ST. LOUIS — United States coach Mauricio Pochettino praised goal-scorer Diego Luna for being “determined to play” for the nationwide workforce after the winger scored twice in a 2-1 Gold Cup semifinal win over Guatemala on Wednesday.
“[His] perspective, starvation, need, all the things, after which for certain, the expertise will seem. However that’s what we count on from our athletes, that is what we wish,” Pochettino mentioned after the match at Energizer Park.
“Diego was a very good instance from January [camp], how he’s determined to play for this shirt, for the nationwide workforce, and that’s the reason now he is within the degree that he confirmed.”
Luna, 21, scored within the fourth and fifteenth minutes of the semifinal that additionally featured loads of attacking strain from the Guatemalans within the last levels of every half. Following a aim from the guests within the eightieth minute, the U.S. was left to desperately defend its web forward of the ultimate whistle.
“I feel we dealt with it very effectively, I feel that it is a tremendous expertise. I feel this roster deserves huge, huge credit score to reach to the ultimate,” Pochettino mentioned. “Now we have to put together for the subsequent sport.”
Luna, who now has three targets and two assists throughout 5 matches, was effusive in his reward for his U.S. teammates after the match.
“It is the grit, it is the willpower that we have been missing. To be trustworthy, it is combating to the tip. Each ball, each second,” Luna mentioned after the slender victory. “The sport’s about moments, and I feel that is the place we showcase it.”
Concerning the environment that featured a majority Guatemala crowd, Pochettino applauded the guests who turned the St. Louis venue right into a raucous one, saying it was an instance of what soccer tradition is like all over the world.
“An unbelievable vitality. That’s soccer, that’s soccer,” the U.S. coach mentioned. “After we say the connection between the followers and the workforce, that’s the connection that we [would] prefer to see within the World Cup.
“You play for one thing extra, you play for emotion, you play [to] be completely satisfied, be unhappy. I noticed gamers of the Guatemala [team] crying. That’s the method that we have to really feel, and our followers have to really feel the identical.
“It is good for our gamers, as a result of after we discuss tradition, that’s tradition. That is a vital factor that we have to be taught right here on this nation.”
Wanting forward, the U.S. will play Mexico in Sunday’s Gold Cup last at 7 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Mexico is the all-time chief in Gold Cup titles with 9, whereas the USMNT is second with seven trophies.
