Pochettino Refuses to Label USA as Favorites in Knockout Stage

US national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed predictions that his squad are favorites to win their World Cup Round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He remained cautious, citing a series of upsets already seen in the tournament. Germany exited the competition after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay on Monday, while Morocco also sent the Netherlands packing after penalties. “First, I don’t believe we are favorites, because in the last few days we’ve seen how difficult it is for everyone,” Pochettino told reporters at the San Francisco Bay Area stadium. “I think the favorite is something to talk about afterwards, right? Everyone said Germany was the favorite, but Paraguay beat them, and Morocco eliminated the Netherlands. In this World Cup, there are many factors that can influence performance. We need to be careful when saying who is the favorite.”

While Bosnia finished third in their group, the USA topped Group D, winning their first two matches against Paraguay and Australia to secure an early spot in the knockout stage. Forward Christian Pulisic is set to start against the Bosnians after coming off the bench in the 3-2 loss to Turkey, but Pochettino all but ruled out the participation of center-back Mark McKenzie, who is dealing with a foot issue. There was a more optimistic prognosis for left-back Austen Trusty, who was stretchered off towards the end of the match against Turkey after injuring his ankle. “Austen is much better than we expected. We will do one final assessment, but we hope he will be available,” Pochettino said.

The winners will face either Senegal or Belgium, who play earlier on Wednesday. Pochettino stated that the USA must approach the match against Bosnia like a final and respect their opponents' qualities. “They deserve that respect,” he said. “You can see they have quality, not just that they are aggressive and well-organized. They have quality players and a coach who provides them with a platform to perform. That’s a good thing. That’s why for us, this match is the World Cup final.”