It’s a massive weight off of the United States men’s national team’s shoulders as they secured a signature victory under Mauricio Pochettino, dispatching Japan 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday. The Samurai Blue may have made 11 changes from their match against Mexico, but that can’t take away from the USMNT defeating the 17th-ranked team in the world in a shutout fashion.
Pochettino saw the good from facing South Korea and went out with a back three and opted to start this match in the same way with Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Tristan Blackmon all in defense. He shook things up with five changes overall as Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman made up his wing backs, and the duo were able to push the attack forward with Arfsten assisting an Alex Zendejas goal before Christian Pulisic assisted a Folarin Balogun goal of his own.
It’s just what the USMNT needed, and it’s the first time that they’ve defeated a top-20 ranked FIFA team since Iran at the 2022 World Cup. It may have been a rotated Japan, but this also isn’t the USMNT’s top squad with players such as Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman missing. It’s a result that gives Pochettino something to think about, but more importantly, it gives him something to build upon ahead of the October international window that will see the USMNT face Ecuador and Australia
