The USMNT was handily defeated 2–0 by Portugal on Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a poor conclusion to the March international window for the Americans seeking at least one positive result with the World Cup just over 70 days away.
The Stars and Stripes came into the match off the back of an embarrassing 5–2 thrashing by Belgium over the weekend, eager to prove they truly aren’t the team who put in such a dismal performance on Friday. Although Portugal didn’t bury the Americans quite like Belgium did, they exploited just enough of the Stars and Stripes’ weaknesses to force manager Mauricio Pochettino back to the drawing board.
The USMNT gave up seven total goals across the matches and managed just two for themselves, indicative of both their struggle to be surgical in the final third and sloppiness defensively when under high pressure.
The March international window proved a massive wake-up call for the U.S., who had entered the calendar year and international break on a five-game undefeated streak.
Defensive Shape Broken on the Counter Attack
The USMNT was much improved on Tuesday when it came to its overall shape and spacing defensively, slowing the pace of Portugal’s attack by covering every man and systemically handing off players when Portugal moved laterally. The U.S. was much more collected, cohesive and intentional on defense compared to Saturday’s performance, when the squad’s frantic energy enabled Belgium to tear through its defensive lines time and time again.
The drastic improvement defensively was due in part to the greater accountability from the midfielders, especially Sebastian Berhalter, to track back on defense. Pochettino’s new backline also helped—featuring Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards back from injury and the scrappy Auston Trusty of Celtic in only his sixth cap. Veteran center back Tim Ream found himself on the bench after a shaky performance Saturday,
Nevertheless, the USMNT continued to struggle defensively in the transition, which ultimately resulted in Portugal’s first goal in the 37th minute. A quick recovery of the ball for Portugal in the midfield led to a splitting of the U.S.’s backline just a few seconds later. Richards and Trusty double-manned the runner, Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes; however, the midfielders and fullbacks did not recover in time, leaving the eventual goalscorer, Trincão, wide open near the top of the box.
Before the World Cup kickoff, the U.S. will need to improve its reaction time to avoid losing the defensive shape it is working so hard to keep in the traditional run of play. Maintaining a 4–3–3 formation—like was used on Tuesday—will assist the squad with that, as a three-back formation would only further expose defensive weaknesses on the counter attack, with the supporting wing-backs intentionally high up the field.
Strong Urgency in the Final Third
Christian Pulisic’s desperation for a goal was on full display. The AC Milan star came into the match without a goal in his last 14 games across all competitions for club and country.
Tuesday’s game extended that undesirable streak to 15, but not for a lack of trying. Pulisic fought his way into the box over and over again, but managed just two blocked shots and one off target the whole game.
Pulisic’s— and more generally, the USMNT’s—urgency to get into the final third was not impacted by Portugal’s dominance on the ball, as the latter held over 60% of possession throughout the game. The hosts capitalized on the moments they did have the ball to push into the final third; however, they were not clinical enough once near the goal.
Pulisic especially struggled to find a quality shot, characterized more by exasperation than expertise. The U.S had eight shots to Portugal’s three in the first half; however, Portugal still came into the break ahead, showing their finesse by needing just two shots on target to convert one into a goal. Portugal added their second goal off of a corner kick in the 59th minute.
Broken Confidence?
The USMNT entered the March international window eager to prove a point against European giants Belgium and Portugal, the strongest opponents the Americans have faced since entering the Pochettino era.
The squad simulated World Cup conditions to the max, packing out Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta—choosing the venue specifically for its similar domed cover to Los Angeles’s SoFi Stadium—and replicating the diets they will follow over the summer. Nevertheless, Pochettino’s men fell short of what they hoped weren’t lofty goals, shamed by Belgium on Saturday and just handily stomped Tuesday.
What happens next? Do they abandon Pochettino’s expectation of a semifinal run? Tuesday’s match certainly felt like a last hurrah for the team’s complete potential, as Pochettino hopes to have his final World Cup roster decisions solidified by the next international window in May.
If they hope for any meaningful run this summer, the Stars and Stripes will need to seriously elevate their defensive reaction time and the quality of opportunities they are able to generate once in the final third.
READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
- 2026 World Cup Lineup Complete After Dramatic Night of Playoffs
- ‘Unlike Anything Before’—USMNT Makes Emergency Switch to New World Cup Jersey
- USMNT Player Ratings vs. Portugal: Another Defeat Intensifies World Cup Concerns
- USMNT Learn Final 2026 World Cup Group Stage Opponent
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Key Takeaways From the USMNT’s Disappointing Fall to Portugal.
