USMNT Dominates Haiti as Pochettino Kicks Off His Farewell Chapter in Style

The U.S. men's national team tuned out the noise surrounding Mauricio Pochettino's departure and delivered a commanding performance to thrash Haiti 6–0 in the opening leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

It took the USMNT just 10 minutes to assert its dominance by grabbing an early advantage. Sebastian Berhalter whipped in a precise set piece that Auston Trusty coolly converted with a volley after finding himself completely free at the back post.

The match stayed somewhat open for a period, but a slick move saw teenager Julian Hall tap home the USMNT's second goal seven minutes after the break. From there, the dam burst completely.

Christian Pulisic seized control of the contest and netted twice within two minutes. He coolly converted a penalty he had won himself, and just a minute later, struck again with a precisely placed weak-footed effort from range into the bottom corner. Weston McKennie added a fifth in the 68th minute with a thunderous header from a set piece.

After seeing a goal ruled out, Folarin Balogun came out with a point to prove and marked his USMNT return with a composed finish to make it six with under 10 minutes remaining.

In the penultimate match of his reign, Pochettino's side put in a dominant display that has all but secured their spot in March's Nations League finals. Tuesday's second leg can now serve as the ideal farewell for both the USMNT and Pochettino.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

In the first official fixture since the World Cup, established starters like Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic reclaimed their places in the starting lineup after sitting out the most recent international break. Folarin Balogun was not so fortunate, however, as he now faces stiffer competition for the center forward role.

Having scored three goals in his first three appearances for the Stars and Stripes, 18-year-old forward Julian Hall was handed the starting striker role ahead of Balogun on Saturday. The selection raised a few eyebrows, but Hall justified Pochettino's faith by making it four goals in five international appearances.

The Red Bull New York teenager put in yet another impressive display as he continues to make the most of every opportunity. Beyond his goals, Hall connects seamlessly with his teammates. He is a constant headache to contain, perpetually making runs and offering himself as an outlet, always presenting himself as an option when teammates look up in the attacking third.

Hall's footballing intelligence has become increasingly evident throughout his fledgling USMNT career. He possesses an understanding of the center forward role rarely seen at his age, which enables him to become almost a magnet for goalscoring situations.

Balogun remains a proven commodity at international level, but as Hall keeps performing and growing, a compelling battle to lead the line is very much taking shape.

USMNT Player Ratings vs. Haiti (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Diego Kochen—7.5: Produced a superb one-on-one stop to preserve the lead early on. VAR wiped out his only mistake of the evening, when he was caught in no man's land attempting to claim the ball outside his area, but it was an otherwise solid night for the young shot-stopper.

RB: Alex Freeman—8.1: A mixed showing from the Villarreal defender, as Haiti exploited his somewhat slack marking to fashion its clearest opportunities of the game. Frequently slow to make his defensive interventions.

CB: Chris Richards—7.3: Marshalled the defensive line with great authority. After a lively opening spell, he imposed himself on the physical Lenny Joseph.

CB: Auston Trusty—8.1: A fine volley to hand his team an early lead, and he handled his defensive responsibilities with ease, consistently nullifying the threat of Wilson Isidor.

LB: Antonee Robinson—8.6: Took a knock to the face and picked up a booking within the opening five minutes. Robinson regrouped and virtually single-handedly controlled the left flank, doing so with great efficiency while also contributing an assist.

CM: Sebastian Berhalter—8.2: Composed in possession and unfazed by Haiti's limited pressing. His quality deliveries from dead-ball situations remain a genuine weapon for the USMNT.

CM: Tyler Adams—7.6: Seemingly every loose ball or second chance fell to Adams. The USMNT skipper was dominant in the middle of the park and was the primary reason his team controlled possession so comprehensively.

RW: Weston McKennie—8.5: The versatile Juventus midfielder operated predominantly on the right wing, with the majority of USMNT attacks flowing through his channel. He produced several well-weighted passes in behind, was characteristically strong without the ball, and capped his display with a powerful headed goal.

AM: Malik Tillman—8.4: A relatively understated performance from Tillman. He had his moments and enjoyed the freedom to roam across the final third. Capitalised on the spaces that emerged late in the game and registered a couple of assists.

LW: Christian Pulisic—9.2: A slow beginning, but once he grew into the game, he was a persistent danger. Explosive runs, incisive through balls, a well-executed penalty and a stunning strike to complete his brace paint the picture of an outstanding individual display.

ST: Julian Hall—8.1: Words are increasingly hard to find when summing up Hall's early USMNT career. Another goal and another exceptional all-round performance.

SUB: Folarin Balogun (66' for Berhalter)—7.2: Proved too much to handle for Haiti's disorganised defence.

SUB: Bryan Reynolds (66' for Hall)—6.1: Circulated the ball efficiently during his brief appearance.

SUB: Adri Mehmeti (81' for McKennie)—N/A

SUB: Mathis Albert (81' for Pulisic)—N/A

SUB: Justin Ellis (86' for Tillman)—N/A

Subs not used: Matt Freese (GK), Brian Schwake (GK), Mark McKenzie, Reed Baker-Whiting, Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, Jack McGlynn.

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