Mauricio Pochettino kicked off his tenure as the United States men’s national team coach with a 2-0 victory over Panama on Saturday, thanks to a goal from AC Milan’s Yunus Musah.
The Argentine coach, known for his previous roles at Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea, took the helm last month after a disappointing stretch where the team managed only one win in their last seven matches.
Pochettino’s mission includes preparing the USA for the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
Despite having only five days to work with the squad, his impact was already visible in their performance.
The team lined up in a flexible 4-2-3-1 formation, with Aidan Morris taking on a crucial role as the midfield anchor.
The Middlesbrough midfielder, who missed the Copa America earlier this year, impressed Pochettino with his confident and energetic play.
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In the early stages, the Americans moved the ball well but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, a familiar issue from previous coach Gregg Berhalter’s tenure.
Meanwhile, Panama, who had previously defeated the USA in Copa America, was content to allow Pochettino’s side to dominate possession while posing occasional threats in attack.
USA goalkeeper Matt Turner comfortably dealt with a long-range effort from Edgar Barcenas in the 26th minute, though Eduardo Guerrero came closer with a shot that hit the side-netting.
The first real chance for the USA arrived six minutes before halftime when Christian Pulisic found Brenden Aaronson, whose low shot was saved by keeper Orlando Mosquera.
Just before the break, Josh Sargent had a golden opportunity from close range but sent his shot over the bar.
However, the Texan crowd didn’t have to wait long after halftime to celebrate.
Just four minutes into the second half, after a strong run down the left by Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, Pulisic executed a clever one-two with Aaronson.
Aaronson’s cross found Musah, who side-footed it into the net, marking the start of a new era under Pochettino.
