The farewell tour, as such, for outgoing U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino got off to a good start when Christian Pulisic scored twice in a five-goal second half as the U.S. beat Haiti 6-0 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal in Miami on Saturday.
Auston Trusty in the 10th minute staked the U.S. to the lead in front of a pro-Haitian crowd. The match was scheduled for Kingston, Jamaica, but due to security issues in Haiti, the Haitian Football Federation requested that its home match be played in the opponent country.
Julian Hall added a score in the 52nd minute before Pulisic’s penalty in the 62nd minute and another goal 32 seconds later. Weston McKennie made it 4-0 in the 68th and Folarin Balogun completed the rout in the 82nd minute.
The return leg is Tuesday in Cincinnati in Pochettino’s final match before joining Manchester United as its head coach.
He was named the U.S. coach September 2024 and has a 22-12-2 record, which included three wins in the World Cup before losing in the round of 16.
The U.S. won the first three Nations League tourney (2021, 2023 and 2024) and lost in the semifinals to Panama in 2025.
Trusty’s second U.S. goal in 15 appearances was an emotional moment in his return to action after nearly a month away following the death of his father, Walt Trusty.
Sebastian Berhalter sent a crisp free kick into the box where Trusty redirected it with his left foot. The play withstood a review for offside.
Diego Kochen kept the advantage in the 16th with a difficult save on Danley Jean Jacques at the left post and the U.S. put the match away after halftime.
The 18-year-old Hall scored his fourth goal in just five USMNT appearances when Antonee Robinson rushed down the left flank to whip a ball to the top of the box, where Hall first-touched with his right foot before unleashing a left-footed shot.
Pulisic was taken down to draw the penalty and calmly converted for a 4-0 lead then a moment later scored his 35th goal with a strike from 18 yards.
McKennie had an easy unmarked header off a corner kick by Malik Tillman. He has 13 goals. Balogun’s 13th came after a goal was disallowed earlier for a foul.
– Field Level Media
