Looking ahead to next week’s decisive third match for a spot, Mascherano called on his players to channel their frustration.
“We have to swallow the anger and carry it with us all week so we can release it next Saturday,” he said.
The Argentine manager also said his side lacked sharpness in attack, particularly when trying to connect with star forward Lionel Messi, who once again found the net against Nashville but couldn’t prevent the loss.
“We couldn’t find Leo in good positions in the first half – we weren’t precise in the final-third, and credit to the opponent for that,” he said. “In the second half, even though they sat back, we managed to create a few more chances.”