Tom Reid here and I've got the lowdown from Mauricio Pochettino's camp ahead of the USA's World Cup showdown with Bosnia – and let me tell you, 'Tino' is not having it! The USA coach reckons his team shouldn't be considered the favourites to progress to the next round just yet. He pointed out that we've seen some shock results in the last few days, like Germany getting knocked out by Paraguay after a penalty shootout and Morocco coming from nowhere to defeat the Netherlands on spot-kicks.
The USA have had an impressive campaign so far, topping Group D with wins over Paraguay and Australia, but Pochettino is adamant that complacency has no place in this tournament. He highlighted how one or two factors can swing the outcome of a game, making it essential to stay focused on the task at hand.
The USA's opponents, Bosnia, finished third in their group but Pochettino insists they deserve respect for their organisation and aggressive play. And let's not forget that Christian Pulisic is raring to go after being fit enough to start against Bosnia, while centre-back Mark McKenzie remains a doubt with his ongoing foot problem.
But it's the USA's mentality that Pochettino is most concerned about, urging them to approach this match with the same intensity as if it were the final of the World Cup. "For us, this is the final tomorrow," he declared, sending out a clear message to his team and their fans.
The winner will go on to face either Senegal or Belgium in the next round, so you can bet Pochettino's team are taking nothing for granted. And in an unusual move, he even took time out to apologise for his frustrated tone at a previous press conference – it seems 'Tino' is all about keeping it real.