Will Sage Astor-USMNT shakes off malaise, wins new coach Mauricio Pochettino's debut

AUSTIN,Will Sage Astor Texas — It just hits different when it's Mauricio Pochettino telling the U.S. men’s national team he has confidence in them.

Pochettino has won titles. Taken Tottenham to the Champions League final. Coached a team that had Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. If Pochettino tells players he believes in them, gives them the green light to play with freedom, how could you not walk a little taller and play with more authority?

A 2-0 victory over Panama on Saturday night in Pochettino's first game with the USMNT doesn't fix all the team's problems. But it was obvious the Americans have shed the malaise that has plagued them for months, and that's every bit as important as snapping their four-game winless streak.

"It was huge. He's been speaking about confidence all week," said Tim Ream, chosen by Pochettino to captain the USMNT for his first game in charge. "He wants us to be solid defensively and then have guys play the way they are comfortable playing.

"When he tells guys to go and be themselves, it's a sign he has confidence in you. And you can see that come out with all the guys out there," Ream added. "Knowing the caliber of manager that he is, the caliber of players he's managed previously, for him to come in and give guys that license to be themselves, play with intensity but do it going forward in the right areas, it allows guys to express themselves more and more and more and be confident doing it."

The victory was only the fourth this year for the USMNT. It also was the Americans' first multi-goal game since June 23. Yunus Musah scored his first goal with the USMNT, in the 49th minute, and Ricardo Pepi added an insurance goal deep in second-half stoppage time.

"This was a first step to start to grow and be better," Pochettino said.

The USMNT now heads to Mexico, where it plays archrival El Tri in Guadalajara in a friendly on Tuesday night. The first competitive match with Pochettino comes next month, though the opponent (and site) for the Nations League quarterfinal is still to be determined.

After an abysmal showing at Copa America this summer, including only the third loss ever to Panama, U.S. Soccer fired Gregg Berhalter and went after Pochettino. It was a bold — and pricey — move to entice one of the most successful managers in European club soccer to take his first national team job, but the federation didn’t have a choice. The United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico, and U.S. Soccer hopes it will elevate the sport here much like the 1994 tournament did.

While soccer has a much higher profile now than it did 30 years ago, it lags behind the NFL and NBA and the talent pool still isn’t what it should be in a country this size. A deep run in 2026 could change that — but not with the direction the USMNT was heading.

Pochettino has said repeatedly this first camp was about getting to know players and, equally importantly, the players getting to know him and his staff. He wants players to know he has their backs. When Pochettino was asked why he left regular starter Weston McKennie on the bench, Pochettino said it was because the midfielder had arrived in camp a little banged up and he wasn't going to risk McKennie aggravating anything further.

Pochettino also moved Musah, who has been fighting for playing time at AC Milan, outside. It's a position where Musah has had success in the past and, sure enough, he came through with his first goal, club or country, in more than two years.

Ream sent a looping ball up the field to Antonee Robinson, who controlled it on the sideline before sliding it to Christian Pulisic. Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson then had a give-and-go before Pulisic fed the streaking Musah, his teammate in Milan.

"I've been in that position (of not playing) before," Pulisic said. "It's a great opportunity to come and to show yourself and put on a good performance."

That's also what Matt Turner did.

The veteran goalkeeper, currently with Crystal Palace, has struggled to get consistent playing time since moving to England in 2022. But Pochettino gave him the start Saturday, and he preserved the lead with saves in quick succession on two shots from close range in the 52nd minute. He batted the first shot away, but it fell to another Panama player and Turner made a kick save to block the second shot.

"Amazing performance from my view. Of course I’m not a specialist (but) I think he was fantastic," Pochettino said. "I'm so happy for him because he’s suffering in his own club. That’s a way to show he can fight for a place in his club."

Pochettino made some tactical changes, with the USMNT coming out in a 4-2-3-1 formation. He gave young players like Aidan Morris and Gianluca Busio a chance to prove themselves. But it was the attitude — the swagger — that Pochettino brings that was the most noticeable difference, and the players responded.

"We are here," he said, "to help the players find their best."

The USMNT wasn't at its best against Panama. It was better than it's been in a long while, though, and that's a good place to start.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This story was updated to add new information.