Varas: USMNT lacked right 'mentality' in historic loss to Canada - ESPN

United States men's national team interim coach Mikey Varas said his players lacked the right mentality in a historic 2-1 loss to Canada Saturday at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

It was Canada's second victory over the USMNT on U.S. soil and first in 67 years.

«The mentality is on the players. They know it,» he told reporters. «We speak the truth to each other. I love those guys. But they know that mentality to fight, to run and to sacrifice, I can't do that for them. That's on them.»

Varas said he had no answers to why the proper mentality was lacking.

«I'm not a psychologist, so I don't know,» he said. «I felt that the trainings were intense. They were aggressive. But when the game comes, you gotta get going. And the players are the ones that bring that. Coaches can only get you so far from a mentality perspective.»

Coming off defeats to Panama and Uruguay at the Copa América, the U.S. has lost three straight games for the first time since 2015 against Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica. A defeat to New Zealand on Tuesday in Cincinnati would result in the Americans' first four-game losing streak since 2007.

«All over the park today, our mentality just wasn't quite there,» defender Chris Richards said.

Varas moved up from assistant after Gregg Berhalter was fired following the team's dismal performance at the Copa América, where the USMNT exited a home competition at the group stage for the first time in history.

Before a crowd of 10,523 in a just over half-full Children's Mercy Park, Jacob Shaffelburg put Canada ahead in the 17th minute after Tim Ream's pass bounced away from Johnny Cardoso. Jonathan David added his 29th international goal in the 58th minute when Ream turned over the ball in front of his own