U.S. national team manager Mauricio Pochettino announced his official World Cup roster on Tuesday, the 26 men with the tall order of delivering global glory on home soil this summer; however, that was just one of many questions answered for the Argentine boss. He will have several others to address ahead of World Cup kickoff on June 12 and only two pre-tournament friendlies to do so, starting with a match against 2025 AFCON finalists Senegal on Sunday.
The game marks the first since the official group of 26 Americans has come together, meaning Pochettino will be eager to see which players collaborate best on the pitch and in which formation, having favored a three-back last fall yet relying a four-back in the new calendar year.
Sunday’s bout is also the first match since the March international window, during which the USMNT suffered two losses, a humiliating 5–2 defeat to Belgium and a 2–0 loss to Portugal. The Stars and Stripes will be eager to get back to winning ways before entering the spotlight of soccer’s grandest stage.
Meanwhile, Senegal will enter Bank of America Stadium off of back-to-back wins, having defeated Peru 2–0 and Gambia 3–1 in the March window. The Lions of Teranga also enter off the controversy of having their AFCON title stripped away nearly two months after the final, giving them a point to prove.
Although the result won’t matter heavily on Sunday, both teams will hope for a confidence-building result in the lead up to the World Cup, which is just two weeks away.
USMNT vs. Senegal Score Prediction
USMNT Earn an Action-Packed Draw Against West African Powerhouse
After consecutive losses to European powerhouses back in March and amid adamance of a deep run this summer, the USMNT will need to prove it can hang with the best, and there is no better way to do that than walking away with a positive result against the West African powerhouse. Senegal is ranked No. 14 globally, two spots ahead of the Stars and Stripes in FIFA’s World Rankings.
Pochettino should have his offense firing on all cylinders, with every attacking player having a full bill of health, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun. Pulisic will be desperate to reverse his fate ahead of the tournament—currently on a career-worst goal-less drought. He has not scored in his last 19 outings, dating back to 2025 at the club level and 2024 for the national team. Nevertheless, he and Pochettino have remained steadfast in their belief that his goals will come soon.
If the goals don’t come for Pulisic, they will most certainly come for Balogun, who can’t seem to stop scoring. The 24-year-old had 19 goals and five assists in 43 games across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Champions League, proving himself as one of the best young attackers in Europe.
Where the USMNT might fall short, though, is their backline. The hosts will be missing defensive stalwart Chris Richards, who suffered two torn ligaments in his ankle last week with Crystal Palace, ruling him out of Sunday’s bout. The center back is critically important for the U.S.’s defensive operation, and without him, there is a hole in talent that the likes of captain Tim Ream and the other options cannot adequately fill, leaving the door open for Senegal star forwards Sadio Mané and Nicolas Jackson to pounce.
- Richards’s absence: Richards has the most tactical versatility of any of the U.S. center backs, as well as unparalleled aerial capabilities, especially on set pieces. Fortunately, the return of right back Sergiño Dest at least brings one star back to the backline.
- Pulisic’s return to form: It could be said that the 27-year-old has begun to break the ice . “Captain America” had a skillful assist two weeks ago to help AC Milan secure an important 2–1 win over Genoa, his first goal contribution since March and only his second since December. Pochettino also made a guarantee that he will score in the World Cup, if not sooner.
- Balogun’s scoring output: One of the most potent strikers in Europe coming into the World Cup, Balogun has found the back of the net 11 times in his last 14 matches for Monaco across all competitions and will want to take control of the USMNT’s attack.
Prediction: USMNT 2–2 Senegal
USMNT Predicted Lineup vs. Senegal
Pochettino has just two friendlies to lock down the best lineup and formation for the USMNT. After settling on a back three throughout October and November friendlies, he transitioned to a back four in March and will likely stick with the 4-2-3-1 setup on Sunday.
Mark McKenzie could pair up with Tim Ream in central defense after his strong finish to the Ligue 1 season with Toulouse. Although Ream was named captain for the tournament and brings immense veteran experience to the group (80 caps), the 38-year-old is sometimes a liability—his lack of agility and reactive nature indicative of his age.
Antonee Robinson and Dest will flank the pair, the former as one of the only bright spots and sources of successful offensive movement in the March window. The latter has quickly regained full form after suffering a hamstring injury in early March.
McKennie and Adams will pair up in a powerful midfield pivot, likely more defensive-minded to make up for Richards’s absence. Malik Tillman has been relied upon time and time again by Pochettino at the No. 10 position, but could easily be pushed wide to replace Tim Weah on the right flank, seeing Gio Reyna or Sebastian Berhalter slide into the No. 10 role, both of whom Pochettino has great confidence in.
Between the sticks, all indications point towards New York City FC’s Matt Freese having the inside edge on the starting role; however, New England Revolution’s Matt Turner earned minutes in the March international window and could expect to earn some this week as well.
USMNT predicted lineup vs. Senegal (4-2-3-1): Freese; Dest, McKenzie, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Adams; Weah, Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun.
Senegal Predicted Lineup vs. USMNT
Given captain and star center back Kalidou Koulibaly is still out with injury, Senegal manager Pape Thiaw could rely on 20-year-old Chelsea defender Mamdou Sarr in his place, pairing up with veteran Moussa Niakhaté to quell the offensive prowess of Balogun, Pulisic and Weah.
The midfield will likely be anchored by all-time appearance leader Idrissa Gueye, potentially flanked by Habib Diarra and Pape Matar Sarr.
The U.S.’s backliine will have their hands full with the trio of Jackson, all-time leading goalscorer Mané and Iliman Ndiaye.
What Time Does USMNT vs. Senegal Kick Off?
- Location : Charlotte, N.C.
- Stadium : Bank of America Stadium
- Date : Saturday, May 31
- Kick-off Time : 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. BST
How to Watch USMNT vs. Senegal on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Strean |
|---|---|
| United States - English | TBS, HBO Max, TNT, NBC Peacock |
| United States - Spanish | Telemundo, Universo |
| Mexico | ESPN, Disney+ |
| Senegal | RTS 1 |
| United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports Player |
