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Christian Pulisic, USMNT Win vs. Panama as 1st Mauricio Pochettino Match Excites Fans

Oct 13, 2024
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States is defended by Roderick Miller #25 of Panama during the second half at Q2 Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States is defended by Roderick Miller #25 of Panama during the second half at Q2 Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

In the first match under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the United States men's national team defeated Panama in a friendly on Saturday night by the score of 2-0.

The USMNT was able to earn some revenge after previously falling to Panama in the Copa América group stage on June 27. The U.S. squad failed to advance to the knockout stage following the loss, which ultimately led to the firing of former manager Gregg Berhalter.

There initially appeared to be some skepticism regarding changes under Pochettino following a scoreless first half, although it it didn't take long for the United States to get on the board under the 52-year-old once the second half started.

Following a give-and-go from Brenden Aaronson and Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah scored off a slick feed from Pulisic to break the tie in the 49th minute.

Panama nearly got on the board a few minutes later, but the USMNT maintained the lead following a double save by Matt Turner.

Ricardo Pepi cemented the victory for the U.S. squad in stoppage time, as he scored off a low cross from Haji Wright.

Fans praised the performance from the team as well as Pochettino.

The USMNT will be back in action for a matchup with rival Mexico on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Christian Pulisic Hyped by USMNT's Pochettino as 1 of World's Top Offensive Players

Oct 11, 2024
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 01: Christian Pulisic of Milan runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 	AC Milan at BayArena on October 01, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 01: Christian Pulisic of Milan runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and AC Milan at BayArena on October 01, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

New United States Men's National Soccer Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino paid a massive compliment to U.S. soccer star Christian Pulisic on Friday.

According to Fox Sports' Doug McIntyre, Pochettino said the following regarding Pulisic: "I think he's a fantastic player, one of the best offensive players in the world."

Pochettino was officially named the USMNT's head coach last month, and the success he enjoys during his tenure will likely rest heavily on the shoulders of Pulisic, who is Team USA's best and most accomplished player.

The 26-year-old Pulisic made his USMNT debut back in 2016, and he has since gone on to score 31 goals in 73 matches, ranking him fifth on the all-time Team USA scoring list. He is also tied for seventh among USMNT players with 16 career assists.

Pulisic signed with Borussia Dortmund at the age of 16 and went on to appear in 90 matches for the club, followed by 98 matches with Chelsea and 43 matches with AC Milan, his current club.

Pochettino and Pulisic just missed out on overlapping at Chelsea, as Pulisic departed the club in the summer of 2023 at around the same time Pochettino was hired as manager.

While Pochettino only lasted about a year at Chelsea, he has an impressive managerial record overall, having also managed Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain.

Managing so many elite-level clubs has allowed Pochettino to coach up some of the best players in the world, and the fact that he puts Pulisic in that conversation is significant.

Pulisic won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has had plenty of individual accolades, including being the four-time U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, but he is still trying to get the USMNT into the conversation as one of soccer's elite teams.

While Pulisic has helped the USMNT win the CONCACAF Nations League three times, they fell to the Netherlands in the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and didn't make it out of the group stage at the Copa América over the summer, which led to the firing of previous head coach Gregg Berhalter.

U.S. Soccer decided to go out and get a big name to replace Berhalter, and while Pochettino fits the bill, he now has to prove that he can take the USMNT to the next level.

The United States does not have the pressure of having to qualify for the 2026 World Cup since it is hosting the event with Canada and Mexico, but there will be a ton of pressure to perform well on home soil.

That starts with Pulisic, but Pochettino must also get the most out of other high-end talent, such as Timothy Weah, Weston McKinnie, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams and Sergiño Dest.

USMNT vs. Panama: Top Storylines and Box Score Predictions for 2024 Friendly

Oct 11, 2024
AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 9: Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino of the United States during USMNT Training atSt. David's Performance Center on October 9, 2024 in Austin , Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 9: Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino of the United States during USMNT Training atSt. David's Performance Center on October 9, 2024 in Austin , Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

The United States men's national team begins the Mauricio Pochettino era on Saturday against Panama.

The friendly serves as a starting point for the new USMNT head coach, who needs to have the program running at full speed by the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes around.

A majority of the USMNT's matches between now and the World Cup will be friendlies, because it has already qualified for the World Cup as one of three host nations.

Saturday's contest is the first of two games in the October international window against a continental foe. The Americans face Panama in Austin, Texas, on Saturday and then head to Mexico for a clash with El Tri on Tuesday.

USMNT vs. Panama Info

Date: Saturday, October 12

Start Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Live Stream: Max

Top Storylines

Every major storyline regarding Saturday's match involves Pochettino.

Which players will he use in his first starting XI? What will his system look like? How will the players adapt to the system in a short amount of time?

Everything will not be perfect right away, but the time for growing pains has to be only a few matches because of how little time the new manager gets with his players.

The USMNT players arrived in camp on Monday and Tuesday and will only have a handful of days to adapt to Pochettino's style of play.

Pochettino will utilize either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation that demands a lot of high pressing, a tactic that some players in the USMNT squad should be used to already.

Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie will be the two focal points of whichever lineup Pochettino decides to put out on Saturday in Austin.

They will be two anchors of the USMNT XI at the World Cup, as should Antonee Robinson at left back, but there are plenty of tough decisions to be made elsewhere on the field.

Pochettino needs to decide who his No. 1 goalkeeper and top striker are, a debate that raged on throughout the Gregg Berhalter era.

Matt Turner has the most caps among the four goalkeepers in camp, but Zack Steffen, who is back with the USMNT after a two-year absence, could be in contention for the starting role on Saturday. Ethan Horvath and Patrick Schulte are the other two keepers in camp.

If the forward decision was based solely on form at the club level, Josh Sargent would be the clear pick to lead the attack.

Sargent has four goals for Norwich City in the English Championship, including two tallies in his last two games.

Ricardo Pepi has three goals for PSV Eindhoven this season, but he's started once since the September international break, Haji Wright has one goal in his last eight appearances for Coventry City and Brandon Vazquez owns three goals in 12 games in the current Liga MX season for Monterrey.

Pulisic is the hottest scorer amongst the entire group. He found the back of the net in four straight games for AC Milan and has five goals in seven matches this season. He will start in a supporting role directly behind the starting striker.

An in-form Pulisic is terrific for the Americans to have at the starting point of the Pochettino era. At minimum, a strong performance from the American captain is expected, no matter what the tactical setup is.

Panama is using the match to gear up for the rest 2026 World Cup qualification in November. It plays the USA and Canada in the next week to prepare for November matches against Belize and Nicaragua.

Panama is typically in the second tier of Concacaf squads and it is expected to reach the third round of Concacaf World Cup qualifying and eventually make the World Cup.

Beating Panama would be seen as a step in the right direction under Pochettino since the Americans lost the last matchup between the two sides back at the Copa America this summer.

A win is expected to kick off the Pochettino era, and while it may not be perfect, a few positive signs of where the program is headed should be on display on Saturday.

Prediction: USMNT 2, Panama 0

Lionel Messi Among 2024 MLS MVP Award Nominees; Inter Miami Won Supporters' Shield

Oct 7, 2024
COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 02: Lionel Messi #10 and Luis Suarez #9 of Inter Miami CF celebrate a goal in the second half against the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field on October 02, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 02: Lionel Messi #10 and Luis Suarez #9 of Inter Miami CF celebrate a goal in the second half against the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field on October 02, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is among the 34 nominees for MLS's MVP award for the 2024 season.

Teammate Luis Suárez also made the cut as Miami claimed the Supporters' Shield with 71 points through 33 matches.

Voting for the league's annual awards is split evenly between players, coaches and select members of the media.

While Messi is far and away the biggest star—and perhaps even the brightest talent even at 37—his MVP candidacy is undercut by the fact he appeared in just 18 MLS matches this season. He had an eye-popping 17 goals and 15 assists in those fixtures, but missing almost half of your team's games is tough to overcome from an awards perspective.

Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell nonetheless made the argument for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Beyond the impact he had directly on the pitch, his presence transformed the image of Inter Miami and made the club attractive to other stars such as Suárez and a coach as experienced as Gerardo Martino. Remove Messi from the equation and there's no way Miami goes from 34 points and a 27th-place finish to the Supporters Shield in just one season.

Bushnell argued Messi's "god-like stature made Inter Miami a destination for players whom most MLS clubs couldn't attract or afford."

Riqui Puig had 13 goals and 15 assists with the Los Angeles Galaxy, who secured the top seed in the Western Conference. Cucho Hernández's 19 goals are tied for second-most in the league and he was the attacking fulcrum for the Columbus Crew. Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga matched Cucho's 19 goals, and that accounts for a third of his club's total output.

Messi has the stats to line up favorably against any other MVP contender and made a much larger impact on a per-match basis. Combine that with Miami's collective success and he's probably the heavy favorite at this stage.

Football Manager 25 Reveals Release Dates for All Platforms and Debut of Women's Mode

Sep 30, 2024

Football Manager 25 will now be released in March 2025, according to a statement released on Thursday.

The Sports InteractiveTM and SEGA previously announced that the new-look game would launch globally on Nov. 26.

It will eventually be available for PC and Mac, as well as on Xbox and PlayStation 5 via Football Manager 25 Console.

This year's game will have a different feel thanks to the new Unity engine that will bring a new graphics system and visual advances. It will also have new player animations as part of the updated graphics system.

But the biggest change doesn't come from the Unity engine.

Instead, it comes as a gameplay option, as women's soccer will be a part of the franchise for the first time in its history. That, along with the game's partnership with the Premier League, gives gamers the opportunity to play in a variety of ways.

The partnership with Premier League means the use of official logos for some of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.

Football Manager allows players to take control as the manager of their favorite clubs, and the addition of the women's game could bring a whole new group of fans and gamers to the table after last year's edition was the most-played version of the game.