CHARLOTTE — United States manager Mauricio Pochettino was “happy” with the contribution of attacker Christian Pulisic, who broke his five-month scoring drought with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 friendly win over Senegal on Sunday.
For Pulisic, the weight off his shoulders was evident after he scored, as he yelled and slid to his knees in celebration.
“I felt this confidence. I’ve played really well in recent months too, but all people seem to care about his goals,” Pulisic said. “So hopefully now people can stop talking about it. And I feel good and now obviously just a friendly.
“[We’ve] got big games ahead and I got to be ready.”
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The match was the first of two pre-World Cup friendlies, with the U.S. set to take on Germany on June 6. The USMNT opens the World Cup against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Pulisic assisted on Sergiño Dest’s seventh minute opener, and then doubled the U.S. lead in the 20th minute has he latched on to Ricardo Pepe’s pass, rounded Senegal keeper Mory Diaw and scored from a tight angle. The goal was Pulisic’s first for club or country since scoring for AC Milan back on Dec. 28. The goal also snapped an eight-game drought with the U.S. that dated back to November of 2024.
Pochettino noted that the goals were a result of the effort Pulisic put in during practice in the leadup to the game.
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“Every day, training with this attitude, with this commitment, with this energy, I think now we need to try to [extend] until 90 minutes,” Pochettino said about Pulisic, who played just the first half. “Happy for him also because after the long time or few months [without a goal], let’s score again, which is important for a player knowing the preparation to the World Cup.”
Overall, Pochettino said he was satisfied with the performance, though he added there is still work to be done.
“I think it was, I think positive to finish after 90 minutes in a good form,” he said. “I think with the possibility to [have] nearly the whole roster playing minutes. I think it’s…many positive things. [There are] things that we need to improve, obvious things that we need to improve, but I think I’m happy to finish the first week of training and competing [against] a really good team like Senegal.”
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The U.S. squandered the two-goal advantage Pulisic handed to them by conceding two goals to Senegal star Sadio Mané. On the first, the U.S. failed to manage a transition opportunity after a turnover in midfield. The second was the result of a sloppy pass from U.S. defender Miles Robinson and a moment’s hesitation from substitute keeper Chris Brady.
The U.S. lead was restored in the 63rd minute when Folarin Balogun latched on to Timothy Weah’s cross and fired home from the left side of the penalty area. Despite the win, Pochettino noted that there are defensive issues that need to be cleaned up.
“I think for me, under my view and my opinion, I think things that we concede were through our mistake,” the U.S. coach said. “If we improve in the way to manage some situation, I think we will avoid [them].”
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Pochettino added: “Of course, they have quality and very good player, but I think the chances that we concede were all being with the capacity to read better some actions on the game. I think we can avoid the possibility to concede and we are going to be focused next week working in all the type of thing to try to improve.”
After opening Group D play against Paraguay, the U.S. will face Australia and then Türkiye as it looks to advance to the round of 32 knockout stage. The World Cup begins on June 11 when co-host Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City.
