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≡ U.S. 3, SENEGAL 2 ≡
Having named its 2026 FIFA World Cup team during the week, the 16th-ranked U.S. men’s team met no. 14 Senegal in Charlotte, North Carolina in the first of two warm-up matches, in mid-70s weather but humid at more than 56% in front of a nice crowd of 47,382.
The U.S. was on fire from the start, with a brilliant pass by star forward Christian Pulisic from the left side of the pitch to streaming midfielder Sergino Dest, who finished with a right-footed strike for a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute!
The U.S. kept the pressure up and was playing with the ball in the Senegal end, and striker Ricardo Pepi found a streaking Pulisic inside of him on the right side, and Pulisic dribbled almost to the end line but scored from a tight angle at the near corner of the Senegal net, just beyond the reach of keeper Mory Diaw, in the 20th for a 2-0 lead.
The Senegal pressure increased after that, but it appeared that the U.S. would retain its two-goal lead into the half. But in the 44th, the U.S. lost possession and forward Habib Diarra led Senegal striker Sadio Mane in the middle of the box and he scored to the left corner of the U.S. goal, past keeper Matt Turner.
The U.S. ended the half with 55% of possession and an 8-5 edge on shots and, indicative of an aggressive defensive performance, 11-5 on fouls. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino (ARG) made 10 changes at halftime and the Senegalese made five.
Turner was subbed out for Chicago Fire keeper Chris Brady at halftime, his first national team appearance! He almost got some immediate help, as midfielder Milak Tillman won possession deep in the Senegal zone, then sent a pass to sub striker Folarin Balogin, who hit a strike that reflected off of defender Mamadou Sarr and into the Senegal goal. But instead of a 3-1 lead, the U.S. was called for offside.
And Senegal tied it in the 52nd, as a U.S. error in its own end allowed a long kick by striker Nicolas Jackson that looked like a possible goal to the far side of the American goal. The onrushing Mane bounced it into the goal ahead of a save attempt by defender Miles Robinson.
The U.S. scored again in the 61st as Balogun fought for the ball in front of the Senegal goal and Tillman came on to slam it into the net, but Balogun was called for a foul and the goal was disallowed. But on the ensuing possession, Balogun got his goal finally, with a right footed smash off a seeing-eye cross from the right side from Tim Weah, and a 3-2 lead in the 63rd.
There were more changes for Senegal in the 70th, and the U.S. had three chances to score in the 75th, but Diaw made two saves on Balogun and a third U.S. shot hit the post! The game slowed with the Americans playing defense and trying to possess the ball as much as possible and held on for the 3-2 win.
It was the fourth straight win for the U.S. and 5-0-1 in the last six against non-European opponents, stretching back to 2025. A lot of Senegal possession in the last half meant it owned 56% of possession during the game, but the U.S. finished with a 13-7 edge on shots. The Americans were called for 21 fouls to seven against Senegal.
The American men have one more warm-up match, on 6 June in Chicago against no. 10 Germany.
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Mexico also had a pre-World Cup match this weekend, but at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California before 78,479, defeating Australia by 1-0 on a 28th-minute header by Johan Vasquez. Mexico ended with 60% of possession in the game.
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