United States international Sergiño Dest said he was “pretty surprised” at the level of fan support the team received at Sunday’s 3-2 friendly win over Senegal in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The U.S. played before an announced crowd at Bank of America Stadium of 57,741 fans, which was decidedly pro-USMNT. That hasn’t always been the case, especially in competitions like the Gold Cup, where fans of other countries in Concacaf can generate considerable noise.
It was an encouraging indicator ahead of the World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico.
“We have also played in stadiums that we didn’t really have fans, but to have a stadium full with all USA fans that is special and that is also what we need,” Dest told reporters Wednesday from the U.S. pre-World Cup training camp in Fayetteville, Georgia.
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“So we appreciate that and we want that kind of support because that helps us and look what we guys gave you back … a winner against Senegal, so we need it.”
Dest added: “It’s great to have it like that. We want to have it always like that because it just helps us so much to win games. And also even for the opponents, it just scares them as well.”
The versatile PSV Eindhoven player did his part in adding to the energy of the crowd on Sunday, scoring the USMNT’s first goal in the seventh minute on an assist from Christian Pulisic.
Dest said that scoring the goal gave him an “extra boost,” but added he’s keen to keep the momentum going.
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The U.S. will take on Germany in its final World Cup warm-up on Saturday at Chicago’s Soldier Field before it opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles on June 12.
“You’re just more motivated and you’re happy that you scored and could help the team,” he said. “But yeah, we just got to continue like this.
“It’s a great start that we won against Senegal for me, personally the champions of Africa. Yeah, the next game is also going to be a really important test against Germany.”
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Dest indicated that the USMNT wouldn’t be getting carried away by Sunday’s result, or what happens when it takes on Germany.
“Friendlies are always friendlies,” Dest said “Even for the opponents, you don’t know if they play with their starting 11, even with us.
“We are all trying to figure things out and in a World Cup you just have different type of pressure. I feel like for everyone and it’s just a little bit more serious. So you can’t compare it.”
