Pro-visitor crowd in St Louis like to play in Guatemala: Mauricio Pochettino

(RNS, 04-07-25) Mauricio Pochettino got a feel for what the US Men’s national team still faces at times during home games: a crowd rooting for the opposition.

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“It was like to play in Guatemala,” the coach said after his team got two early goals from Diego Luna and hung on for a 2-1 win Wednesday night that advanced the Americans to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. “That was good for our players because it was an atmosphere that we didn’t expect.” The US Will play Mexico or Honduras on Sunday in Houston, the Americans’ last competitive match before next year’s World Cup. A sell out crowd of 22,423 at Energizer Park energized Los Chapines, who outshot the US 20-12 and got an 80th-minute goal from Olger Escobar.

“That is football,” Pochettino said. “When we say the connection in between the fans and the team, that is the connection that we'd like to see in the World Cup. That connection that makes you fly, because (of) the energy that translates.”

US Players are used to some home matches where the support is overwhelmingly for the opponent.