Mauricio Pochettino experienced his first defeat as the United States men's national team head coach with a 2-0 loss to Mexico, ending a seven-match unbeaten streak against their rivals. Raúl Jiménez scored a stunning 22nd-minute free kick and assisted César Huerta for the second goal in the 49th minute. The USMNT was missing key players such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah, which impacted their performance. Pochettino acknowledged Mexico's superiority and emphasized the learning opportunity for his team, who only managed to create scoring chances later in the match. Despite the loss, Pochettino remains positive about building strong player relationships and improving over time. The match also marked a significant moment for Mexico's Andrés Guardado, who played his 182nd and final match for 'El Tri.'