The United States men's national team secured a 3-2 victory over Senegal on Sunday, with the opening goal showcasing the value of restored wing-backs Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest. Manager Mauricio Pochettino selected both as starters together for the first time in his 25th match in charge, after injuries had limited their availability.
Dest scored the opener five minutes in, following a 20-pass sequence lasting 64 seconds. The move began when Ricardo Pepi forced Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw to clear the ball under pressure. The US then built possession, with right centre-back Alex Freeman shifting wide to allow Dest to join the attacking line. Tim Ream passed to Robinson on the left flank, who found Pepi making a lateral run into the channel.
Pepi, making his first US start since November 2024, executed a Cruyff turn to thread the ball between two defenders into the path of Christian Pulisic. Pulisic then delivered a low cross to Dest, who powered the ball into the net from close range. The final four passes – from Ream to Robinson to Pepi to Pulisic to Dest – took just 10 seconds to travel from inside the US half to a tap-in.
Robinson and Dest, both first-choice options for the 2026 World Cup, complement each other well. Robinson is positionally measured, comfortable staying wide or dropping into midfield, while Dest offers more dynamism, appearing across the field. Their chemistry, combined with contributions from emerging players like Freeman, gave the US a more cohesive and threatening performance.
