ATLANTA — The U.S. men’s national team get a second consecutive lesson in quality from a European power Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, losing to Portugal 2-0 in a friendly that brought the Americans further down to earth.
They’d hoped to respond to Saturday’s 5-2 shellacking by Belgium. For around 20 minutes, they did — with energy and attacking intent.
But Portugal slowly, gradually, took control of the game and punished the U.S. for a lapse — just as Belgium had three days earlier.
In the 36th minute, a few scruffy passes led to a U.S. turnover. The ball fell to Portugal’s Vitinha, who, with a quick glance, sent U.S. midfielder Aidan Morris jumping into the wrong passing lane. Vitinha played in Bruno Fernandes, who, as U.S. players lagged behind the play, set up Francisco Trincão for the game’s opening goal.
After the break, the match fell into a familiar rhythm. The U.S. was never overwhelmed; but, with a lineup of mostly reserves, it never really looked capable of scoring or getting back into the game.
In the 59th minute, Portugal struck again. João Félix pinged in a shot from outside the box off the post. U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese had no chance.
By the midway point of the second half, the U.S. fans among the 72,297 in attendance seemed to have lost hope. The atmosphere felt dead. And a March window that began with optimism ended with a whimper.
Here’s a closer look at the match:
João Félix shoots past Aidan Morris and scores Portugal’s second goal (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
A similar script unfolds
It was impossible to ignore the similarities between the respective starts of the Belgium and Portugal games. In both contests, the U.S. players looked confident and dangerous as they attacked their opponent. They created chances. They combined nicely. They caused problems.
Then the hydration break came.
Belgium players talked on Saturday about how the first-half hydration break — which FIFA will mandate at the World Cup no matter the venue or weather — allowed a crucial opportunity for the coaching staff to reset tactics and adjust to what the Americans were doing. Belgium put more players into midfield. They looked to isolate Jérémy Doku more on the wing and create 1-on-1 opportunities. The U.S. would score first in that game, but Belgium seized control of the match and cruised to a win.
On Tuesday, the U.S. again looked dangerous and competent in the attack. Defensively it was a bit more solid. Portugal seemed, like Belgium, to absorb that energy and figure out what the U.S.’s plan was. Then, after the hydration break, the visitors settled into the game and took control. They kept the ball and made the U.S. work. They pressed effectively. And after forcing a turnover at midfield, Vitinha needed just one pass to carve up the U.S. and set up Bruno Fernandes’ assist to Trincão.
It’s a concerning similarity. The U.S. needs to be ready for adjustments at the World Cup. And it needs to be able to counterpunch. In both March friendlies, it was the opponents who took advantage.
Christian Pulisic couldn’t break his scoring drought vs. Portugal (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
Pulisic starts at striker but can’t break through
Pulisic entered this March camp without a goal in 2026, and without a goal for the national team since 2024. Two days after he missed a pivotal chance against Belgium and extended the drought, Pochettino spoke about tweaking his star’s position.
“We know that he can score,” Pochettino said. “Maybe we help a little bit, [and move him] a little bit closer to the goal.”
Up until Portugal’s first goal, the U.S. created better chances. The two best opportunities fell to Pulisic, whom Pochettino had moved to a center forward position in an attempt to get him out of a rut.
Instead, Pulisic dug himself deeper. In the sixth minute, when free in the box, his finish was weak and saved. In the 22nd, a Tim Weah cross fizzed right through Pulisic’s legs.
Like on Saturday, Pulisic looked dangerous running at the Portuguese defense but out of sync in the penalty box. He closed his 45 minutes kicking out at an opponent in frustration. He was then subbed out at halftime.
Tuesday was the first time since taking over as coach in 2024, Pochettino started Pulisic in place of a natural striker rather than alongside one. Pulisic has mostly played for the U.S. in a left attacking midfield role, somewhere in between a winger and a No. 10. Here he was a center forward, paired up top with fellow attacking midfielder Weston McKennie. And although his movements and role changed, his performance in front of goal did not.
He combined well in the position with McKennie and Malik Tillman. He looked reasonably comfortable — which is unsurprising, given that Pulisic has played in a front two at AC Milan. His off-ball running was smart. His dribbling was purposeful and sharp. Anywhere outside the box, he looked confident.
But whenever he got within 20 yards of goal, he faltered. In addition to the missed chances, he botched a 3-v-3 break in the 45th minute, failing to pick the right pass. And by the end of the half, his frustration was evident.
The U.S. didn’t heed Poch’s call for intensity
There were moments, again, where the U.S. played well. And there were players whose efforts met the moment. But once again there were periods of play where the U.S. was too slow to react, too delayed in their recoveries and a step behind the required effort to make the play. Mauricio Pochettino highlighted the team’s lack of intensity in his prematch comments, but the challenge wasn’t met.
Unsurprisingly, there were examples on both goals. Heavy touches in midfield from both Malik Tillman and Alex Freeman eventually led to McKennie’s turnover. Then, after Aidan Morris tried to jump the pass, which allowed Vitinha to skin the U.S., Morris and Tillman were far too slow to recover into the box to defend, which gave Trincão the space to trail Fernandes and score the opener.
Portugal’s second goal, on a designed set piece, highlighted it again. João Félix had the time to take a touch and set up the volley he lasered into the bottom corner of the far post. Morris was the closest to it, and afterwards, the big screen in Mercedes-Benz Stadium showed the midfielder pointing to his own chest after the goal.
Against teams like Belgium and Portugal, all that’s needed is that half second or half space. Over the last three days, the U.S. was taught that lesson multiple times.
By the end of the game, it felt more like a training session for Portugal than anything really productive for the U.S. Portugal was given far too much time and space on the ball. It was toying with the U.S. at times. It felt so far removed from a game with stakes — just as it felt in September 2022 when the U.S. played neutral site friendlies in Germany and Spain. The U.S. recovered and had a solid group stage in Qatar. Pochettino & Co. hope this is similarly not much of an indication of what will come when the tournament starts in a few months.
