The match saw AC Milan’s Yunus Musah break the deadlock early in the second half, with PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi adding a second goal late in the game to secure the win and mark a new era for the side.
Pochettino, who previously managed Chelsea, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain, was hired in September after the departure of Gregg Berhalter.
Berhalter was dismissed in July following the US team’s exit from the Copa America group stage, a campaign that included a 2-1 loss to Panama.
But the side righted a previous wrong against the same opponent under the Argentine in what was a classic, high-intensity Pochettino performance.
As co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, the US is currently ranked 18th in the world but will be keen to move upwards ahead of the tournament.
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
Their next challenge comes on Tuesday in Guadalajara, where they will face Mexico in another friendly.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Pochettino said: “After a few days training with the team, I think it’s amazing the way that we were focused and concentrated and tried to follow the plan.
“It was a professional performance. It’s the basis for the first step to start to grow and get better.
“There are many things to improve, to correct, but this is the beginning of a process that has to arrive in 2026 [at the World Cup] in the best condition.
“I am also happy because we have won, and whenever you win, things are easier to correct and improve.”
