The U.S. Men’s National Team finds its footing in a friendly win over Senegal, beating the Lions of Teranga 3-2 on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The result ended Senegal’s 10-game winning streak and gave the Americans their first victory of 2026, just weeks before the FIFA World Cup.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It was the win that surprised fans around the world. The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) finally found its footing in a friendly win over Senegal, earning its first victory of 2026 with a 3-2 result on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. The triumph snapped the Lions of Teranga’s 10-game winning streak.
“It was a good American team that we saw today,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said in French.
A Confidence Boost Before the World Cup
The USMNT’s friendly win over Senegal arrived at the perfect moment. After back-to-back losses to Portugal and Belgium in March, the Americans needed a lift less than a month before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Before kickoff, doubts surrounded the squad. Injuries and uncertain personnel choices left fans uneasy. This match quieted some of those concerns and restored hope among supporters who came out to cheer on the 26-man roster revealed last week in New York.
And the 57,741 fans at the home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers did exactly that. They chanted “USA” and backed the red, white and blue, even against a large and lively contingent of Senegal fans.
Midfielder Tyler Adams said now is the time to find motivation, with the team’s June 12 World Cup opener against Paraguay just two weeks away. Although the friendly meant nothing on paper, it carried real meaning on the field.
“I think putting out performances like that gets the fans excited because we had energy, we had ambition,” he said. “We paid attention to the details and how we wanted to press. And it was an exciting game.”
How the United States Beat Senegal: Goal-by-Goal
The U.S. wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Defender Sergiño Dest opened the scoring in the seventh minute, finishing from the center of the box after an assist from Christian Pulisic.
Pulisic doubled the lead 13 minutes later, scoring off an assist from Ricardo Pepi to put the Americans up 2-0.
Senegal’s Comeback
Despite falling behind early, Senegal responded with resilience and controlled much of the match. Veteran forward Sadio Mané led the charge, scoring twice in an eight-minute span.
His first goal came in the 44th minute, when a through ball from Habib Diarra sparked a fast break and cut the U.S. lead to one before halftime. Mané — an African legend known for his scoring wizardry — struck again shortly after the restart, finishing from close range in the 52nd minute to level the match at 2-2.
The Game-Winner
USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino made 10 substitutions at halftime, essentially rolling out a brand-new lineup for the second half. The changes paid off in the 63rd minute, when striker Folarin Balogun scored the game-winner in the first-ever meeting between the United States and Senegal.
Balogun nearly added another goal earlier in the half, but a finish in the 49th minute was ruled offside following a VAR review.
Senegal finished with 53 percent possession to the United States’ 47 percent. Still, the Americans generated 17 shots and capitalized on their key chances.
Pochettino Praises His Team’s Mentality
In the post-match press conference, Pochettino said the friendly win over Senegal mattered for more than the result. It helped rebuild trust around the program after recent disappointments.
“I think it’s more important for the environment than for us,” he said. “For us, it’s important always to win. But the series is important also for the environment to trust us a little bit after the last two games.”
He also praised the attitude his players showed throughout.
“The right attitude, the right commitment from everyone — that is the attitude that we try to find from day one,” he said. “We need to play this way. We want to prove.”
Pulisic: ‘Still a Lot of Work for Us’
Forward Christian Pulisic welcomed the confidence boost but stressed the work isn’t finished before the World Cup.
“I mean, it definitely helps us just feeling a little bit more relaxed and confident,” he said. “That’s a strong team. I think we can feel good about it, but there’s still a lot of work for us.”
He added that international soccer brings unique challenges because national teams have so little time together.
“That’s the beauty of international soccer,” he said. “We don’t have that much time, and we’ve got to find ways to work together and win.”
Senegal Looks Ahead to the World Cup
Senegal’s supporters made their presence felt throughout the match. Many traveled from across the United States to represent the West African nation, while others streamed the game live for fans who couldn’t attend because of visa restrictions.
Despite the loss, Thiaw expressed confidence in his team’s future.
“We know that we have the squad for it, we have the team for it, the state of mind is there, and the desire is there,” he said.
Thiaw added that Senegal’s focus remains on preparing for the World Cup and competing against the world’s top teams.
For more on the team’s road to the tournament, see our coverage of the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup roster and preparations on The Narrative Matters.
Follow live updates, fixtures and results on the official FIFA World Cup website.
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