"I think everyone who really looked at the sport and trusts in ethics and integrity should celebrate that decision.
We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 35 minutes after a decision that was completely unfair," said Pochettino, U.
S. coach.
The Argentine manager downplayed concerns that geopolitical figures should hold sway over athletic regulatory outcomes, while acknowledging that Belgium manager Rudi Garcia reportedly likened the decision to an April Fool's Day joke.
"We cannot mix that," Pochettino said.
Pochettino maintained that while the availability of America's current top tournament goalscorer helps the squad, the true capability of the roster depends on depth rather than a single individual player.
"The power is in the 26 players," Pochettino said.
The manager added that the high-stakes match in Seattle presents a major historical opportunity for soccer to establish its cultural relevance alongside established American professional sports leagues.
"I think this knockout round against a European country, being at the door of the quarter-finals, would make even more history for a country like this," Pochettino said.
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The United States national team enters Monday's match seeking to overturn a historical 5-2 defeat suffered against Belgium during a World Cup warm-up exhibition match in March.
