Who will USMNT play in Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals? Mexico dodge tougher opponents

Hello there! Mauricio Pochettino's first international window in charge of the U.S. men's national team has officially come to a close, offering plenty of food for thought as the group continues their preparation for the 2026 World Cup. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a USMNT-focused midweek update.

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Wednesday, Oct. 16
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⚽ The Forward Line

🇺🇸 Mauricio Pochettino suffers first loss with USMNT

The U.S. men's national team's seven-game unbeaten run against Mexico came to a close on Tuesday when they lost 2-0 in an uninspiring performance in Guadalajara that offers reminders of the challenges that face Pochettino.

The Argentine made just two changes from the lineup that beat Panama three days earlier, including a start for Malik Tillman after Christian Pulisic departed camp to manage his minutes, but the game against Mexico played out very differently than Saturday's win. The USMNT had the slight edge in possession on Tuesday but were outshot 17-5, putting just one shot on target as they posed little attacking threat. Though they were not off to a strong start to begin with, Raul Jimenez's 22nd-minute goal to open the scoring seemed to drain all the energy out of the visitors.

The USMNT's lifeless attack was not helped by a somewhat sloppy defense, where Pochettino started Miles Robinson after Mark McKenzie picked up an injury during warmups. Mexico's second goal exposed the strengths and weaknesses of the USA's backline – the play started with Tim Ream's excellent recovery to dispossess Jimenez but the USMNT captain immediately played the ball right back to him, setting the Mexico international up to assist Cesar Huerta in the 49th minute.

The performance makes Pochettino's first international window a fascinating double act that showcased both the USMNT's potential and present realities. While the win against Panama allowed the team to display the new attack-minded ideas introduced by Pochettino, the loss to Mexico reignites conversation about the USMNT's depth. In addition to Pulisic, four players – including Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi – were sent back to their clubs with minor injuries, while others like Folarin Balogun and Timothy Weah missed out on the entire camp with injuries of their own.

While substitutes Tanner Tessman, Brandon Vazquez and Alex Zendejas offered some positivity against Mexico, few players on the USMNT's bubble stepped up to the plate in the absence of more established players. Tillman and Brenden Aaronson did little to impress in attack, while Josh Sargent was entrusted with two starts in Balogun's absence but took just two shots in 130 minutes of play.

An adjustment period, though, comes as little surprise – the players are working with new staff and new methods, while Pochettino is coupling that with his first-ever job as a national team coach. The one similarity between both games is that the USMNT, expectedly, did not look like the finished product, and so these games will act as a foundation for the next 20 months of work rather than a final assessment of the project.

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🏆 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals set

The U.S. men's national team will face Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals next month, which will be a fairly stiff test for Mauricio Pochettino in his first competitive matches as the new head coach.

The USMNT landed in the most comPetitive tie of the quarterfinals after Tuesday's loss to Mexico, which put them in third place in the Concacaf rankings. First-place Mexico, meanwhile, will face Honduras and second-place Canada will take on Suriname, with Panama's clash with Costa Rica completing the fixture list. The U.S. will Travel to Jamaica on Nov. 14 for the first leg before welcoming the side at St. Louis' CityPark on Nov. 18, with a spot in March's semifinals at SoFi Stadium on the line.

Pochettino's side will be favored in this tie but next month's games will serve as a crucial litmus test for the team's progress in recent months. November's quarterfinal will be a rematch of sorts of last March's semifinal when the USMNT went down in the first minute and needed a stoppage-time own goal to mount a comeback before winning the last edition of the Nations League. It was arguably the first of several uninspiring performances that came to define the USMNT in 2024 before Pochettino's hire, so reversing course will be expected under the new manager. The quarterfinals, though, might come too early in Pochettino's tenure to serve as a defining example of the team's new look under the Argentine, meaning next month's fixtures come with layers of intrigue as the U.S. works their way to the 2026 World Cup.

At stake sooner rather than later, though, will be the USMNT's status as a regional heavyweight. They are still the only Concacaf Nations League champions, but a group stage exit at this year's Copa America coupled with Tuesday's loss to Mexico, means the title of kings of Concacaf is up for grabs. Canada no doubt has their eyes set on the Nations League title after new head coach Jesse Marsch impressively led them to the Copa America semifinals, while Mexico's win on Tuesday offers a new injection of optimism after a dismal 2024.

The high stakes for the USMNT reflect another challenge of Pochettino's task. He has a fairly short window of time to improve the team in time for a statement-making showing at the 2026 World Cup, the first step of which would be for the U.S. to reassert themselves as the best in the region. Failing to win the Concacaf Nations League would not necessarily be a catastrophe for Pochettino's USMNT, though it is imperative to prove the U.S. can handle regional tasks before they can embark on their ambitious mission of breaking into the top echelons of the international game.

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💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• UEFA Women's Champions League: Barcelona vs. Hammarby, Wednesday, 3 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Under 4.5 goals scored (+114) – After a surprise loss to Manchester City to open the group stage, reigning European champions Barcelona will target a convincing win to get things back on track. Expect a lopsided win for the hosts, who will be eager to demonstrate their dominance and perhaps work their goal differential with top spot in Group D still very much in play.
• UEFA Women's Champions League: Wolfsburg vs. Lyon, Thursday, 3 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Under 2.5 goals (+141) – Lyon are naturally the favorites in this one and may come out of this one with another three points, but Wolfsburg will be determined to get a point out of this game after losing their group stage opener. The hosts' determination might be enough to keep things tight, even if the visitors come out on top.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.   

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