Lads, it's Guatemala: Mired in mud-slinging and mounting losses not so long ago, Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT have a favorable Gold Cup semifinal matchup and renewed hope

This is a remarkable set of circumstances. Just a few weeks ago, the vibes were terrible. Christian Pulisic's decision not to play for the USMNT this summer sent shockwaves through the sphere of angry talking heads. He responded to the critics with an interview that only prompted more mud slinging. The US got battered by two decent European teams in pre-Gold Cup friendlies.

Mauricio Pochettino's side were regarded as either the third or fourth most likely team to win the tournament - depending on how much respect you prefer to give to Panama - behind Mexico and Canada.

There were various streams of thought floating around in the footballing ether. Some argued that this whole thing was a free hit - such was the relative weakness of the U.S. squad. Others reckoned that the USMNT have to win the Gold Cup, because it's what they should do. Outside of that, there was a general apathy. These are a load of third stringers, who the hell actually cares?

Flash forward, and the kids - and backups - are alright. The U.S. made light work of the group stage, ground out a gutsy 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, and valiantly turned things around after almost chucking it all away by beating Costa Rica on penalties in the semifinals.

Pochettino talked a lot about "character" - whatever that means. Former USMNT players and current soccer analysts Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas praised the effort, which doesn't mean much, either. Point is, the USMNT are back, baby. Bring on the one liners, the zingers, soundbites and buzzwords that the national team discussion thrives off.

Of course, there is also quite a lot to like about the U.S. as an actual football team at the moment. This side wouldn't compete in, say, a World Cup if it were in 12 months. But for this genre of football, they're quite good.

Chris Richards has come on leaps and bounds, and looks like a top-tier center-back. Tyler Adams is a wonderful No. 6. Malik Tillman is finding his feet at the national team level (and seems bound for Bayer Leverkusen). Diego Luna endeared himself to the manager after playing through a broken nose in January, and has further impressed with a series of exciting performances as a dyanmic attacking midfielder.

Yes, there are question marks - Max Arfsten is committing a remarkable act of playing both for and against the USMNT - but the overall point is that this is a much better side than many thought it might be.

The results have been positive. The group stage wins were relatively comfortable. The Costa Rica victory was by no means simple, but the U.S. played well enough over the course of 90 minutes - and showed enough in penalties, with goalkeeper Matt Freese making three saves - to say that they deserved the victory.

They are not at the level of, say, Mexico. But they are good value for where they are - and really should add another win.

This is a real lifeline for Pochettino. His position was never in jeopardy, no matter what happened here. But public favor has been uncertain. Pochettino hasn't quite endeared himself to this fan base in totality. Comments about Weston McKennie and Tim Weah's visit to the White House - which implied that the coach wanted to be in their position - didn't go down well on social media.

The Argentine had a bit of a public spat with Pulisic, who had little trouble pinning the blame the fact that he didn't play in the pre-tournament friendlies on his manager. And don't forget, the USMNT had lost four straight home matches entering the Gold Cup, which hadn't happened since 1988. And in the process, Pochettino became the first USMNT coach to lose five of his first 10 games since Lothar Osiander from 1986-88.

But now, opinion is turning. It starts with, you know, winning. And the USMNT has done plenty of that. That's the thing about sports: whatever off-field controversy may be circling a team or individual, winning cures all. Get the results, and fans tend to forget about whatever they were mad about pretty quickly. So, too, does the general vibe. Pochettino celebrating the penalty win against Costa Rica - and screaming "VAMOS" into a camera - went down well among the fans. "Look, this guy CARES!"

Another win would only further the pro-Pochettino campaign. And the opponent, in all honesty, couldn't be kinder. Of the four Gold Cup semi-finalists, Guatemala are the lowest ranked. Their recent resume includes a 3-0 loss to Jamaica and 3-2 defeat to Guyana.

But then, there's the flip side. For all of the chatter about how the U.S. have enjoyed a good tournament, there remains the sense that they have a soft underbelly. This team can be hit, rattled and beaten. Their record against teams that sit in deep and attack on the break is woeful. This is the issue with Pochettino's system: he likes to attack, but defensive vulnerabilities persist.

Guatemala aren't low block merchants in the traditional sense, but they do love to defend. They have been out-possessed and outshot in three of their four Gold Cup games to date. There is a real directness about their play. And after beating Canada on penalties, they, too, are on the good vibes train.

They also have a bit of cutting edge up front. Striker Rubio Rubin made seven appearances for the USMNT from 2014-2018 before using his one-time switch to represent Guatemala. He scored a crucial equalizing goal against Canada, and has spoken of his desire to put in a good performance for his adopted nation.

"This tournament is a great opportunity to show what we can do. When the Guatemalan national team plays, it's a big deal. All the TVs are on, everyone is watching," he told ESPN Netherlands.

Charleston Battery manager Ben Pirmann, who signed Rubin from Mexican side Queretaro, backed him for success against the U.S.

"Rubio and Guatemala have had an incredible tournament at the Gold Cup," he told GOAL via email. "Although I am American and a strong supporter of our national team, it is difficult not to jump on the bandwagon for Guatemala. They have played inspiring football for their nation and each other, and Rubio has been a massive part of that effort."

A weakened USMNT? A Guatemala led by a former U.S. national, who plays in the USL? The scriptwriters might already be hard at work.

Still, for all of that, there remains a prevailing sense that the U.S. should snag a result here. Guatemala may be hot, and momentum may be with the visitors, but quality should prevail. The U.S. have failed when they've been favorites in crucial fixtures before, but those upsets have come on the back of poorer runs - where the warning signs are clear.

For now, the vibes are good. The team is up for it. This is not Pochettino's first team - Pulisic, McKennie, Weah, Antonee Robinson and a virtual starting lineup of players are missing - but they're a good side who have done the ugly bit. Now seems a fair chance for their quality to shine through.

There has been a rhetoric, too, that this tournament could prove a chance for some of the fringe players to state their claim for the first team. Pochettino has made all of the right noises about this being an open competition. Reality and the desire to win probably dictates that the opposite is true. When fit, Pulisic, Weah and Yunus Musah will all be in the picture. So too will McKennie, Robinson and Sergino Dest.

But the match winners here might be within a shout. Tillman and Luna are both playing with points to prove. Richards is constantly improving. And for this team, a spot in the final would be a real result. The good news is that it feels attainable.

After all, lads, it's Guatemala.