Pepi assists a goal in United States victory over Senegal in pre-World Cup friendly

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (KFOX 14, CBS 4) — El Paso native Ricardo Pepi assisted a goal to help lead the United States Men’s National Team to a 3-2 victory over Senegal in Charlotte on Sunday.

This was the first match for the US since Mauricio Pochettino announced the 26-man squad for in the World Cup.

The Americans were hot right from the start. In the seventh minute, Pepi drew out two Senegalese defenders and played Christian Pulisic through. Pulisic slotted it across the six yard box to Sergino Dest, who tapped it in to give the US a 1-0 lead. Then in the 20th minute, on a counter attack Pepi poked it through to Pulisic. Pulisic took a touch around the goalkeeper and passed it into the net to double the American advantage. However just before halftime, the Antonee Robinson was dispossessed, leading to a Sadio Mane goal to make it 2-1.

Pochettino made 10 changes to start the second half. In the 49th minute US striker Folarin Balogun saw a goal disallowed due to offside. In the 52nd minute, Miles Robinson played a poor back pass and after some chaos ended up putting it in the back of his own net to tie the game at 2. In the 63rd minute, Balogun would get his goal on a first time finish off a cross from Timothy Weah. This goal would prove to be the game winner as it finishes 3-2.

Pepi played 45 minutes and recorded the assist on the second goal of the match. Fellow El Paso native Alex Zendejas came off the bench for the US in the 76 minute.

The US will face Germany on Saturday June 6th in their final friendly ahead of the World Cup.