No Pulisic, no problem: Malik Tillman carries USMNT to knockouts

Although Tillman has been primarily deployed as a central midfielder at club level, Pochettino has moved him to the left wing, allowing him to affect the game higher up the pitch, and he’s grasped the opportunity with both hands.

Like many of his international teammates, his versatility is one of his best assets. Capable of playing anywhere from defensive midfield to the wing, and with the type of engine that fits perfectly into the manager’s system, he is the archetypal Pochettino player.

On a roster made up mostly of the USMNT’s second string, Tillman is one of just 10 players currently competing in Europe. They faced off against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15 in their first game of Group D. The last time they played each other, the Caribbean nation won, 2-1, beating a U.S. side that had many of its "first team" stars.

This time, in the end, it wasn’t much of a contest, with the U.S. winning, 5-0. Tillman effectively killed off the game in the 41^st minute when he scored his second goal, with his first, a well-taken first touch and then finish, coming just after the 15-minute mark.

His game against Saudi Arabia on June 19 wasn’t quite as busy, but he remained a constant attacking threat against a good side, ending the game with 20/26 passes completed, two touches in the opposition box and two passes into the final third.

Despite securing qualification for the next round with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, Pochettino isn’t the type of manager to rest on his laurels. The Argentine played a largely unchanged side in the team's 2-1 win over Haiti on Sunday, and Tillman starred once again.

Ten minutes in, Tillman scored a kind of goal for which he’s not exactly known. Leeds attacking midfielder Brendan Aaronson anticipated his teammate’s movement perfectly, placing the ball on a dime as Tillman scored a rare header.

For the second time in three games, Tillman was named Player of the Match. That will help provide the type of ego boost needed to help continue spectacular performances in a grueling international tournament schedule.

Costa Rica is up next for Tillman and Co. on June 29. Buoyed by a 0-0 draw against early tournament favorite Mexico in its previous game, this will be its first real contest on the Gold Cup so far.

Looking a little further in the future, with the amount of attacking talent Pochettino has at his disposal, a place at next year’s World Cup isn’t guaranteed for Tillman, but considering he’s stepped up and become the talisman for the Gold Cup while many preferred to rest, his chances have improved.