The U.S. men’s national team saw a two-goal lead disappear in Sunday’s friendly vs. Senegal but rallied in the second half to capture a needed home victory.
Sergino Dest and Christian Pulisic scored in the first half before Folarin Balogun delivered the Americans winning goal in a 3-2 home triumph at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mauricio Pochettino’s men rebounded from a pair of March defeats to Belgium and Portugal and also earn some much-needed confidence heading into their final pre-FIFA World Cup tuneup on Saturday.
It was a fast start for the USMNT as Dest one-timed a cross from Pulisic into the back of the Senegal net.
Ricardo Pepi drew in two Senegal players before cutting and hitting a streaking Pulisic in stride down the left wing. Pulisic’s low pass was finished off by a wide-open Dest for a 1-0 USMNT lead.
It marked Dest’s third-career USMNT goal and Pulisic’s 52nd-career goal contribution for the program.
After a Senegal penalty shout against Matt Turner was waived away, the USMNT doubled their lead 14 minutes later through Pulisic’s clever finish.
Pepi’s upfield pass allowed Pulisic to race into the Senegal box before rounding Mory Diaw and tapping into an empty net. The goal was Pulisic’s first for the USMNT in 559 days, dating back to his last international tally against Jamaica in CONCACAF Nations League play in November 2024.
Senegal trimmed the deficit before halftime with its leading scorer Sadio Mane finding the back of the net off an Antonee Robinson turnover. Habib Diarra played a pass in between Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie allowing Mane to race onto it and drill a low shot into the bottom-left corner.
Pochettino made 10 halftime substitutions and one of them endured a rough moment which led to Senegal’s equalizer. Miles Robinson was caught in possession by Nicolas Jackson and a deflected challenge eventually led to a wild ball that went over Chris Brady’s head and tapped in by Mane for his second of the match.
The USMNT would have the last laugh though as Balogun delivered the winning goal after having an earlier one waived off for offsides. Weston McKennie played Tim Weah up the right wing before Weah’s low cross was gathered by Balogun and slotted into the bottom-left corner.
It marked Balogun’s ninth USMNT goal and the fourth international window in the last five that he’s found the back of the net.
Sunday’s result marked the USMNT’s seventh-consecutive victory over African opponents, dating back to their 2-1 loss to Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They have outscored their opposition 17-5 over that span.
Up next for the USMNT is their final pre-World Cup friendly against Germany on June 6 in Chicago, Illinois.