By Edgardo Avelar
13 Oct 2024, 01:54 AM EDT
The Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino did not look bad in the expectations that had been generated around his debut when the United States beat Panama 2-0, thus passing his first exam and being ready for this Tuesday’s match in the city of Guadalajara against the Mexican team.
A victory that allows the pressure decibels to drop against Team USA after failure in the last Copa América 2024 which cost previous coach Gregg Berhalter his job, who did not know how to handle a team with as much talent as the North American squad.
The first goal was through Musah, the second from Pepi to defeat the Central American team 2-0 and prepare for the next match next Tuesday against Mexico in Guadalajara, who, on the contrary, had another hell of a night by drawing 2-2 with the weak Spanish team Valencia.
The first goal for the United States was scored at the beginning of the second half at 49 minutes of running time through Yunus Musah, who only touched the ball to send it into the nets. The play began in the left sector with Robinson taking the ball into the area where Pulisic touched it and left it to his teammate.
The score made the Panamanians react with fury to generate two dangerous arrivals that the goalkeeper of Uncle Sam’s squad could control, extinguishing the reaction with good throws and that gave security to the North American team.
The United States later came with everything in search of increasing the score and they achieved it through a play where they were able to connect Wright with a center that Ricardo Pepi was able to connect and who managed to nest the ball in the channel nets for the 2-0.
It is true that in the first 45 minutes, The United States did not pay much to show a change in its performance, but, on the contrary, they made Panama gain confidence and came close to generating confusion in the Stars and Stripes team.
Even so, the two teams had only two clear options. The first in the United States, when Sargent missed the chance to open the scoring in the 40th minuteby being left alone in front of the Panama goal and sending his shot over the goal.
Among the good news from the United States, Yunus Musah reached three thousand minutes with the North American team in his forty-second game, where only Landon Donovan had reached that number before turning 22.
The match was led by a Mexican referee triplet headed by Katia Itzel García who had no problems carrying out the actions of this first victory of the Argentine strategist at the head of the North Americans.
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