How wing-backs and chemistry helped the US break through against Senegal

The United States men’s national team has undergone considerable change from one window to the next throughout Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. And it makes some sense; the Argentine had plenty of first-hand assessments to conduct, limiting the core group’s ability to iron out patterns of play and forge partnerships. Still, amid all that turnover, Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest were expected to remain the first-choice options at full-back (or wing-back, depending on the system) for the 2026 World Cup. Both had been essential in the 2022 cycle, after all, and continued to fare well when healthy for their club teams (Fulham for Robinson, and PSV for Dest). That “when healthy” caveat has worked overtime throughout Pochettino’s nineteen months in charge, though, with Dest suffering a torn ACL just before the 2024 Copa América and Robinson missing for much of last fall due to knee issues. On Sunday, in Pochettino’s 25th game as USMNT boss, he picked Robinson and Dest as starters together for the first time. With the tandem restored, the US looked like a much more thrilling and dependable version of itself. Robinson and Dest fit the modern job description for wide defenders, although they’re hardly clones of one another. Robinson is more positionally measured, comfortable staying along the touchline and occasionally dropping into the channel to join the midfield. Dest carries a bit more dynamism, popping up all over the field to capitalize on whatever opponents offer. …