Pulisic ends drought, fuels USMNT 3-2 Senegal win

Pulisic ends – Christian Pulisic scored in the first half to help the U.S. men’s national team defeat Senegal 3-2 in a friendly on May 31, ending a five-month scoring drought and reviving attention ahead of the World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles.

Christian Pulisic didn’t just break a scoring drought on Sunday—he did it early, in a match that was supposed to sharpen the U.S. before the World Cup season fully takes over.

In the U.S. men’s national team’s 3-2 friendly win against Senegal on May 31, Pulisic found the net in the first half, capping a run that had turned from manageable silence into a real worry for a player who is often tied to the team’s ceiling.

Pulisic scored his first goal for club or country in five months on Sunday, May 31. The moment mattered in a way that went beyond the scoreboard. He also contributed an assist on Sergino Dest’s opening goal, helping the U.S. build the kind of start they wanted.

The context was tense. Pulisic is among the best players the United States has produced, and what he does next month is expected to have real weight on how far the USMNT goes in the tournament.

That’s why his scoring drought—both for the national team and for AC Milan—was under a spotlight.

Pulisic did not score for Milan in 2026. His last goal for the Rossoneri came on Dec. 28, 2025. For the U.S., he had not scored since November 2024. With the World Cup opening June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles. the concern was simple: if a difference-maker goes quiet at the wrong time. it can change how a team plays and how opponents treat it.

On Friday, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino backed him directly. “He is going to score in World Cup. Yes, I really trust in that,” Pochettino said Friday. “He has very good attitude, very good commitment. He’s trying so hard to get his best level and I think he will achieve it for sure.”

Then Pulisic made the argument on the pitch before anyone had to wait for it.

Dest set the tone in the seventh minute. Pulisic served the ball on a platter for him, and Dest poked it home for a 1-0 lead. In the 20th minute. Ricardo Pepi found Pulisic in the middle of the box. and Pulisic did the rest—rounding Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw and burying the ball into an empty net.

For Pulisic, the relief looked immediate. He closed his eyes and threw his head back, holding both index fingers in the air. He was quickly surrounded by the rest of the USMNT starters, several of whom hugged him or pounded him on the back.

The match refused to stay comfortable, though.

Senegal pulled a goal back before halftime through Sadio Mané. It didn’t end there. Mané equalized early in the second half, pushing the game into a new rhythm where the early U.S. advantage was no longer the story.

But the U.S. had the last word. Folarin Balogun found the winner for the USMNT in the 62nd minute as Pochettino’s side emerged victorious.

The sequence of events did more than produce a win: it showed how quickly a single player’s confidence can return to the team. Pulisic’s drought ended with two decisive contributions—an assist for the early strike and a goal that put the U.S. ahead. From there, Senegal’s response forced the U.S. to keep working, and Balogun’s 62nd-minute finish decided it.

Now. with the World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles approaching. the stakes for Pulisic have shifted again—from silence and concern to momentum and expectation. For a tournament that can turn on narrow margins. the timing of his comeback goal wasn’t just good news—it was the kind of spark teams remember.

Christian Pulisic USMNT Senegal friendly Mauricio Pochettino AC Milan World Cup 2026 Paraguay Los Angeles Sergino Dest Ricardo Pepi Mory Diaw Sadio Mané Folarin Balogun