USMNT player ratings vs Senegal: Who starred for the Americans in notable home win?
· Yahoo Sports
The United States men's national team fueled serious World Cup hope with a notable 3-2 win over Sadio Mane and Senegal in Charlotte on Sunday.
The Yanks led 2-0 through a goal and an assist from Christian Pulisic, the assist going to Sergino Dest, but Mane scored before and after a halftime that saw Mauricio Pochettino make 10 changes.
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The USMNT scored thrice in the second half but only a Folarin Balogun goal withstood referee scrutiny to secure the win.
Who helped their case to start in the June 12 opener? Read on for player ratings.
USMNT player ratings vs Senegal
Matt Turner (off at HT): 7 — Two saves including a very good one and some decent work with the ball at his feet.
Tim Ream (off at HT): 6.5 — Solid if unspectacular day for the World Cup captain.
Mark McKenzie (off at HT): 7.5 — Controlled the game and passed the ball well.
Alex Freeman (off at HT): 7 — Whether Freeman or Joe Scally, the "fullback-as-a-third-CB" trick is working well for Pochettino at a short position.
Antonee Robinson (off at HT): 6 — A bad giveaway led to a goal but he was quite good otherwise with three tackles, three interceptions, and five passes into the final third. Single mistakes loom large at the World Cup, though.
Tyler Adams (off at HT): 7 — Quiet but steady in the middle.
Sebastian Berhalter (off 76'): 6.5 — A game-high four tackles tied Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye. Committed a wild six fouls.
Sergino Dest (off at HT): 8 — Dest as a wingback in a 3-4-3 feels a particular bit of galaxy brain from Pochettino because it's in front of Alex Freeman's right center back spot and the latter is already in a good spot. Three-for-three in dribbles.
Christian Pulisic (off at HT): 9 — Prime Pulisic, who snapped his 20-game wait for a goal in style as he also set up Dest's goal. The drought was a valid concern but it's instantly washed away in a 45-minute run which included eight touches in the Senegal box.
Giovanni Reyna (off at HT): 6.5 — Strong in the air and pesky throughout the contest.
Ricardo Pepi (off at HT): 7.5 — Very good play to set up Pulisic on Dest's goal.
USMNT subs
Chris Brady (HT): 6 — Could he have bailed out Miles Robinson? Unsure, but he wasn't able to deny the equalizer.
Auston Trusty (HT): 7.5 — Good at both ends to make a case for his place around the 18.
Joe Scally (HT): 6 — Another player who was a shape-keeper in the second half but wasn't a huge part of play with the ball.
Miles Robinson (HT): 5.5 — Recovered from an unaware gaffe that led to 2-2 and played well the rest of the way.
Cristian Roldan (HT): 6.5 — Barely saw the ball but completed all of his passes.
Malik Tillman (HT): 7 — Made a terrific play to cue up a goal that was taken off the scoreboard because Balogun was offside.
Max Arfsten (HT): 6.5 — Good with the ball though the game stayed away from his flank.
Timothy Weah (HT): 7 — One super solid block/tackle kept a dangerous chance from turning into 3-3.
Weston McKennie (HT): 6 — Created a chance but had a few sloppy moments after the raft of subs caused some early second-half confusion.
Folarin Balogun (HT): 7.5 — If he needed to remind Pochettino why he's just a bit ahead of Pepi, who was very good, he did that. Super dangerous.
Alex Zendejas (on 76'): 6.5 — Nearly produced a goal off a turnover but saw his chance blocked by a sliding Senegal defender.