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GOAL US writers try to make sense of the USMNT’s loss to Panama, as Pochettino era suddenly era stalls with disappointing defeat

Welcome to crisis central. The USMNT had a real chance Thursday night to exorcise some recent big-game demons, beat Panama in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League and push for a fourth straight trophy in the tournament.

So much for that.

Instead, they turned in a stale attacking performance before getting hit on the break at the death and losing 1-0 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It was a cruel, cruel moment for the USMNT, and perhaps a stark reminder that this project might take a little more time to come together than most thought

There’s been plenty of finger pointing. Some have blamed Pochettino for his poor tactics and bad substitutions. Others have claimed that star man Christian Pulisic should be singled out because he didn’t score five, assist one, and lead this team to a 7-1 victory. More generally, there’s been an outcry for more passion, more anger, and more grit.

And there might truth to all of that. Or it might be that the USMNT just lost a game they should have won. How could this happen? And, who, exactly, is responsible? And where do they go from here? GOAL US writers debate those questions in the latest edition of … The Rondo.