goal plaything successful extremity differential for the U.S. to decorativeness second.

Richards scored the game's lone extremity successful the 63rd minute, redirecting Sebastian Berhalter's inch-perfect escaped footwear past Saudi keeper Nawal Al-Aqidi. Richards was besides was instrumental connected the antiaircraft end, and it was his spectacular artifact of Abdulrahman Al-Obud's changeable successful the 31st minute, erstwhile the Saudi attacker appeared to person a wide look astatine goal, that helped support the crippled scoreless.

Pochettino noted that Richards is coming disconnected a palmy play with nine broadside Crystal Palace, and helped the broadside triumph the FA Cup, the archetypal trophy successful the club's history.

"Now [Richards] is trying present to construe each this acquisition to this squad with his performance, but astir important being truthful humble," said Pochettino. "And that is what I similar the astir due to the fact that helium arrived [in camp] and is ever precise open, to learn, to talk. I'm truthful blessed with him."

Pochettino added that Richards' contributions are a motion of the increasing assurance wrong the team, and that players are present trying to marque the benignant of plays Richards made due to the fact that they are backed by a content they tin marque them.

"That's what we want; that is what we expect due to the fact that helium has the quality," said Pochettino astir Richards. "And the different players, that is each here. And past erstwhile you make that level that the players commencement to consciousness precise confident, and they consciousness the powerfulness of the vigor and we commencement to play similar a team, they commencement to look successful this benignant of situation."

It was a lucifer that was acold antithetic than the 5-0 blowout of Trinidad & Tobago 4 days prior. Space successful the attacking fractional was hard to travel by, and the U.S. often looked lethargic successful possession. Some tactical tweaks astatine halftime - pushing extracurricular backmost Alex Freeman up field, and dropping Berhalter deeper successful midfield -- saw the U.S. statesman to find much space. But it was a acceptable portion that yet enactment the U.S. connected top. The Americans past had to past immoderate testy exchanges with the Saudis, including 1 that saw some Pochettino and counterpart Herve Renard extremity up connected the tract successful a bid to abstracted their players, to unafraid the win.

"I deliberation [we coped] precise good with the pressure. I deliberation it wasn't casual game. [Saudi Arabia], they're precise competitive," said Pochettino. "I deliberation for the victory, I americium truthful blessed due to the fact that I deliberation to vie against these types of teams, I deliberation for our team, for our players, it is monolithic due to the fact that I deliberation [it's] the mode that you learn, and successful the mode that you enactment yourself extracurricular of the comfy zone."

Pochettino said his squad are connected the close roadworthy now, adding that the qualities of him and his unit aren't truthful overmuch their knowledge, oregon attack to the game, but alternatively the quality to expect things others can't see. This was particularly existent erstwhile this squad mislaid a brace of friendlies to Turkey and Switzerland. They stayed calm, and that helped the squad judge that results would improve.

"Results are hard to support erstwhile you don't win," Pochettino said. "It's hard to say, 'No, but we are successful a bully way. We are doing well. We request time.' I deliberation that is simply a process that is going to supply america the anticipation to beryllium much coagulated and bring the triumph that we want."