Mauricio Pochettino began his tenure as the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) head coach with a 2-0 victory over Panama in a friendly match on Saturday. The win marked a promising start for Pochettino, who took over following the team’s early exit from the 2024 Copa America.
The first half saw the U.S. dominate possession but struggle to break through Panama’s defense. Christian Pulisic, now with AC Milan, came closest to scoring, only to be denied by a sharp save from Panama’s goalkeeper, Orlando Mosquera.
Just minutes into the second half, Pulisic’s creativity paid off. He delivered a precise cross to Yunus Musah, who calmly slotted the ball home in the 49th minute to put the U.S. ahead. Panama fought back, but U.S. goalkeeper Matthew Turner kept them at bay with key saves, maintaining the lead.
Substitute Ricardo Pepi secured the win in stoppage time, finishing off a swift counterattack to make it 2-0. With this strong debut, Pochettino will look to continue the momentum as the U.S. faces Mexico in their next match on Tuesday.
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