US men's soccer team beats Senegal 3-2 in World Cup tune-up

The United States men's national soccer team secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Senegal in their penultimate pre-World Cup friendly, offering a much-needed confidence boost after recent losses. However, the win at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium also highlighted persistent defensive frailties that coach Mauricio Pochettino will need to address before the tournament.

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The United States defeated Senegal 3-2 with goals from Sergiño Dest, Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun in their penultimate test before the 2026 World Cup, just 12 days before their debut against Paraguay.

Sergiño Dest opened the scoring in the seventh minute, assisted by Christian Pulisic, with Ricardo Pepi also playing a key role in the build-up. Pulisic himself doubled the lead in the 20th minute, showcasing effective interplay between the attacking players. Senegal, however, managed to pull a goal back before halftime, capitalizing on a midfield turnover and a swift counter-attack led by Habib Diarra and finished by Sadio Mané.

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The victory... is a breath of fresh air for Mauricio Pochettino's team after the defeats against Belgium (2-5) and Portugal (0-2) suffered in March.

The second half saw Senegal equalize, taking advantage of another defensive lapse by the U.S. team. Miles Robinson lost possession, allowing Nicolas Jackson to break through, and Mané scored his second goal. Despite having a goal disallowed for offside and another for a foul, the U.S. eventually found the winner in the 63rd minute through Folarin Balogun, who converted a cross from Timothy Weah.

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Habib Diarra drove 30 meters and assisted Sadio Mané, who did not miss.

While the offensive display provided reasons for optimism, the defensive errors against Senegal and previously against Belgium and Portugal raise significant concerns. The team's final friendly against Germany will be a crucial test to iron out these issues before their World Cup debut against Paraguay.

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Miles Robinson lost the ball in an attempt to play in the first line. Nicolas Jackson came alone against Chris Brady, who came out late, and his shot ended up being pushed by Mané into the back of the net.