So, there's improvement from you. The USMNT were battered 2-0 by South Korea on Saturday. Suddenly, their fixture against Japan seemed massive. Must-wins don't really "exist" in friendlies. But if they did, Tuesday night in Columbus is what it would look like.

And for the first time, Mauricio Pochettino coaxed what felt like a real performance out of this USMNT. Sure, there were the caveats of the fact that Japan generally played a B team. But the U.S. won comprehensively, controlling the ball when they had it and the spaces when they didn't. A 2-0 win was the final scoreline, but few would have been surprised by four or five based on the caliber of performance.

There were a few keys to this all.

The first was a switch in formation. Pochettino went to a back three, which offered much improved balance to his side. The second was a complete showing from Christian Pulisic, who played his best with a lovely assist and countless big moments. And perhaps the most important was the vibe. The U.S. were on it from the first minute. Japan never really got into the game, something the hosts made sure of.

What can we take from all of this? Are the improvements a stroke of fortune against a lesser opponent? A false dawn ahead of tougher games to come? Perhaps a bit of both. Either way, it's encouraging, which might be enough.

GOAL US writers break down the 2-0 win over Japan in the latest edition of... The Rondo.