MIAMI: Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun scored in their return to the United States roster, and the Americans routed Haiti 6-0 on Saturday in Miami in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals.
Auston Trusty, Julian Hall and Weston McKennie also scored for the U.S., which had its most goals in a match under Mauricio Pochettino.
It was a near perfect start of what will be a brief farewell tour for Pochettino, who has agreed to become the head coach of Manchester United after two years coaching the U.S.
Just three months after announcing a contract to lead the Americans through the 2030 World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Pochettino will depart next week for Old Trafford.
“We played for him," Trusty said in a postmatch interview with TNT Sports after opening the scoring in the 10th minute. "Obviously, he's our gaffer. Obviously it's sad that he's moving on. It's a great opportunity that he's moving on to. But we played for him. It's his team. It's his identity, and the mindset is to win every single game, every single match.”
The second leg of the Nations League quarterfinals will take place Tuesday in Cincinnati.
“Pochettino is an amazing manager and he added a lot to us with the national team," Balogun told TNT Sports. “It's always sad to see a top coach leave but it's a part of the sport.”
It was a mostly pro-Haiti crowd on Saturday, with fans draped in their country's blue and red colors cheering on the squad for reasons far beyond the game.
Violence in the Caribbean country has prevented Les Grenadiers from playing on home soil, so Haiti played “host” to the Americans in South Florida, which is home to the largest Haitian diaspora community in the United States.
When Lenny Joseph appeared to finally put Haiti on the board by finishing Josue Casimir's cross in the 70th, fans roared as if their squad had taken the lead, though Joseph was ruled offside.
Pulisic had missed exhibition wins over Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada as he worked his way back from a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula sustained in the 4-1 loss to Belgium at the World Cup's round of 16.
Balogun, a striker whose red card-suspension at the World Cup was controversially suspended after a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA head Gianni Infantino, was omitted for those friendlies when he didn't play in Monaco's first four Ligue 1 matches this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through.
Pulisic converted a penalty for a 3-0 lead in the 62nd, then finished from outside the box less than two minutes later on an assist from Alex Freeman. Balogun finished past goalie Alexandre Pierre then pointed at his wrist to make it 6-0 in the 82nd.
He said his celebration was a nod to NBA player Damian Lillard, who often does the same gesture to signal that it's “Dame Time” after a knocking down a key, crunch-time bucket.
“I just wanted to show it's my time,” Balogun said. “I'm back.”