USMNT 2-0 Panama: Winning start for Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT debut was a winning one, as the United States men’s national team beat Panama 2-0 in an international friendly at Q2 Stadium in Austin on Saturday.

[ MORE: USMNT player ratings versus Panama ]

Yunus Musah scored off a Christian Pulisic feed, Matt Turner made a fantastic double save to keep the advantage, and Ricardo Pepi salted the win away in stoppage time off a Haji Wright assist.

The Yanks didn’t look great once Pochettino rang in a raft of late subs, but they held on for the win and will meet Mexico in Mexico on Tuesday with a chance to go 2-0 under the ex-Spurs, PSG, Southampton, and Chelsea boss.

[ WATCH: USMNT vs Panama full match replay en Espanol on Peacock ]

There are just over 600 days until the 2026 World Cup, when the USMNT will host and face the largest field in tournament history with as good a chance as ever to make a deep run.

The Americans were without Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Giovanni Reyna, Luca de la Torre, Chris Richards, Sergino Dest, Timothy Weah, Folarin Balogun, and Johnny Cardoso.

[ MORE: Gregg Berhalter lands next coaching gig ]

How to watch USMNT vs Panama live, stream link and start time

Kickoff time: 9pm ET Saturday (October 12)
Venue: Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas
How to watch: En Espanol on Universo, Peacock

USMNT vs Panama live updates — By Nick Mendola

USMNT vs Panama final score: 2-0

Yunus Musah 49′, Ricardo Pepi 90+4′

GOAL! USMNT 2-0 Panama (90+4′)

Tillman wins a header down for Haji Wright, who slides across for Pepi.

The PSV man hammers a shot through the keeper to finish the scoring.

Should been level!

Fajardo misses a chance to tap home a sensational cross from the right, as McKenzie switched off for just a moment.

Pochettino has introduced Alex Zendejas and Malik Tillman since our last update, for Musah and Aaronson.

Four USMNT subs

Out go Christian Pulisic, Gialunca Busio, Josh Sargent, and Antonee Robinson.

In come Ricardo Pepi, Tanner Tessman, Haji Wright, and Kristoffer Lund.

Busio has shot blocked for corner

Nice from Josh Sargent to drive into the final third, laying the ball wide to the right.

It’s cute pass from Aaronson to set up Busio for a shot blocked for a corner.

The set piece leads to a header over the goal by Mark McKenzie, who takes a pair of goalie gloves to the face for his efforts and needs a little time to pull himself together.

Still 1-0, 64′.

Double save by Matt Turner!

Panama nearly strike right back but the Crystal Palace keeper pulls off not one but two good saves to keep it 1-0 to the U.S.

Both full backs couldn’t stop shots and will be patting Turner on the back there.

GOAL! USMNT 1-0 Panama (49th minute)

Antonee Robinson works over him man on the left flank, then spots Pulisic.

The AC Milan winger uses a 1-2 with Aaronson to free himself up for a cross, and club teammate Yunus Musah cuts to the top of the six to side foot home.

Pulisic moves ahead of Eric Wynalda into seventh place on the USMNT’s all-time assist list, one behind Eddie Lewis.

Halftime — USMNT 0-0 Panama

Some dicey moments at the back but not enough to take the focus off of two things:

1. The USMNT are playing with authority.

2. The USMNT are not finishing with authority.

Shots are 6-5 and possession 56-44 to the Yanks.

Might expect to see changes at wing and center forward, and perhaps right back. Options are plentiful.

Another huge miss

Pulisic’s long free kick sails over the field and Gianluca Busio collects it.

Busio sweeps a cross toward three waiting attackers and Sargent sends a huge xG chance over the bar.

Goin’ direct

Matt Turner sends a long goal kick into the Panama half, and Josh Sargent knocks it down for Aaronson.

Pulisic’s played into the box, and has a shot blocked out for a throw-in.

Not long after that half-chance is a full one, as Aaronson is cued up after nice combination play from Sargent and Pulisic.

Mosquera denies the Leeds forward.

Half-hour in the books

USMNT definitely in the ascendancy, but yet to really attach itself to a final ball.

Pulisic is hacked down in the midfield, and stays down for a moment but is fine.

Right now it’s just a little too frenetic in a few positions.

One-way traffic as Yanks win a corner

Panama has six across the back at times as the Yanks fire forward.

The ball movement is quick and Christian Pulisic cuts a deflected shot over goal.

A corner kick leads a Robinson shot way over the frame.

Dark arts lead to Panama free kick

Guerrero feels the arms of Mark McKenzie around him and leaps like a salmon.

The free kick is 30 yards out and drilled into the wall.

It really should be 1-0 (or 2-0)

The Yanks are finding a ton of joy on the left side, as Antonee Robinson is very busy.

He nearly cues up a goal that leads to a corner kick as Josh Sargent is thwarted by the keeper, then the corner leads to what looked set to be a point-blank header but didn’t quite come off as Mark McKenzie just kinda misses his bid to nod the ball.

Mercifully, we are underway

The wait to hear that Pochettino had been formally hired felt almost as long as the pregame, as the game kicks off at about 9:09pm ET.

The Yanks kick us off and Antonee Robinson works a 1-2 with Christian Pulisic that leads to a chance inside the six. Exciting!

USMNT vs Panama team news

Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman are mildly surprising omissions from Mauricio Pochettino’s first Starting XI, the former less so than the latter.

Mark McKenzie gets the first chance next to captain Tim Ream, while Gianluca Busio, Yunus Musah, and Aidan Morris are a midfield that should be smooth and composed in their bid to control the game.

Josh Sargent gets the chance to shine up top. Should be a fun one!

USMNT lineup

Turner; A. Robinson, McKenzie, Ream, Scally, Morris, Busio, Musah, Aaronson, Pulisic, Sargent.

Panama lineup

Mosquera, Miller, Farina, Escobar, Murillo, Blackman, Martinez, Carrasquilla, Barcenas, Rodriguez, Guerrero.

USMNT team news, focus

The USMNT are missing many notable players for this camp. Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Giovanni Reyna, Luca de la Torre, Chris Richards, and Sergino Dest weren’t called up and Timothy Weah, Folarin Balogun, and Johnny Cardoso have been replaced since the initial roster was released to the public.

Panama team news, focus

Los Canaleros have not played since Copa America, when Panama lost to Colombia in the quarterfinal after beating the United States and Bolivia in the group stage. Universidad Catolica forward Jose Fajardo is the side’s active leading scorer and scored in both of the Panama’s Copa America wins. Nashville SC’s Anibal Godoy remains the Panama captain, and the team has plenty of international experience even without 138-times capped Alberto Quintero.

USMNT vs Panama prediction

We know the “fool me twice” maxim has burned prognosticators before, but the USMNT have to look like a hungry, unentitled team this break. Anything less than that would be an indictment on the player pool and the federation. Sure there’s a non-zero chance the team has a heart problem, but we wouldn’t bet on that seeing how strong they’ve looked and their fiery leader Christian Pulisic. It might not be the blowout we might’ve expected with a healthy Adams, Reyna, Richards, and Balogun, but it should be decisive. USMNT 3-1 Panama.