Speaking after the game, coach Mauricio Pochettino said his team did not approach the game as they should have for a World Cup match.
“Everyone saw from the beginning that we did not connect with the game. We were never in the game. Even when we scored, we scored the goal for 1-1, we conceded in the next action. It was really tough from the beginning,” said Pochettino.
“I congratulate Belgium. They were better than us. It wasn’t our day. That is not to find excuses, because we didn’t show what this team normally can show. That is a reality.
“We need to learn. It’s a process. We need to assess this game and we need to see why we didn’t approach it in the same way as the rest of the World Cup.”
He also took responsibility for the loss to 4-1 loss to Belgium.
“Maybe the explanation is easy: it wasn’t our day, collectively or individually. Of course, the person with the most responsibility is myself,” he siad further.
“And yes, we need to see and check what we did, because it wasn’t the performance or the way that we normally play.”
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino comforts Chris Richards. AP Photo/Maddy Grassy