Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of the USMNT, has been trying to reinvent the team for over a year and a half and has introduced new players to the squad and experimenting with different formations. However, a 2-0 loss to Portugal highlighted old problems within the team, with Francisco Trincao scoring the first goal in the 37th minute. Despite this, the team's defensive problems continued to plague the USNNT. Pochettinos' final experiment involved placing Christian Pulisic as a No. 9 and using Weston McKennie as a central figure in attack, but the team failed to find a consistent new look for the team.