AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. males’s nationwide staff marked new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s debut with a 2-0 victory in Saturday’s pleasant match at an almost bought out Q2 Stadium.
Midfielder Yunus Musah scored the winner — the 21-year-old World Cup veteran’s first purpose in 42 profession appearances for the USMNT — from a stunning go by U.S. star and AC Milan teammate Christian Pulisic 4 minutes into the second half. Substitute Ricardo Pepi added one other strike deep into second half stoppage time.
Listed below are a number of fast takeaways from Pochettino’s profitable first match on the helm.
Play of the sport
Musah’s first worldwide purpose was a very long time coming. It proved to be definitely worth the wait. The play began when heart again Tim Ream, to whom Pochettino gave the captain’s armband on Saturday, discovered left again Antonee “Jedi” Robinson deep in Los Canaleros half. Robinson beat former New York Pink Bulls fullback Michael Murillo and shortly discovered Pulisic. After a fast interchange with Brenden Aaronson, Pulisic regained possession and picked out Musah racing into the field. Muash caught out his proper leg and redirected the service previous visiting keeper Orlando Mosquera from the highest of the six-yard field.
Turning level
Simply three minutes after Musah’s opener, Panama practically canceled it out. However U.S. backstop Matt Turner — whose solely motion throughout the 2024-25 season has come for his nation — confirmed why he is been the U.S. No. 1 for the final two years.
Turner made an all-world save on Édgar Bárcenas, stretching to paw the hassle away. Turner then stopped the rebound shot by José Luis Rodríguez from point-blank rage to protect the lead and, by extension, Pochettino’s maiden win.
Key stat
The expectation was that the People would come out flying of their first 45 minutes beneath their new boss. The primary-half stats inform a unique story. Regardless of enjoying in entrance of a raucous, partisan crowd within the Texan capital, the U.S. was solely barely forward of Panama in most classes, together with pictures (6-5), possession (57-percent to 43), passes (308-237) and passing accuracy (90-percent to 86).
Mosquera and Turner every made a single first half save — Mosquera’s a spectacular diving cease on Aaronson to maintain the sport scoreless about six minutes earlier than halftime.
What’s subsequent for Panama?
Los Canaleros head north of the border to face Concacaf rival Canada on Tuesday in Toronto.
A hotly-anticipated journey to Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico, the place the People will tackle chief nemesis El Tri on Tuesday night time. As a lot as Saturday’s triumph was a wanted one following a winless September window and a disastrous Copa América efficiency over the summer season, that match will present a a lot sterner take a look at. The U.S. has only one win towards El Tri in Mexico in 28 video games there since 1937.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports activities. A former employees author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports activities, he has coated U.S. males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Comply with him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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