Overview
- Following the 5-1 win, Mauricio Pochettino rebuked post-match questions about “regular players,” declaring, “I am the USA coach, not a janitor.”
- He defended heavy rotation after making nine changes from the Paraguay game, insisting every lineup he selects represents the national team without fixed hierarchies.
- Alex Freeman scored twice, with Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann also netting for the U.S.; Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored for Uruguay, which had Rodrigo Bentancur sent off.
- The victory matched the USA’s biggest winning margin over South American opposition and extended the current run to five unbeaten with four wins.
- ESPN analyst Alejandro Moreno pointed to a language disconnect and question framing in the exchange, while Cristian Roldán said Pochettino set an “unacceptable” standard at the start of camp to sharpen focus.