Mauricio Pochettino got a feel for what the U.S. men's national team still faces at times during home games: a crowd rooting for the opposition.
"It was like to play in Guatemala," the coach said after his team got two early goals from Diego Luna and hung on for a 2-1 win Wednesday night that advanced the Americans to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. "That was good for our players because it was an atmosphere that we didn't expect."
The U.S. will play Mexico on Sunday in Houston, the Americans' last competitive match before next year's World Cup.
A sellout crowd of 22,423 at Energizer Park energized Los Chapines, who outshot the U.S. 20-12 and got an 80th-minute goal from Olger Escobar.
"That is football," Pochettino said. "When we say the connection in between the fans and the team, that is the connection that we'd like to see in the World Cup. That connection that makes you fly, because of the energy that translates."