New coach Mauricio Pochettino gets win in first game with USMNT

AUSTIN, Texas — Mauricio Pochettino’s first game with the U.S. men’s national team was a win.

The 2-0 win Saturday night might not seem like any great shakes, considering Panama is ranked 37th in the world, 19 spots below the Americans. But given the USMNT’s struggles in recent months, winless in seven of their previous 10 games this year, including the last four, they’ll take any win they can.

But there is more to be had from the USMNT, who squandered a couple of chances in the first half Saturday night before Yunus Musah broke through in the 49th minute. Tim Ream sent a looping ball up the field to Antonee Robinson, who controlled it on the sideline before sliding it to Christian Pulisic.

Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson then had a give-and-go before Pulisic found a streaking Musah, his teammate at AC Milan, in the box. Musah buried the ball in the back of the net for his first goal in 42 games with the USMNT.

Matt Turner preserved the lead with saves in quick succession on two shots from close range in the 52nd. He batted the first shot away, but it fell to another Panama player and Turner made a kick save to block the second shot. Panama threatened again late, but José Fajardo's shot went wide. Ricardo Pepi then gave the USMNT an insurance goal in stoppage time.

The USMNT now heads to Mexico, where it plays archrival El Tri in Guadalajara in a friendly on Tuesday night. The first competitive match with Pochettino comes next month, though the opponent (and site) for the Nations League quarterfinal is still to be determined.

The home leg will be Nov. 18 in St. Louis.

After an abysmal showing at Copa America this summer, including only the third loss ever to Panama, U.S. Soccer fired Gregg Berhalter and went after Pochettino. It was a bold — and pricey — move to entice one of the most successful managers in European club soccer to take his first national team job, but the federation didn’t have a choice. The United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico, and U.S. Soccer hopes it will elevate the sport here much like the 1994 tournament did.

While soccer has a much higher profile now than it did 30 years ago, it lags behind the NFL and NBA and the talent pool still isn’t what it should be in a country this size. A deep run in 2026 could change that — but not with the direction the USMNT was heading.

Pochettino has said repeatedly this first camp was about getting to know players and, equally importantly, the players getting to know him and his staff. He didn’t make wholesale changes with his first lineup, though he raised a few eyebrows by leaving regular starter Weston McKennie on the bench.

The USMNT did look more energetic than they did this summer, but there was some of the same old sloppiness in the first half. Robinson sent a dangerous cross in front of the goal in the opening minutes of the game, but there was no one there to latch onto it. Late in the half, Josh Sargent skied what looked like a gimme.

But the USMNT found a way to win, something it hasn't been able to do much lately. That alone makes Pochettino's debut a rousing success.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA vs Panama: Mauricio Pochettino gets win in first game with USMNT