Frank Christian
A notable change in the United States men’s national team under Mauricio Pochettino was the joy evident on Yunus Musah’s face just after scoring 49 minutes into a friendly match against Panama, which was more significant than it appeared.
This friendly marked the beginning of the U.S. team’s journey toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Pochettino as the new head coach. Although the overall gameplay didn’t fully reflect the $6 million investment on Pochettino, Musah’s long-awaited moment finally arrived.
He netted his first international goal, securing a 2-0 win for the U.S. at Austin’s Q2 Stadium, giving Pochettino a debut that will be remembered more fondly than the match itself.
The first goal of the Mauricio Pochettino era belongs to Yunus Musah!
His first for the #USMNT!! pic.twitter.com/bMd6ANOJhf
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) October 13, 2024
Pochettino shared his delight about the players and staff’s quick adaptation to new tactics, especially given that they only had four days of training before this match.
“I’m impressed with their focus and how they executed the plan,” he stated. “We aimed to control the game, but faced a strong, athletic opponent. In the first half, we kept a clean sheet and created some opportunities.”
Although the U.S. needed Musah’s goal, creating chances was a challenge. The U.S. held the ball for just 55% of the time, which is relatively low for them against most CONCACAF teams except Mexico, managing to score on just two of their three notable opportunities. The second goal came late from substitute Ricardo Pepi, while Josh Sargent missed a good chance to score earlier in the game.
Panama had two significant opportunities that they squandered, often flooding the area in front of U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner. He made impressive saves, particularly in the 53rd minute, to maintain the clean sheet.
Musah’s goal, a highlight in an otherwise tough match, brought joy to his 41st appearance for the national team. This match was special as he played as a right midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 setup, a shift from his usual central role. Pochettino aimed to reinvigorate Musah after his strong performance in the 2022 World Cup.
The goal came from a well-coordinated play on the left, with Robinson assisting Pulisic before the ball found Musah, who made a stunning leap to score. An hour later, Musah was still beaming.
“I’m thrilled,” he expressed in an interview. “I’ve dreamt of this for ages.”
Musah appreciated the chance to play a full game on the right, a rarity for him. Pochettino, having coached Tottenham when Musah was at Arsenal, recognized his potential.
Pochettino’s strategy aimed to bolster Musah’s confidence, which he successfully accomplished by allowing him to play wide.
“He understands my background, including my time in the academy and my experiences at Valencia. That’s why I was positioned wide today—because he believes in my abilities,” Musah explained.
