The lights of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta were bright, but the USMNT‘s World Cup preparations took a dark turn on Tuesday night. In their final major test before Mauricio Pochettino names his roster for this summer’s tournament, the United States fell 2-0 to a clinical Portugal side, leaving more questions than answers for the tournament co-hosts.
Following a bruising 5-2 defeat to Belgium just days ago, American fans were looking for a response. Instead, they witnessed an eighth consecutive loss against European opposition—a worrying “curse” that Pochettino insists will break when the real games begin in June.
The Bruno Fernandes Show
While the U.S. started with plenty of energy, they were ultimately picked apart by the vision of Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese captain was the architect of both goals, proving why he remains one of the most dangerous playmakers on the planet.
• The Breakthrough (37’): After a sustained period of U.S. pressure, Portugal struck on the counter. A slick ball from Vitinha found Fernandes, who delivered a world-class backheel assist to Francisco Trincão. The Sporting CP man made no mistake, tucking his left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
• The Dagger (59’): Just as the U.S. looked to find an equalizer, Fernandes turned provider again. His corner kick found an unmarked João Félix at the edge of the box. Félix had enough time to take a touch and fire a rocket off the post and into the net, effectively ending the contest.
Pochettino’s Pulisic Experiment
With Folarin Balogun sidelined, Pochettino opted to play Christian Pulisic in a more central striker role. The “Lebron James of Soccer” had his chances—most notably a tame effort in the 6th minute and a 25-yard blast that whistled past the post—but he looked isolated.
Pulisic, who hasn’t found the net for the national team since 2024, was hooked at halftime. His lack of goals is becoming a primary talking point for a U.S. side that seems to have lost its clinical edge at the worst possible time.
The Road to May 26
Pochettino has until May 26 to finalize his World Cup squad. While goalkeeper Matt Freese impressed with a stunning stoppage-time save to keep the score at 2-0, the rest of the squad looked leggy and lacked creative spark.
The U.S. will have two final “warm-up” friendlies against Senegal (May 31) and Germany (June 6) before the big show kicks off. For now, the “Poch Project” feels like it’s still in the assembly phase, while teams like Portugal look like finished products.
