The U.S. was thoroughly outplayed by Mexico in Sunday’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final. It was outshot, outpassed, outpossessed and arguably out of its league.
Which, surprisingly, was partly the way coach Mauricio Pochettino wanted it. Because the monthlong tournament was never really about results for the U.S. It was about finding heart, grit, determination and dedication. It was about taking the pulse of his player pool a year before soccer’s biggest event returns to North America.
And those are things not easily measured by results alone.
So while Mexico deservedly won Sunday’s battle 2-1, the larger war, Pochettino believes, rages on.