HOUSTON — After a hard-fought battle in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino took aim at match officials for what he deemed critical mistakes that contributed to the 2-1 loss against Mexico on Sunday night.
Pochettino expressed disappointment over multiple calls, particularly highlighting a missed handball by Jorge Sánchez that arguably warranted a penalty for the Americans in the 67th minute.
The coach further lamented the referee’s ruling against Diego Luna, which led to a free kick that became pivotal in Edson Álvarez’s stunning tiebreaking goal just ten minutes later.
A key moment in the match came after Álvarez’s initial goal was disallowed due to an offside call, only for the decision to be reversed by VAR, allowing Mexico to celebrate its 10th Gold Cup title.
Pochettino’s frustration was evident as he compared the differential treatment of calls against the U.S. versus Mexico.
“If similar calls went against Mexico, it would be a fire in the stadium. But for us, it’s like, OK, they are nice guys,” said Pochettino, reflecting on the spirit of the officiating.
Defender Chris Richards echoed Pochettino’s sentiments, criticizing the consistency of officiating standards in CONCACAF competitions.
Richards noted that Sánchez’s handball should have been treated like a foul, drawing a parallel to former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal.
“He palmed the ball like Shaq in the box,” Richards remarked, adding that he felt a foul should have been called against César Montes for blocking him on the free kick.
The U.S. had taken an early lead just four minutes into the match, thanks to a goal from Richards, making the subsequent decisions all the more frustrating for the players.
Pochettino did not mince words regarding Sánchez’s handball, stating, “If that happened in the opposite half, for sure it’s a penalty.
You say silly penalty, silly penalty. Yes, the player was with the knee on the floor when he pushed the hand over the ball. That was a penalty and maybe 2-1 for us, and maybe we now are celebrating the trophy.”
The coach further expressed resolve, stating, “It’s not about crying or complaining; I just want to tell the truth.”
The controversy continued with the free kick that set up the winning goal, with Pochettino claiming Luna’s foul on Alexis Vega was an unfair call.
“He slipped and fell down alone,” Pochettino insisted, highlighting his belief that the referee had made errors in judgment throughout the match.
After Jorge Vásquez initiated the free kick, Álvarez, seizing the opportunity, redirected the ball from short range to net the decisive goal.
Pochettino maintained that Álvarez was in an offside position at the moment of the ball’s delivery, which led to the chaotic finale.
Reflecting on Mexico’s earlier matches in the tournament, Pochettino pointed out a particular goal by Santiago Giménez that was nullified during the group stages, suggesting that the pattern of officiating inconsistency continued to plague the tournament.
“It’s difficult to give the third disallowed goal,” Pochettino said, expressing weariness at the recurring nature of such scenarios.
Despite the sting of the defeat, Pochettino emphasized the need for continuous improvement.
“I am not crying; I am saying nothing against Mexico. Nothing. I respect Mexico,” he concluded, asserting the importance of focusing on what can be learned from the experience.
The U.S. team must regroup and reflect on the officiating and their performance, looking ahead to future tournaments in hopes of turning the tide in their favor.
image source from：tampabay
