USA coach Pochettino praises leader Tillman: 'What a player' - ESPN

ARLINGTON, Texas — United States manager Mauricio Pochettino said he was pleased to see his team deliver a «professional performance» in defeating Haiti 2-1 in the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang scored at either side of halftime, allowing the U.S. men's national team to win its third straight match in the tournament and clinch the top spot in Group D. The U.S. will face either Costa Rica or Mexico in the quarterfinals.

The match marked another impressive performance for Tillman, who in addition to scoring this third goal of the tournament contributed on the defensive end with a team-high seven recoveries. That contribution without the ball was noticed by Pochettino.

«Malik, it's difficult to define him because what a player, no?» he said. «What a player that is showing this, all his talent and capacity. Because this type of player, the talent that he has shown with every single game and then with the capacity without ball, the work ethic in the way that he really is aggressive, he recovered a lot of balls. He's always trying to help the deep press, chasing back, playing in different positions.

»He can appear like a No. 10 in training, between the lines, using the half space, but can be in the right or left side, wide. Or he can drop and play like a No. 8, No. 6. I think, 'What a talented player.' So pleased with him."

The U.S. broke on top in the 10th minute when Tillman headed home Brenden Aaronson's cross. But Haiti equalized in the 19th minute when U.S. keeper Matthew Freese sent Tim Ream's back pass straight to Louicius Don Deedson, whose curling effort beat him at his far post.

The USMNT was dominant in the second half, with Tillman going close a few times, including an effort in the 63rd