INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino said that Sunday's third-place game in the Concacaf Nations League against Canada is a match where "we need to show character."

The U.S. is still smarting from Thursday's 1-0 defeat to Panama in which Cecilio Waterman's strike in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time saw the U.S. prevented from winning a fourth straight Nations League title.

Afterward, Pochettino lamented his team's lack of aggression and intensity, especially in the first half. His hope is for not only a better result, but an improved performance against Canada.

"I think what we want to see is the same focus and concentration and mental level in every single game, official [competition] or no official competition," he said in his pregame news conference Saturday.

"And for me, [Sunday] is going to be a game, an important game to see how we react. We need to show character ... It's not only about the result but it's also about to improve our performance."

That includes AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic who didn't have much impact in Thursday's game.

"A player like him is under pressure in the last few months, high pressure," Pochettino said, "For sure that is not the Christian that we wanted to see because I think he can do much better."

Pochettino added that he felt his team's discipline was there, and that his players followed the game plan. What was missing was the chemistry between players as well as the confidence to take risks in attack.

"They need to trust in that they can make a mistake, and the mistake is not to try again," he said. "For me that is the most important."

He added: "People that take risks is what we want, what we love and you cannot play football without risk. If you want to play safe, you are not going to affect the game. That is the important thing that also we were talking yesterday -- to take risks, is to be brave."

Pochettino's assessment is such that it raised questions about how much of the team's motivation comes from the coach and how much from the players. Pochettino, while indicating there would be changes to his lineup on Sunday, said it's the responsibility of both parties.

"Of course you have this characteristic that maybe you can find different ways to motivate people or groups, but in the same time you need to identify the players that have their own motivation and their own aggressivity because they're comfortable in behaving in this way," he said.

U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams said the loss to Panama has prompted plenty of contemplation within the squad.

"We've obviously had individual talks. We've had talks with the manager as well," he told reporters Saturday. "And it's just a reflection talking about what it means to be able to represent your country, what it means to be able to represent the national team, making sure that every time that we step into camp, we're representing the crest, our teammates, our families, the country, giving someone to someone, something to root for.

"So yeah, I think that has been a big reflection. And obviously this will be our first training today as a group since the game. So yeah, we'll see the energy, but it needs to be better.

"We need to raise the bar," he added. "We need to be the team that sets the tone for every single game that we play and we can't be waiting for someone to throw the first punch and us be able to react. Cause sometimes you get knocked out with the first punch.

"There doesn't need to be motivation for the game, whether it's third, fourth, whatever place game it is. It's like we're representing our country and that needs to be the wake-up call for guys."

The Panama result has served to raise concerns from fans and media about the form of the USMNT and what it might mean for their performance at next year's World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host alongside Canada and Mexico. But Pochettino indicated he's not bothered by the criticism.

"When there is a loss, there is a criticism, and you have positive and negative critics, but you also have the constructive criticism. This is the one that we have to consider," he said with the help of a translator.

"I understand the doubts, and that's OK."

Tim Weah offered full backing to Pochettino to get the best out of the team by the time the World Cup rolls around.

"I think every player here is excited to be here and with him and I think we're just going to grow under him," he said. "I think in the next what year or so before the World Cup, you're going to see a totally different squad. I think he's going to get the best out of the players and having moments like Panama is the only way you get to fine tune and fix certain things."

Earlier this week, Pochettino sidestepped questions about the political rhetoric surrounding the tournament. Canada counterpart Jesse Marsch has been more outspoken, taking issue with comments from U.S. President Donald Trump about Canada becoming a "51st state."

Marsch, whose side lost 2-0 to Mexico in its semifinal on Thursday, indicated he felt the rhetoric had subsided a bit, but could still be felt.

"The climate politically has calmed down, and there's still the rhetoric out there about the 51st state, but I think people are becoming more numb to it than what they were a month ago during the 4 Nations [hockey] tournament," he said. "However, we are still very aware that there's still a different climate than what there was even the last time we played the U.S. in September. So we will make sure that we know what that is.

"But more importantly, I think that the U.S., I've heard from the camp that they're internally disappointed with their performance. Then, in the media here in the U.S., I think the media has been very aggressive about how disappointed they are in this team and now they've turned a little bit and put it toward the players. So we would be very foolish that if based on those two factors, we don't expect a real hard game and a big response from the U.S. national team."