"The probability is realistically too low."

The United States lost 1-2 to Turkey in a friendly match held on the 8th (Korea time) at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Connecticut.

It started well. The United States scored the opening goal just one minute into the match with a fantastic long-range shot from Jack McGlynn. His left-footed shot, bending in from the right, found the back of the net.

However, the United States soon ceded control to Turkey and conceded the equalizer due to a shocking mistake in the 24th minute of the first half. A pass attempted by Johnny Cardoso inside the box deflected off Arda Güler and entered the goal. It was an extremely critical error.

Turkey, who scored the fortunate goal, quickly took the lead. In the 27th minute, during a counterattack, Kerem Aktürkoğlu pushed in the second ball to turn the match around. The United States had several chances to clear the ball, but the defense floundered and failed to prevent the goal. The match ended in victory for Turkey.

The United States is now in a rut with three consecutive losses in international matches, even losing at home. In March, the United States faced a shocking defeat against Panama in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League and lost to Canada in the third-place match. Following the tournament, they were caught off guard by Turkey in their first international match, resulting in a drop in morale.

This marks the first time the United States has recorded three consecutive losses since 2015. At that time, the head coach of the United States was Jurgen Klinsmann, who also coached the South Korean national team. The embarrassment, which had not been seen in the last decade, has reemerged under Coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Coach Pochettino took charge of the United States national team in September last year. He started off well with a 2-0 victory over Panama in his debut match, achieving 4 wins and 1 loss in five games. However, after the elimination in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals, he now faces three consecutive losses.

There is no place left for Coach Pochettino to retreat. After being dismissed from Tottenham in 2019, he failed with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea. If he cannot deliver results with the United States national team, his career could take a significant downturn.

The upcoming performance in the North American World Cup next year is crucial. Since these matches are held at home, the results must prove themselves. The United States has reached the round of 16 in their last three tournaments.

The next opponent for the United States is Switzerland. The United States will face Switzerland at Geodis Park on the 11th. If they lose again, it will be the first time since 2007 that they record four consecutive losses, a worst-case scenario they must avoid since they will compete in the CONCACAF Gold Cup starting on the 16th.

Recently, there have been ongoing discussions about a return to Tottenham for Pochettino. After the match against Turkey, questions about a return to Tottenham arose during the press conference. Coach Pochettino noted, "At this point, returning to Tottenham is not realistic," reaffirming his intention to lead the United States national team in the next season.

Coach Pochettino clarified that he is contracted until the 2026 North American World Cup and is focusing on preparing for the summer Gold Cup. He also reacted by saying he is accustomed to his name being mentioned every time there is speculation about changing coaches.

Coach Pochettino stated, "The list of candidates for the next Tottenham coach is always long, and I am just one of them," and added, "Look at where I am now. My staff is the same." He emphasized that the realistic possibility of a return is low, while also demonstrating a gesture placing his hand on his heart while saying, "That place (Tottenham) is still my club."

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