Pochettino refuses to blame Balogun controversy after USA exit to Belgium | OneFootball

USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino says his side deserved to crash out of their home World Cup after losing 4-1 to Belgium.

A brace from Charles De Ketelaere and goals from Hans Venaken and Romelu Lukaku were enough to see Rudy Garcia’s side brush aside the tournament co-hosts despite Malik Tillman equalising midway through the first half.

The build-up to this match was overshadowed by the controversial decision from FIFA to allow previously suspended forward Folarin Balogun to play, which drew wide spread criticism across football. However, the USA were second best throughout their encounter with the Belgians, something Pochettino acknowledges.

“It’s difficult to make a comment. I think we were not good enough today,” Pochettino said. “We don’t need to find another excuse, I think we were not good enough, wasn’t our day. We didn’t perform in the way that we’re supposed to perform or show it our quality.

“But I think all that was happening around, was around, but I think it wasn’t a situation that affected us as a group.

“I think all the teams can sometimes have one day that you don’t perform and nothing is right for you and today was that, this type of day that you suffer, because we, you can never connect with the game, but to find outside, for different situations that already explain FIFA, already explain everyone, I think it’s clear how they explain and what happened, is because of the rules that you can apply.

“I think, from that, I think any comment about that, no comment about that, and Belgium were better than us, and that’s it, it’s very clear, the situation.”