USMNT DEFEATS 14TH-RANKED SENEGAL 3-2 IN PENULTIMATE MATCH BEFORE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 – by Zaven Aharonian

(May 31, 2026) – USMNT DEFEATS 14TH-RANKED SENEGAL 3-2 IN PENULTIMATE MATCH BEFORE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

Goal and Assist from Christian Pulisic Guide USMNT to Victory;

Sergiño Dest Scores Third Career International Goal; Ricardo Pepi Starts, Records Fifth Career Assist; Folarin Balogun Scores Ninth Career Goal; 

USMNT Sets Sights on Final World Cup Warm-Up on June 6 vs. Germany in Chicago

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 31, 2026) — In the first-ever meeting between the sides, the U.S. Men’s National Team defeated African powerhouse Senegal 3-2 behind goals from Sergiño Dest, Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun in front of 57,741 spectators at Bank of America Stadium in the Allstate Continental Clásico.

The match, and result, gave American soccer fans a first taste of the National Team that will represent the United States this summer. This was the first time the World Cup roster played together since the 26-player squad was announced on May 26 at an event in New York City.

Seven players in head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI were part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, including center back Tim Ream. After being named captain of the World Cup roster, Ream wore the armband at the stadium where he plays his club football for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer.

Senegalese soccer legend Sadio Mané appeared in the starting lineup for head coach Pape Thiaw. The two-time African Player of the Year joins Senegal to compete in his second World Cup.

The United States, looking focused and fresh in the opening minutes, controlled the game early, quickly connecting 50 passes compared to Senegal’s seven, and soon the Americans made their early pressure count on the scoresheet. Forward Ricardo Pepi escaped pressure with a pass to Pulisic. The forward, earning his team-high 85th cap, sent in a low cross for Dest, and the wingback slammed home a shot to open the scoring.

In the 18th minute, the U.S. doubled its lead through Pepi and Pulisic once again. On the right channel, fullback Alex Freeman played Pepi with a pass in behind Senegal’s backline. After a couple of dribbles, Pepi’s next pass traveled to Pulisic making a blistering run into the box. The forward deftly cut with the outside of his foot to evade  Senegal’s goalkeeper Mory Diaw and slotted the 33rd goal of his National Team career.

Defender Antonee Robinson nearly made it 3-0 in the 31st minute after Pepi nodded down a header his way off a floated cross from midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. With space, the fullback lined up a volley from about 10 yards from goal that appeared well-hit and on target, but the shot took a deflection off a Senegalese defender for a U.S. corner kick.

The U.S. dominated most of the first half, doubling Senegal number of shots, but the visitors pulled one back before the halftime break through their superstar, Mané. Senegal’s all-time leading scorer converted a low shot in the 44th minute to bring the scoreline to 2-1 heading into the second half.

Pochettino made nearly a full switch at halftime, sending on 10 substitutes with Berhalter as the lone holdover. Notably, goalkeeper Chris Brady replaced Matt Turner, who earned his 54th cap and finished with two saves. The appearance marked the international debut for Brady, the 22-year-old from Naperville, Illinois, who became the 889^th player to earn a cap for the USMNT since its inaugural match in 1916.

It appeared that a second-half substitute was responsible for the USMNT’s third goal of the match, which would’ve restored the team’s two-goal advantage. Midfielder Malik Tillman created a takeaway on the left sideline, and after a few dribbles to control possession, fed Balogun who was lurking inside the 18-yard box. Balogun made a beautiful turn and curled a shot into the upper right-side netting, but the striker was ruled offside and the goal disallowed.

The next goal would belong to Senegal moments later in the 52nd minute. This time, the Lions of Teranga created the takeaway and Mané scored his second goal of the night to level the match 2-2.

The U.S. would have another goal disallowed, this time from Tillman, in the 61st minute due to a called foul.

Balogun put the U.S. back in front when he pounced on a deflected ball from Tim Weah, finishing with a low shot with his right foot and into the left corner of the net from the center of the box.

In the 75th minute, the U.S. nearly added another goal in a flurry of activity around the box, but Weston McKennie careened his off the post and Diaw blocked the rebound attempt from Balogun. It took a brave effort from the Americans to keep its one-goal lead in the final quarter of the match, and the USMNT secured the hard-fought victory and walked off the pitch with chants of U-S-A echoing throughout the stadium in Queen City.

The final tune-up for the USMNT before FIFA World Cup 2026 will be Saturday, June 6 against four-time World Cup champions Germany at sold-out Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. The team then departs for the West Coast to prepare for the first group stage match against Paraguay on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN 

USA – SERGIÑO DEST (CHRISTIAN PULISIC), 7th minute: Ricardo Pepi split a pair of defenders on the left flank and found Pulisic with space. The forward charged toward goal with his dribble then located Dest making a run into the box. Dest met Pulisic’s low, left-footed cross placed perfectly in the center of the box and slammed a shot with his right foot from six yards out that traveled into the upper back of the net. USA 1, SEN 0

USA – CHRISTIAN PULISIC (RICARDO PEPI), 20th minute: Alex Freeman located Pepi making a run in behind Senegal’s backline. Pepi ran down the pass, then crossed to Pulisic inside the box. Pulisic took one touch with his right foot to round the Senegal goalkeeper, then drove a confident and low right-footed strike from the right edge of the six-yard box into the back of the net. USA 2, SEN 0

SEN – SADIO MANÉ (HABIB DIARRA), 44th minute: In a moment of transition, Diarra dribbled up the pitch, then slid a through ball for Mané. The striker converted a low shot with his right foot from about eight yards out, squeezing a shot into the left-side netting to put The Lions of Teranga on the scoresheet. USA 2, SEN 1

SEN – SADIO MANÉ, 52nd minute: Senegal’s lethal goal scorer pounced on a giveaway in his team’s attacking third. When Brady came off his line, Mané lifted a ball over the debutante to set up a right-footed shot. Despite some effort from U.S. defender Miles Robinson to catch Mané’s slow-rolling shot before it crossed the endline, the ball trickled over the line to even the match. USA 2, SEN 2

USA – FOLARIN BALOGUN, 63rd minute: Weston McKennie passed up the pitch to Tim Weah on the right sideline, and the forward delivered a long cross into the box. The ball slipped past a Senegal defender where Balogun was ready to capitalize. The striker went against the grain on the shot, sending a right-footed strike into the left side of the net, from one step in front of the penalty spot to put the U.S. back in front. USA 3, SEN 2 FINAL

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The seventh minute goal was Sergiño Dest’s third of his international career.
• Christian Pulisic recorded his 20th career assist to become just the fourth player to reach 20 assists for the USMNT, following Landon Donovan (58), Michael Bradley (23) and Cobi Jones (22).
• The first-half assist brings Pulisic’s total goal contributions to 52, surpassing Eric Wynalda into sole possession of fourth all-time with the USMNT. Pulisic now sits behind only Landon Donovan (115), Clint Dempsey (76) and Jozy Altidore (56) on the all-time list.
• His goal in the 20th minute was the 33rd career goal in Pulisic’s career. It was the forward’s first international goal since November 18, 2024, vs. Jamaica.
• The goal moves Pulisic just one goal shy of catching Wynalda in fourth place on the USMNT’s all-time scoring list.
• This is the 12th match where Pulisic has recorded multiple goal contributions, ranking him third all-time behind Landon Donovan (26) and Clint Dempsey (13).
• This is also Pulisic’s eighth match with a goal and assist, tying Dempsey for second most all-time. They trail only Landon Donovan (13 games with a goal and assist).
• Ricardo Pepi recorded his fifth assist. After recording an assist in the team’s previous match against Belgium, Pepi collected assists in back-to-back matches for the first time in his international career.
• Chris Brady became the 889th player to earn a cap for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
• Folarin Balogun scored his ninth career international goal.
• This is the seventh-straight win for the USMNT against opposition from the Confederation of African Football, dating back to Nov. 17, 2010 vs. South Africa, the team’s longest winning streak against any confederation outside Concacaf.
• Chris Richards did not travel with the team to Charlotte. The center back remained at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center to continue his progression from an ankle injury.

- U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT –  

Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Senegal

Date: May 31, 2026
Competition: International Match
Venue: Bank of America Stadium; Charlotte, N.C.
Attendance: 57,741

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 77 degrees, cloudy

Lineups:

USA: 1-Matt Turner (25-Chris Brady, 46); 16-Alex Freeman (23-Joe Scally, 46), 22-Mark McKenzie (12-Miles Robinson, 46), 13-Tim Ream (capt.) (6-Auston Trusty, 46), 5-Antonee Robinson (18-Max Arfsten, 46); 14-Sebastian Berhalter (26-Alex Zendejas, 76), 4-Tyler Adams (8-Weston McKennie, 46); 2-Sergiño Dest (21-Tim Weah, 46), 7-Gio Reyna (15-Cristian Roldan, 46), 10-Christian Pulisic (17-Malik Tillman, 46); 9-Ricardo Pepi (20-Folarin Balogun, 46)

Substitutes not used: 24-Matt Freese,11-Brenden Aaronson, 19-Haji Wright

Head coach: Mauricio Pochettino  

SEN: 23-Mory Diaw; 15-Krepin Diatta, 4-Abdoulaye Seck (22-Moustapha Mbow, 46), 2-Mamadou Sarr (19-Moussa Niakhate, 71); 13-Ilman Ndiaye (9-Bamba Dieng, 70), 8-Lamine Camara (26-Pape Gueye, 46), 27-Bara Sapoko Ndiaye, 14-Ismail Jakobs (25-El Hadji Malick Diouf, 46); 21-Habib Diarra (17-Pape Matar Sarr, 71), 11-Nicolas Jackson (12-Cherif Ndiaye, 59), 10-Sadio Mané (capt.) (7-Assane Diao, 60)

Substitutes not used: 29-Pape Sy, 28-Ilay Camara

Head coach: Pape Thiaw

Stats Summary: USA / SEN
Shots: 15 / 7
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3

Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 7
Fouls: 21 / 9
Offsides: 1 / 2

Misconduct Summary

Officials:

Referee: Nick Walsh (SCO)

Assistant 1: Frank Connor (SCO)

Assistant 2: Daniel McFarlane (SCO)

Fourth Official: Don Robertson (SCO)

VAR 1: Ben Whitty (CAY)

VAR 2: Daneon Parchment (JAM)

Michelob Ultra Man of the Match: Christian Pulisic