(Reuters) -United States manager Mauricio Pochettino is eager to see how his side fare against Mexico in Sunday’s Gold Cup final, saying it may well be the team’s final chance to compete under real pressure before next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Both teams have bypassed the challenging World Cup qualifying rounds that typically help prepare teams for football’s grandest event and are already guaranteed a place as hosts.
After the final, the U.S. will next host South Korea and Japan in a pair of international friendly matches in September.
“It’s good for us. It’s good because I think it’s going to be maybe the last game that we are going to play under pressure, and to play under pressure is what we need, the team need,” Pochettino told reporters on Saturday.
“Because we are qualified for the World Cup and I think all the games that we are going to play after are friendly games. Those are unofficial games and I think it’s important that we have, not a difficult scenario, but feel the pressure, feel the stress.
“Because the World Cup is going to be about feeling the pressure and to feel the stress. It’s great to have this opportunity.”
The Gold Cup final will be played at the NRG Stadium in Houston, just a few hours’ drive away from central Texas where at least 43 people, including 15 children, have been confirmed dead following flash floods.
Pochettino began his press conference by paying tribute to the victims, adding: “First of all I want to send our thoughts to the people in Texas, the tragic situation and for sure the people that were affected.
“Our thoughts with all the people there. Our solidarity with all the families that were affected for the flood.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
