Mauricio Pochettino has celebrated a successful debut as US national team coach, leading the team to a 2-0 victory over Panama.
Mauricio Pochettino gets off to a winning start. In front of 20,239 spectators at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, the Americans had a tough time against Panama for a long time and missed a few chances. But Milan professional Yunus Musah (49th minute) and substitute Ricardo Pepi (94th minute/PSV Eindhoven) gave their new coach a 2-0 victory in the second half and the USA a sense of achievement again after four games without a win.
Musah’s goal, his first for the USA, came in his 42nd cap. Pulisic and Aaronson carved open the Panamanian defense, and Musah volleyed home from Pulisic’s cross. A trio of bench players made the score stand in injury time. Malik Tillman set up Haji Wright on the left side of the box, and his cross found Pepi in front of goal. The former Augsburg player did not let himself be deterred and scored his eleventh goal in his 31st international game.
The World Cup quarter-finals as a goal
This gave the 2026 World Cup hosts some hope for the tournament mission. “It’s a very good feeling. It was a very, very difficult game for us,” said Pochettino, who was signed in September. He wants to build something ‘little by little’. ”The goal is 2026, but I think we are happy because we showed a solid and very professional performance and fought very well. But it’s only the first step in improving.”
The demands are high. The US federation has given him to understand that at the 2026 World Cup in the United States and Canada and Mexico, “in truth, the quarter-finals” are planned, said the Argentine. Most recently, however, the USA failed in the Copa America in the group stage, and Gregg Berhalter was subsequently dismissed.
Next opponent is eternal rival and 2026 World Cup co-host Mexico at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on Tuesday morning (4:30 a.m.). The second game under Pochettino is the first friendly between the two nations on Mexican soil since August 2012.
