🇲🇽 Diego Cocca's only sure thing ahead of USMNT clash: Pressure

The Mexico manager is yet to lose but already is running out of time. PLUS: Pre-tournament friendlies!

Reporting from San Diego

Mexico manager Diego Cocca can be certain of few things ahead of a critical summer, but one thing is guaranteed: Pressure.

Even so, the Argentine seemed at peace Saturday. While Mexico struggled in that day’s friendly, some of his top players joined training the next day, with seven likely starters for Thursday’s showdown against the United States linking with the group.

“In soccer, you can’t assure anything,” he said when I asked him how he could make sure the new additions training Sunday would have time to integrate for the Nations League Final Four. “You can only make the margins of error smaller: We’ve made it smaller, made things clear, giving the players tools they can use on the field and now are preparing the tactics and strategy over three days.

“That’s the challenge of a national team. We’ve been doing it in a day and a half, so for me three days is an eternity.”

Cocca may feel like he has plenty of time, but the reality is that even after maintaining his unbeaten record leading El Tri - thanks to a late goal from Kevin Alvarez rescuing a 2-2 draw against Cameroon - on Saturday, everyone else feels like his time already is running out.