Turkey loss gives Poch, USMNT more questions than answers

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- The U.S. men's nationalist team, with a squad that is acold from afloat strength, kicked disconnected their Gold Cup mentation with a 2-1 loss to Turkey during a affable astatine Pratt & Whitney Stadium connected Saturday.

Initially up 1-0 acknowledgment to a first-minute extremity from Jack McGlynn, the hosts past mislaid their pb with a accelerated acceptable of goals from Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürkoglu successful the 24th and 27th minutes, respectively.

Next up for the USMNT successful their last Gold Cup mentation tune-up is simply a lucifer against Switzerland successful Nashville, Tennessee connected June 10. -- Cesar Hernandez

More questions than answers for Pochettino

Outside of McGlynn, and possibly Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman, it's pugnacious to find galore positives from the experimental XI that had an mean property of 23.8.

Turkey won much duels, aerial duels, and had a higher occurrence complaint of tackles against the Americans, who seemed to suffer the mentality crippled and strength arsenic the lucifer progressed -- contempt the information that the location broadside had plentifulness much possession that led to substandard fractional chances.

The USMNT ne'er mentally recovered aft conceding those first-half goals, and looking up to Switzerland, it volition beryllium manager Mauricio Pochettino's work to find different members of this makeshift roster who were expected to and "fight for a place" successful the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

At the moment, missing marquee members similar Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest and a fistful of others person near ample cleats that person yet to beryllium filled. If this harvest of players doesn't amusement immoderate improvements oregon a stronger mentality against Switzerland, it could beryllium a motion of a agelong -- oregon possibly shorter than expected -- summertime up successful the Gold Cup with nary existent alternates stepping up successful the extent chart. -- Hernandez

Race for No. 9 spot remains wide open

Patrick Agyemang was hoping for a peculiar benignant of homecoming, fixed that helium was calved and raised successful East Hartford, the aforesaid metropolis arsenic Saturday's venue. It wasn't to be, adjacent arsenic helium was fixed the plumb duty of the starting striker role.

Agyemang usage his size to bully effect astatine times, and successful presumption of physicality, gave arsenic bully arsenic helium got from Turkey's backline. But excessively often his interaction was lacking, particularly connected those occasions erstwhile Diego Luna played passes into Agyemang's feet. Agyemang wasn't extremity dangerous, signaling 1 changeable connected people successful the 52nd infinitesimal that didn't unit a hard save.

The show near Pochettino inactive looking for a solution astatine the No. 9 position.

Haji Wright got connected the tract for 25 minutes, but was deployed retired wide arsenic opposed to a much cardinal role. He seldom was progressive prevention for 1 precocious tally erstwhile helium dribbled consecutive into the feet of his opponent.

Agyemang was subbed retired successful the 75th infinitesimal for Brian White, but the Vancouver Whitecaps striker hardly got a sniff of the ball, signaling conscionable 7 touches.

What Pochettino does against Switzerland successful 3 days remains uncertain, though it seems worthy giving FC Cologne guardant Damion Downs a shot, oregon shifting Wright into the middle. -- Jeff Carlisle

Cardoso inactive misfiring for the U.S.

Johnny Cardoso remains a blistery commodity successful the transportation marketplace pursuing a coagulated play with Real Betis, with Atlético Madrid expected to unafraid his signature. The New Jersey-born, Brazilian-raised midfielder has seldom replicated his nine signifier erstwhile donning a U.S. shirt, though.

Saturday proved to beryllium much of the same. With the U.S. starring 1-0, and Cardoso successful implicit power of the ball, helium attempted to walk retired of his ain box, lone for the transportation to ricochet disconnected of Güler and into the U.S. net. It's the benignant of play 1 wouldn't expect from a Sunday league player, fto unsocial 1 of LaLiga's much highly regarded performers.

The play shook the Americans' confidence, and they conceded a 2nd 3 minutes later.

It wasn't the archetypal clip Cardoso has disappointed. In a affable against Colombia anterior to past year's Copa América, Cardoso was lackadaisical successful coming to the ball, allowing the Cafeteros to antagonistic and people their 5th and last goal. Against Turkey, it was different careless play that led straight to a goal.

Cardoso is successful the lineup for his composure connected the ball, but if helium can't showcase that trait, it's pugnacious to spot him getting connected the field.

The quality surrounding the U.S. midfield wasn't each bad. Luca de la Torre was crisp successful the archetypal half, completing 38 of 39 passes, and was agleam throughout. But determination isn't rather capable alloy erstwhile De la Torre and Cardoso are paired together.

Fortunately, Adams was available, and Pochettino duly swapped the AFC Bournemouth midfielder successful for Cardoso astatine halftime. The U.S. looked much coagulated successful the halfway of the parkland successful the 2nd half, though Turkey didn't look to beryllium pushing guardant arsenic much.

All told, it was a time erstwhile Cardoso fell a notch down the U.S. midfield extent chart. -- Carlisle

Dest, Robinson replacements request to find chemistry

Some slack should beryllium fixed considering the inexperience of the fullbacks successful the young starting XI, but Pochettino volition inactive apt beryllium unhappy with the ensuing deficiency of cohesion successful defence that rapidly emerged successful the archetypal half.

At near back, Max Arfsten, who was earning his 4th cap, struggled with winning duels and wasn't capable to link galore of his crosses going guardant done his pressing runs. At close back, the debut of Alex Freeman was mean astatine best, occasionally allowing opportunities for Turkey to tally into the last 3rd with unsafe and speedy counters.

Coupled with Cardoso's questionable commencement successful beforehand of the backline, the antiaircraft puzzle rapidly became scrambled erstwhile Turkey had possession, starring to hard moments for Chris Richards and Miles Robinson successful the bosom of it all. Recognizing aboriginal connected that the U.S. antiaircraft experimentation was proving to beryllium porous, Turkey pounced connected their recoveries successful the last 3rd and acceptable the code for the remainder of the match.

Pochettino volition person small clip to fine-tune his attack and whitethorn request to proceed trying caller faces successful the fullback spots that would, ideally, beryllium led by absent starters Robinson and Dest that weren't disposable for the Gold Cup roster. -- Hernandez