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Jeff Carlisle
On Thursday, U.S. Soccer revealed its final pre-World Cup opponent, announcing that the United States will face Senegal in a friendly match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on May 31.
This announcement finalizes the USMNT’s pre-World Cup schedule, which includes a match against Belgium on March 28 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, followed by a game against Portugal there three days later, and then Senegal on May 31. The team will conclude the series against Germany in Chicago on June 6.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed enthusiasm about playing against Senegal. “We are thrilled to have a strong team like Senegal as our fourth opponent in the lead-up to the tournament,” he stated in a U.S. Soccer release. “In the year before the World Cup, we will have had the chance to compete against teams from five different confederations, which is invaluable for our preparation. We anticipate a fantastic crowd in Charlotte.”
Senegal achieved a remarkable record of 7-0-3 (W-L-D) during African World Cup Qualifying, scoring 22 goals while conceding only three. The team, known as the Lions of Teranga, is spearheaded by Sadio Mané, the 2019 African Footballer of the Year and forward for Al Nassr, who boasts 50 goals in 117 international matches. In 2021, Senegal claimed their first international trophy with a victory over Egypt to win the African Cup of Nations.
This match will mark the inaugural meeting between the U.S. and Senegal.
Last Friday, the U.S. was placed in Group D for next year’s World Cup, where it will take on Paraguay in Inglewood, California, on June 12, Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle on June 19, and concluding the group stage on June 25 against the winner of the UEFA playoff between Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia, and Türkiye.
Senegal faces a challenging Group I in the World Cup, which includes two-time champions France, Norway, and the winner of the intercontinental playoff from Path 2 featuring Bolivia, Suriname, and Iraq.