Soccer
ATLANTA – The US men’s national team’s motto for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is “never chase reality,” an aspirational slogan meant to fire hopes of historic achievements on home soil this summer.
Reality bit back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Tuesday night. Led by two assists from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Portugal showcased to a massive crowd of 72,297 why they’re an established member of the global soccer elite with a polished 2-0 defeat of the Yanks that drove home the growth needed for Mauricio Pochettino’s side to compete at that level when the tournament kicks off.
“We had moments when it was good, but we want to win the game and they’re a team that, you give them one chance, two chances and they’re going to score,” US and Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Sebastian Berhalter told TNT’s Melissa Ortiz postgame.
“It’s frustrating. We know they’re a good team, but we feel like we can hang. We feel like we can fight, compete and be there with them. It’s frustrating to see the scoreline, but still moments to build on.”
Or as New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese ruefully put it: “A few minor things were the difference today. As soon as those switch, it’s a whole different ballgame.”
Missed opportunity
Much like Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium, the USMNT were more than a match for their visitors in the first half. Yet they failed to exploit that, with Christian Pulisic in particular left to rue a couple of inviting chances missed, and were later punished for their imprecise finishing.
“We lacked the clinical edge that Portugal possessed,” Pochettino said in Spanish in his postgame press conference. “We didn’t capitalize on the chances we created or the collective attacking situations – which, admittedly, is an area the coaching staff needs to work on improving.
“I believe that is actually the positive takeaway for the future: The fact that we don’t have to dwell on shortcomings in the collective game or specific tactical phases, but rather on individual aspects. We don’t have to question the team’s intensity or aggression. I feel that, over the full 90 minutes today, the team displayed exactly the level of intensity and fight that the match demanded. We lost due to small details – and that is something that can happen in football, especially when competing at this level.”
Poch expressed disappointment with his side’s failure to read the danger in time on Portugal’s two goals, the first a rapid-fire transition capped by Francisco Trincão’s tidy finish and the second a sweetly-struck hit by João Félix on a well-crafted corner-kick set piece.
Yet the coach and his players chose to dwell on the positive when speaking about both this evening and the March camp as a whole, emphasizing the world-class quality of the opposition.
“The important thing is to play this type of game – like we are going to play against Germany and Senegal [in May and June], and I think it’s going to be really, really important for us,” said Pochettino.
“I am more positive now than before, because seeing the team compete, we are not far away. It’s only details that we need to improve. When we match the opponent in the ideas that we need to match, of course, then we are going to have possibility to beat them.”
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 31, 2026
“The same story”
That optimism cut against some sobering data points. Despite their early threats, the Yanks ended the night with less than one expected goal. And Pulisic’s USMNT goal drought now extends to eight matches, the longest of his 10-year international career, even with Pochettino tinkering with the team’s shape again to push him into a striker’s role at the spearhead of a 4-3-3 formation.
“Of course, yeah, that’s frustrating, but I’m just going to stay positive,” said Pulisic, vowing that his team will “figure it out when it really counts” this summer. “A lot of big things ahead, and I know I’m going to get to the other side, and things are going to click.
“Both first halves, we caused the teams a lot of problems. We put a lot of pressure on them. We did a lot of great things. It didn’t seem either game was like, really out of control, but just little moments, or just being a little bit more clinical, and it’s just the same story. But I feel really close and I feel like we’re in a good place.”
Mauricio Pochettino believes the @USMNT should play more games against high-quality opponents, such as Belgium and Portugal, to learn and improve 🗣️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/kh3NeUm2g2
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 1, 2026
Portugal’s well-traveled manager Roberto Martínez, who’s done extensive television commentary work for North American outlets, was complimentary to the USMNT’s bravery and commitment to building play out of the back, and backed Pochettino to push the right buttons for the World Cup’s hosts.
“He’s got everything to get the best out of this United States team, and being a host always brings that magic element that nobody can control,” said the Spaniard.
“March is not a camp to make evaluations. You can make a lot of evaluations about individuals, about the behavior, what they do in the dressing room. But as a team, the magic starts on the 11th of June, and everything can be very different.”
Read MoreNancie Badon