USMNT 3-2 Senegal: Christian Pulisic leads to US to pre-World Cup win – as it happened | Soccer

On May 31, 2026

That’s all, folks

Well then! 2-0 became 2-2, became 3-2. I’d say we all deserve another cooling break after that one.

That’s a wrap on this blog, but far from the end of our coverage as the USMNT prepares for its role as co-hosts of this World Cup. 11 days until Group D kicks off. Up next: Germany, on 6 June in Chicago (1.30pm Central).

Thanks for following along!

Key events

Pablo Iglesias Maurer

Playing in front of 57,741 in the first of two send-off matches ahead of this summer’s World Cup, the US looked lively throughout the match, a far cry from the dour pair of performances they put in against Portugal and Belgium in March. And the sterling performance from Pulisic, perhaps their most important attacking player, offers plenty of reasons for optimism for a program that had few of those after a two-loss March international window.

The encouraging effort did leave lingering questions, though, about the US’ ability to defend and manage games. Senegalese legend Sadio Mané scored just before and after halftime, with both goals coming off of US defensive breakdowns, continuing a troubling trend for the US.

Tune-up friendlies are seldom indicative of a team’s readiness in the ensuing tournament, but the US certainly needed a performance like this before the group stage. The hosts won with flair and dependable build-up patterns, ending Pulisic’s goal drought.

A win over a viable World Cup contender after falling in a pair of similar tests back in March. That’ll do!

FINAL: USA 3-2 SENEGAL

Dest, Pulisic, and Balogun score for the hosts, while a Sadio Mané brace kept Senegal in the match until the very end.

93 min – Nervy moment for the US as Senegal sustained possession in and around the box, but a looping cross misses its target and is quickly ushered into the Senegal half. One minute left in Charlotte…

90 min – Four minutes of stoppage time remain. Will Senegal find another leveler, or has the US done enough for a timely win?

87 min – Senegal get the ball into the box, but Bamba Dieng sees the ball roll just ahead of his outstretched foot.

The US closing this out in a 4-4-2 since Zendejas came on, with Tim Weah the left midfielder, Zendejas on the right, and Arfsten and Scally as the corresponding full-backs.

83 min – This is the fifth time in 25 matches that the US has scored at least three goals since Mauricio Pochettino took over, and the third time they’ve done so against opposition beyond Concacaf.

(4-2 Jamaica, Nov ‘24; 3-1 Venezuela, Jan. ‘25′; 3-0 Costa Rica, Jan. ‘25; 5-1 Uruguay, Nov. ‘25)

79 min Auston Trusty takes many a healthy whack in the Premiership, and gets up after a clattering with Bamba Dieng. The US working to limit Senegal’s advances into the final third, with their defensive block advancing a bit further into the opposition’s half following the break.

76 min Álex Zendejas completes the US line change, replacing Sebastian Berhalter. A fine shift for the Vancouver Whitecap.

75 min How has it not gone in! The US takes three attempts in rapid succession, with two being saved on either side of a McKennie shot clanging off of the post. Senegal barely hanging on following the last sips of water.

70 min – SENEGAL SUBS

Finally with a break between counter attacks, the Senegal players on the pitch as play resumes:

Mory Diaw
Moussa Niakhaté (off: Mamadou Sarr, 71’)
Mamadou Mbow (Abdoulaye Seck, 46’)
Krépin Diatta
El Hadji Malick Diouf (Ismail Jakobs, 46’)
Bara Ndiaye
Pape Gueye (Lamine Camara, 46’)
Bamba Dieng (Iliman Ndiaye, 71’)
Assane Diao (Sadio Mané, 60’)
Cherif Ndiaye (Nicolas Jackson, 59’)
Pape Sarr (Habib Diarra, 71’)

Diatta dons the armband following Mané’s exit.

68 min – DRINK BREAK!

Third time’s the charm for Balogun, who was called offside on his first strike and had a foul nullify a possible assist just a minute ago. Tim Weah and Weston McKennie work a silky one-two up the right, while Weah’s cross is deflected by Mamadou Mbow right into Balogun’s plot.

The Monaco striker needed no second invitation, and the US is back in the lead after blowing a 2-0 lead.

GOAL! USA 3-2 Senegal (Balogun, 63)

Folarin Balogun finishes off a lovely team move to put the US in front!

61min A good sequence in the Senegal box, as Tim Weah scampers upfield and gets the ball to Folarin Balogun. Balogun scrapped to keep the ball from being cleared while Malik Tillman rushed onto it, but committed a foul as he made contact with Bara Ndiaye before Tillman could power it into the net.

Senegal determined to play out from the back, recirculating possession back to Mory Diaw with frequency

58 min The US looks a bit disjointed, between a near wholesale change at halftime and some tenuousness after conceding so soon post-break. McKennie trying to get things back in order with physicality off the ball, but the US has yet to fashion a good look since Balogun’s strike was ruled offside in the 49th.

A calamitous first impression for Chris Brady, who is slow to leave his line as a Miles Robinson pass caroms off of Nicolas Jackson. The ball looped over his head and into a wide-open box, with Robinson trying to clear the ball as it rolled toward the goal-line. It took another deflection, this time from a converging Mané who pushes it into the net from half a yard out.

There’s always a risk giving a young player his debut in a big match like this. All level in Charlotte with most of the second half ahead of us. Senegal has hardly been wasteful when the US makes mistakes today.

GOAL! USMNT 2-2 SENEGAL (Mané, 52)

48 min Nearly a third goal for the US, after Malik Tillman pries the ball off of Mamadou Mbow and gets it to Folarin Balogun in the heart of the box. The Monaco man fired a shot to the far post which took a friendly deflection, but he was visibly a yard or two offside.

Subs, ctd USA makes 10 changes, with Sebastian Berhalter the only starter to stick around. A change to the team shape, too:

Chris Brady (out: Matt Turner)
Joe Scally (Sergiño Dest)
Miles Robinson (Alex Freeman)
Auston Trusty (Tim Ream)
Max Arfsten (Antonee Robinson)
Cristian Roldan (Tyler Adams)
Weston McKennie (Gio Reyna)
Folarin Balogun (Ricardo Pepi)
Tim Weah (Mark McKenzie)
Malik Tillman (Christian Pulisic)

Weston McKennie dons the armband as this half’s captain.

Pablo Iglesias Maurer

Unreal scene here at BOA as second-half substitute Chris Brady — yes, you read that correctly — could not find his kit. It took his fellow goalkeeper Matt Freese sprinting across the field to the kitman, who dumped an entire bag of jerseys out on to the sideline, to secure it.

An international debut for Chris Brady, who was the only member of this squad without a cap – the first uncapped World Cup pick for the US since 1994 (Juergen Sommer, who also earned a debut in a pre-tournament friendly).

Brady replaces Turner, who had a largely good first half but was beaten by Mané on a counter-attack. Full list of subs incoming: should be three for Senegal, and more beyond Brady for the US.

Pablo Iglesias Maurer

We have not one but TWO dueling frisbee-catching dogs on the pitch at halftime here in Charlotte. It may make the football purists angry, but I cannot stress to you how badly we need more frisbee dogs in American soccer.

Reader Mary weighs in on Poch-to-Milan:

“Jeff, greetings from California. Some pundits, not you. Are trying to make the Poch Milan story something big. His contract is over after the tourney, of course he would take the job at one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. It won’t affect the players one bit.”

Quite excited to also be in California a week from today!

The links between Pochettino and Milan come at a time with admittedly poor optics, as talks reportedly evolved during the same week that the World Cup squad was finalized. Still, and to your point, his contract is up at tournament’s end. That’s a key difference from Julen Lopetegui’s gaffe in 2018, who was fired before that World Cup after Real Madrid announced he’d lead the club following the tournament. Crucially: Lopetegui’s deal with Spain had been set to run through Euro 2020.

The most important thing is that players feel as connected to their coach and as clear about what they’re expected to do in the summer. Early reactions affirm that’s the case as Pochettino weighs his post-Cup options.

A lot to like about that half from a US perspective. The return of the Robinson-Dest wing-back tandem was vital toward that rampant opening half-hour, with Robinson and Pulisic finding a rhythm down the left and Dest enjoying freedom to roam with Alex Freeman covering terrain behind him.

Senegal’s late goal a good reminder about how mistakes can be punished against this caliber of opponent. How many of the starters will be back on the field in hopes of earning a second drink break in front of Pochettino’s laptop?

HALFTIME: USA 2-1 SENEGAL

Antonee Robinson nutmegged a Senegalese player with a prodding pass, but Tyler Adams is slow to collect and Senegal sprang the break. Krépin Diatta intercepted and played it to Habib Diarra, who dribbled from inside his own half to 25 yards from goal before rolling a pass into the heart of the box. Sadio Mané didn’t need a touch, taking contact from Adams as he placed a shot beyond Matt Turner for his 54th international goal.

A nervy wake-up call for the US, who will be desperate to close the half with a lead.

GOAL! USMNT 2-1 Senegal (Mané, 44)

36min Matt Turner finally forced into action, with Iliman Ndiaye dribbling into the box. Sebastian Berhalter does well to force the Everton winger into a difficult angle, making for a comfortable near-post punch by Turner.

Senegal unable to threaten on the ensuing free kick, but a second push shortly afterwards forced Turner into another near-post stop: this one, a kick save and a beauty.

Reader Gareth on cooling breaks:

“First time I’ve ever seen a team sit on the bench and the HC get a laptop out in a cooling break. Is this how it’s going to be in the WC? I’m not a fan. It gives the coach 3 times as many options to make major adjustments. It’s a major change to how the game is played. Maybe I’m alone”

Far from alone there, Gareth. This feels like a bit of Americanization, breaking the game’s famous continuous flow with breaks in play. There are medical benefits, to be sure, but broadcasters seem far happier to have another in-game moment for ad sales than the fans whose entertainment is interrupted.

To say nothing about the way it changes how coaches can impact a game during each half – a bit more top-down control than we’re used to in this sport.

32min: Some lovely work around the Senegal area after another Pulisic streak up the wing, with an Antonee Robinson shot deflected wide by Chelsea defender Mamadou Sarr.

30 min Stat dump!

Possession: US 60%-40% Senegal
Shots (on target): US 5 (2) – 3 (0) Senegal
Pass accuracy: US 88% – 81% Senegal
Fouls committed: US 9 – 2 Senegal

26 min Back underway with hydrated palates. Can the US bring a cleansheet into the break before the line changes commence?

A fascinating peel-back of the curtain on the TNT broadcast, showing Pochettino’s team talk during the cooling break. He’s asking the team to remain positionally aware, with the whole team huddled around a laptop as he runs through clips.

Another crucial preparation for the World Cup: a cooling break! They look a bit parched as they head toward the trainers on the sideline. I may find my water bottle, myself…

A quick break upfield started by Matt Turner scythes up the right half-space, with Alex Freeman running into midfield before playing a ball for Ricardo Pepi to scamper onto at the edge of the final third. Christian Pulisic made an unobstructed run up the seam and keeps his composure, slightly rounding Mory Diaw to bag his first international goal since November 2024.

Pulisic’s off-ball movement is among his greatest strengths, but one he’s seldom embraced as the US’s leading man. 2-0 US, and the hosts are absolutely flying.

Goal! USMNT 2-0 Senegal (Pulisic, 20)

Christian Pulisic is back among the goals! His first for the US since November of 2024.

16min Senegal fashions a chance in the heart of the US box, only for Nicolas Jackson to send his first-time shot flying into the nosebleeds of Bank of America Stadium.

15 min: A good response by the US after scoring first, continuing to be patient in possession and proactive about keeping Senegal from finding a foothold.

12 min: Turner came up big in the 12th minute, with a diving lunge to take the ball off of Sadio Mané’s feet before Senegal could fashion a shot.

I certainly wouldn’t feel any less confident if Turner starts over Freese this summer – in fact, I might feel even more comfortable given his experience at the 2022 World Cup.

Cat, a human reader and not a feline, writes:

“What do you make of the Turner start? Is this a “get him some minutes so we don’t have a rusty backup” situation or a last minute position battle situation. I’m personally of the opinion that Turner has outperformed Freese in MLS this season and should get the spot, but I wonder how much Poch has already made his mind up.”

It’s bound to be addressed in the post-match press conference. Turner made just one start after the pre-Gold Cup friendlies, but his form in MLS has been among the best among goalkeepers of any nationality this season. This is his 54th international cap, and he has plenty of chemistry with most of the defenders on the roster save for possibly Alex Freeman.

7 min: Simply the Dest! After some circulation back into the defensive half, Robinson sends the ball to Ricardo Pepi, who lays the ball off for an unobstructed Pulisic scamper into the Senegal box. Pulisic again cut the ball into the heart of the box, where an onrushing Sergiño Dest was wide open in front of the penalty spot to open the scoring for the hosts.

Dest looked awfully happy, having missed much of the past two years with injury, but nobody in the building was more fired up than Christian Pulisic. Keeping him among the assists is a useful makeweight as he works to find his first US goal since November 2024.

GOAL! USMNT 1-0 Senegal (Dest, 7)

The US go in front!

3 min: Some nimble work up the left by Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic finds the Milan winger with room for a cut-back cross, which scoots tamely beyond an unprepared Gio Reyna.

Kickoff

1min: the lads are off and trotting in Charlotte!

Reader Justin writes in:

“Hi Jeff. Although I’m not a close observer of this US team, am I wrong to conclude that they would seem to lack leadership on the field and the full confidence of their coach off it? The more I read about this squad, the more I fear for a reckoning in the knockout rounds akin to the infamous 1-7 that the hosts suffered against Germany in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.”

The pressure of hosting is a unique beast, and it creates impossible situations and scenarios to replicate. This US group certainly struggled when hosting the Copa América in 2024, failing to get out of the group with the bulk of this current roster.

That said, there’s little expectation that the USMNT will advance so far as that infamous Brazil side, which suffered the humiliating 7-1 walloping after a gruesome quarter-final that saw Neymar injured and Thiago Silva suspended. To your point though, Justin: confidence on the field and the touchline has been in short supply over the past half year.

Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson have retained their status as the presumptive starters at right and left, respectively, no matter whether Mauricio Pochettino uses wing-backs or full-backs on any given day.

Perhaps surprisingly, then: this is the first time the pair have made the same starting lineup under Pochettino, who today is leading his 25th match as USMNT boss. Their last start in-tandem came in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League final (25 March 2024), which saw the US paste another dos a cero on Mexico.

Dest tore his ACL between that March window and the ensuing Copa América, while Robinson missed much of the past year with injuries of his own.

Based on the broadcast countdown, kickoff is slated for 3:38 pm Eastern. Just under 15 minutes until the United States men’s first chance to respond after March’s dour displays against Belgium (L, 5-2) and Portugal (L, 2-0).

Should be a good lineup for assessing three storylines I’m planning to watch closest in today’s friendly as well as next weekend’s test against Germany.

Will Christian Pulisic snap his scoring slump?
Is Alex Freeman more likely to factor at right center-back than right-back or right wing-back?
Will Gio Reyna or another player cement themselves as a trusty super-sub?

Freeman will start in the role, so that likely answers No. 2 (so long as Chris Richards remains unavailable, anyway).

Senegal lineup: Six changes from AFCON Final

A similarly balanced lineup for the visitors, led by the same front-three that started the Afcon final against Morocco – Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson, and Sadio Mané. Mory Diaw (Le Havre) starts in goal, with Édouard Mendy not listed among the substitutes.

Krepin Diatta and Ismail Jakobs will work to pin the US wing-backs into their own half with his upfield scampers, while Lamine Camara looks set to pull the strings in midfield. Notables among the bench include El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ilay Camara, Pape Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, and Bamba Dieng. Idrissa Gana Gueye also absent from the bench entirely.

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Pablo Iglesias Maurer

Senegal players trained on the pitch yesterday. Photograph: Omar Vega/Getty Images

The pitch here at Bank of America Stadium seems almost certain to provide some sort of storyline today. The stadium’s normal playing surface is artificial turf, and event organizers have laid natural grass over it for today’s match.

Unlike the hi-tech, deeply researched pitches which will be used in this summer’s World Cup, this field is decidedly more old-school, with sod having been rolled out just a week ago. Senegalese players were seen in training yesterday judging how the ball bounces on it, and they seemed unimpressed. Given the gravity of an injury this close to the World Cup, it’ll be something to watch.

Pablo Iglesias Maurer

A really lively atmosphere outside Bank of America stadium here in Charlotte. I’m absolutely gobsmacked at the sheer volume of US kits on view, particularly the red-and-white, flag-themed kits they’ll be wearing at this summer’s World Cup.

There’s a strong Senegalese presence here as well, but they’re sure to be outnumbered greatly by US fans today. As for the atmosphere inside the ground, that remains to be seen – there are plenty of tickets still available at face value.

Note: There’s currently a $68 get-in point on SeatGeek, while Ticketmaster’s lowest face value price at about 35 minutes before kickoff is $38.65

Some ground rules, courtesy of Pablo (who’s at the grounds today):

Both teams will be able to make up to 11 substitutions to keep players fresh ahead of the World Cup. For the good of the game’s flow, teams are limited to the usual three substitution windows during the match, plus the ability to make changes at half-time without utilizing one of those windows.

USMNT Lineup: It’s a 3-4-2-1!

A mix of projected starters and alternatives for the first tune-up, with Matt Turner getting his second international start since June 2025.

Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson at right and left wing-back, respectively, with a center-back trio (right to left) of Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, and Tim Ream. Sebastian Berhalter and Tyler Adams forge the double-pivot beneath Christian Pulisic (thankfully NOT at striker, seemingly) and Gio Reyna.

Ricardo Pepi gets the start up top, shielding his face in the federation’s social media graphic.

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Mauricio Pochettino in talks with Milan over head coach’s role as US open World Cup camp

US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has had talks with Serie A side Milan about taking over as manager next season, the Guardian can confirm.

Pregame reading: Confidence in Pulisic

Mauricio Pochettino is entering the 2026 World Cup with plenty of confidence in his team’s biggest star, even after last summer’s saga that saw Christian Pulisic ask out of national team duty.

Prelude

Well, it’s really real now. The US takes one of its last steps before their 2026 World Cup begins in a matter of hours. Jeff will be along shortly to guide you through.

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