Pochettino Believes US Has Time to Fix its Problems after Crashing out of CONCACAF Nations League 

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands on the sideline ahead of the first half during the CONCACAF Nations League Third Place soccer match between the USA and Canada in Inglewood, California, USA, 23 March 2025. (EPA)
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands on the sideline ahead of the first half during the CONCACAF Nations League Third Place soccer match between the USA and Canada in Inglewood, California, USA, 23 March 2025. (EPA)
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Pochettino Believes US Has Time to Fix its Problems after Crashing out of CONCACAF Nations League 

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands on the sideline ahead of the first half during the CONCACAF Nations League Third Place soccer match between the USA and Canada in Inglewood, California, USA, 23 March 2025. (EPA)
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands on the sideline ahead of the first half during the CONCACAF Nations League Third Place soccer match between the USA and Canada in Inglewood, California, USA, 23 March 2025. (EPA)

Mauricio Pochettino offered an Americanism after the United States' second straight dismal loss in the CONCACAF Nations League.

"If we would be today in this situation in one year time, for sure, I will tell you, 'Houston, we have a problem, no?' SOS," the Argentine coach said after Sunday's 2-1 loss to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place match.

The US hadn't lost a competitive match to its northern neighbors on US soil since 1957 and it hadn't lost back-to-back matches to Canada since 1980 and '85. But after Pochettino's team followed up its surprising 1-0 defeat to Panama on Thursday night with another clunker, the coach didn't seem worried and tried his best to radiate optimism and problem-solving acumen.

"It's all a process we need to change, and I don't want to say that I'm happy — don't take me wrong," Pochettino said. "But if (there's) something negative about (a) result, something to learn, it's better now, because I think we have time."

The defeats took place at SoFi Stadium, where the US plays its World Cup opener on June 12, 2026.

"We were not able to discover and to try and extend our strategy to the team, the capacity to play another way," Pochettino said. "I think we have time. I prefer that that happened today, and not in one year."

The US is 5-3 since the arrival last fall of Pochettino, the longtime Tottenham boss who also worked at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. It's difficult to discern any areas of progress for this modestly talented roster under its new coach, but Pochettino believes his brief tenure has been useful for identifying the problems he'll need to solve in the next year.

"I am (a) very optimistic and positive guy," Pochettino said. "Even when I'm angry and really upset and really disappointed, I want to find the positive thing that we can take from these two games. Who knows? No one knows how we are going to arrive at the World Cup, and then to perform. For sure, (the Nations League result) is not going to affect. If it is going to affect, it is in a positive way, not negative."

The Americans looked neither sharp nor competitive against Panama, and they improved only slightly against Canada. They had one moment of offensive success when Tim Weah and Diego Luna did the hard work to set up a first-half goal by Patrick Agyemang, who has scored in three of his first four national team appearances, but the US had far more moments of frustration.

The Americans also had just enough moments of defensive disorganization to cost them dearly. Although the US back line was a bit patchwork due to injuries, the defenders couldn't stop Canada's Jonathan David before he fired home the eventual winning goal in the second half.

The US didn't get much out of captain Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan star. Pulisic came off in the 69th minute against Canada.

"Now all we can do is go and be an example at our clubs every day, be the best we can be," Pulisic said. "That's how the national team is, and then when we come back, of course some things need to change, and we need to improve. We're going to look back and see what that is. I don't have all the answers at the moment."

Pochettino will get only a few more training camps and one more tournament before the World Cup. That tournament is the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup — and even that won't be a full-team experience, since a few players will be with their pro teams at the simultaneous FIFA Club World Cup.

For all their flaws, Pochettino doesn't publicly doubt his players' burning desire to fix things before their World Cup moment next year. Pulisic and the other American leaders all say they'll work to find the solutions to the multiple problems facing them in the ensuing 15 months.

"This team is everything to me," Pulisic said. "I care so much for this team, for this country. I hope people know that about me, and it's truly an honor, so anytime I get to lead this team and this country, it's an honor for me."



Case Closed but Doping Still in Focus as Sinner Nears End of Ban

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
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Case Closed but Doping Still in Focus as Sinner Nears End of Ban

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo

As Jannik Sinner nears the end of a three-month doping ban that shook the tennis world, players are flocking to anti-doping authorities seeking advice on how to avoid positive tests due to contamination.
The Italian agreed a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency in February and began an immediate three-month suspension after authorities accepted that the anabolic agent clostebol had entered his system via massages from his physiotherapist.
His case and that of Iga Swiatek left many players concerned about inadvertently being caught up in the doping net, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said it will step up efforts to help them safely navigate the path ahead.
"We have seen an increase of players asking for advice and assistance since the high-profile cases, and we are working on ways to make that easier," the ITIA told Reuters.
"There are lots of resources that are available to assist with checking supplements and medications. If players, coaches and medical staff have questions, they can contact us.
"We are not trying to trip people up, our role is to protect the sport and maintain a level playing field."
While Sinner's case has led to heightened vigilance within the tennis fraternity, some players remain unhappy with how it was handled in the belief that the 23-year-old received favorable treatment.
Novak Djokovic expressed frustration earlier this year at being "kept in the dark" about the case, while the outspoken Nick Kyrgios said that it was "disgusting" for the sport.
American great Serena Williams reignited the debate ahead of Sinner's return in Rome next week, saying she would have received a 20-year ban and had her Grand Slam titles taken away had she tested positive in a similar manner.
The ITIA has remained firm that all its cases are dealt with based on facts and evidence and not a player's name, nationality or ranking.
BUILD MOMENTUM
Apart from his enforced period of idleness, Sinner has largely been unaffected by the uproar, winning the US Open last year before successfully defending his Australian Open title in January.
In Rome, the world number one will aim to leave the doping saga behind him and build momentum for the French Open in late May.
He is all but assured of remaining at the top of the world rankings until Roland Garros after Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz failed to exploit his absence during the claycourt swing, but he does not expect a smooth road on his return.
"It certainly won't be easy for me. The first games will be really difficult," Sinner said.
"Hopefully I'll be able to get back into the rhythm and then we'll see how it goes."
Spanish great Rafa Nadal believes Sinner should now be allowed to focus on his tennis, while acknowledging the case had not been positive for the sport.
"In the end, if I'm not mistaken, he came out of the ruling as innocent," Nadal told Britain's Daily Telegraph.
"But these things happen sometimes, accidents happen, and that's how I see this because I believe in Jannik. I'm convinced from what I know of Jannik that he never tried to cheat or get an advantage over the rest.
"I'm sure that Jannik is an innocent and moral person ... I believe in the ruling. Jannik has accepted these three months of sanction and so: case closed."