U.S. men's national team defeats Senegal 3-2 in World Cup preparation match

The U.S. men's national team defeated Senegal 3-2 on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a pre-World Cup friendly. The team scored in the sixth minute and maintained pressure throughout the match despite defensive errors that allowed Senegal two goals.

Christian Pulisic ended a 22-game goal drought with a goal and an assist. Ricardo Pepi assisted Pulisic's goal and contributed to the build-up for the opening goal.

The U.S. team recorded 15 shots to Senegal's seven and held a 2.66 to 1.74 advantage in expected goals. The coach made ten substitutions at halftime, and the team continued to press after Senegal equalized early in the second half. Mauricio Pochettino said the team showed the attitude and commitment required ahead of the World Cup.

He noted that Pulisic's 45-minute performance reflected training habits developed during the week. Pulisic said the result felt good and that players appeared happier after finalizing the roster. He added that teammates could now focus on preparation.

Pochettino stated that the squad now includes multiple forwards with different skill sets. He said limited prior training time with one player had previously affected integration but that recent form showed improvement.