USMNT 0–2 Portugal — Second Pre-Tournament Defeat Compounds World Cup Alarm

The United States Men's National Team suffered a second straight pre-tournament defeat, losing 0–2 to Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (attendance 72,297). Francisco Trincão scored in the 37th minute and João Félix added a second in the 59th minute. The US had more shots in the first half (8 vs 3) but was undone by defensive errors on both goals. Goalkeeper Matt Freese made multiple saves and was not blamed for either goal. The result, combined with the 2–5 loss to Belgium on March 28, sparked intense discussion about Pochettino's defensive setup with the World Cup just 10 weeks away. Portugal played without Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leão, and Diogo Costa. Pochettino said the results gave him 'clear information' on what needs to be fixed. The USMNT's next game is a May 31 friendly vs. Senegal in Charlotte; Pochettino's 26-player World Cup roster is announced May 26.