AUSTIN, Texas – United States manager Mauricio Pochettino hailed the performance of center-back Chris Richards, who delivered at both ends of the field in the American’s1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the Gold Cup.
He also said it’s the type of performance he has grown to “expect” from quality players like Richards and his U.S. teammates.
With the win, the USMNT guaranteed advancement to the knockout stages of the tournament, and will secure the top spot in Group D with a tie or win against Haiti. Even if the U.S. was to lose that match, it would take a Saudi win over Trinidad & Tobago as well as a seven-goal swing in goal differential for the U.S. to finish second.
Richards scored the game’s only goal in the 63rd minute, redirecting Sebastian Berhalter’s inch-perfect free kick past Saudi keeper Nawal Al-Aqidi. Richards was also was instrumental on the defensive end, and it was his spectacular block of Abdulrahman Al-Obud’s shot in the 31st minute, when the Saudi attacker appeared to have a clear look at goal, that helped keep the game scoreless.
Pochettino noted that Richards is coming off a successful season with club side Crystal Palace, and helped the side win the FA Cup, the first trophy in the club’s history.
“Now [Richards] is trying now to translate all this experience to this team with his performance, but most important being so humble,” said Pochettino. “And that is what I like the most because he arrived [in camp] and is always very open, to learn, to talk. I’m so happy with him.”
Pochettino added that Richards’ contributions are a sign of the growing confidence within the team, and that players are now trying to make the kind of plays Richards made because they are backed by a belief they can make them.
“That’s what we want; that is what we expect because he has the quality,” said Pochettino about Richards. “And the other players, that is all here. And then when you create that platform that the players start to feel very confident, and they feel the power of the energy and we start to play like a team, they start to appear in this type of situation.”
It was a match that was far different than the 5-0 blowout of Trinidad & Tobago four days prior. Space in the attacking half was hard to come by, and the U.S. often looked lethargic in possession. Some tactical tweaks at halftime – pushing outside back Alex Freeman up field, and dropping Berhalter deeper in midfield — saw the U.S. begin to find more space. But it was a set piece that finally put the U.S. on top. The Americans then had to survive some testy exchanges with the Saudis, including one that saw both Pochettino and counterpart Herve Renard end up on the field in a bid to separate their players, to secure the win.
“I think [we coped] very well with the pressure. I think it wasn’t easy game. [Saudi Arabia], they’re very competitive,” said Pochettino. “I think for the victory, I am so happy because I think to compete against these types of teams, I think for our team, for our players, it is massive because I think [it’s] the way that you learn, and in the way that you put yourself outside of the comfortable zone.”
Pochettino said his team are on the right road now, adding that the qualities of him and his staff aren’t so much their knowledge, or approach to the game, but rather the ability to anticipate things others can’t see. This was especially true when this team lost a pair of friendlies to Turkey and Switzerland. They stayed calm, and that helped the team believe that results would improve.
“Results are difficult to defend when you don’t win,” Pochettino said. “It’s difficult to say, ‘No, but we are in a good way. We are doing well. We need time.’ I think that is a process that is going to provide us the possibility to be more solid and bring the victory that we want.”
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