The United States men’s national team defeated Haiti 6-0 on Saturday at Nu Stadium in Miami in the first leg of the 2026-27 CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals, giving head coach Mauricio Pochettino a six-goal margin in his penultimate match before taking over Manchester United. Christian Pulisic scored twice in less than two minutes in the second half to move into fourth place on the U.S. all-time scoring list.
In the opening leg of the Haiti vs USA quarterfinal tie, center-back Auston Trusty put the Americans ahead in the 10th minute with a far-post volley off a free kick delivered by Sebastian Berhalter. The USMNT carried that 1-0 advantage into halftime after an earlier finish by 18-year-old forward Julian Hall off an Alex Freeman cross was disallowed for offside.
According to the official box score on FOX Sports, the United States held 71% possession, outshot Haiti 15-3 with a 10-2 edge in shots on target, and led 6-1 in corner kicks. Referee Walter Lopez Castellanos issued yellow cards to U.S. defender Antonee Robinson in the 6th minute, Berhalter in the 40th minute, and Haiti winger Josue Casimir in the 40th minute as Haiti committed 18 fouls to the Americans’ 9.
Five second-half goals break open USA vs Haiti
Hall doubled the U.S. lead in the 52nd minute when Pulisic played a through ball on a counterattack to Robinson, who squared a first-time pass across the box for Hall to tap in. Ten minutes later, Hall set up the third goal with a backheel into Pulisic’s path in the penalty area, drawing a trip from Haiti defender Carlens Arcus.
Pulisic converted the 62nd-minute penalty kick and struck again in the 63rd minute, driving a left-footed shot from outside the box into the net off an assist from Freeman. Those goals were the 34th and 35th of Pulisic’s international career, tying and passing Eric Wynalda (34) for sole possession of fourth place on the USMNT all-time scoring chart behind third-place Jozy Altidore (42), The Guardian reported.
Weston McKennie made it 5-0 in the 68th minute with a header off a Malik Tillman corner kick. Haiti thought it had pulled a goal back around the 70th minute when Lenny Joseph finished a Casimir pass with U.S. goalkeeper Diego Kochen caught out of position, but the play was flagged offside. Substitute Folarin Balogun, who replaced Berhalter in the 65th minute, had a 78th-minute goal overturned following a VAR review for an arm on Arcus before scoring the sixth U.S. goal in the 82nd minute off Tillman’s second assist of the night.
Saturday’s match marked the return of Pulisic and Balogun to the national team after both missed four consecutive autumn friendly victories over Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. Newsday reported that Pulisic had been recovering from a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula sustained during the USMNT’s 4-1 loss to Belgium in the 2026 World Cup round of 16, while Balogun had been left off after missing Monaco’s first four Ligue 1 matches when a potential transfer to Everton fell through. Although Haiti was the designated home team for the first leg, CONCACAF approved staging the match in Miami under an exceptional hosting arrangement due to ongoing political unrest and gang violence in Port-au-Prince.
Three takeaways for Manchester United
In its post-match analysis of how Pochettino’s U.S. team performed against Haiti, Manchester United outlet United In Focus via OneFootball outlined three tactical points for supporters at Old Trafford:
- Quick starts in both halves: Pochettino’s players attacked early in each period, scoring through Trusty in the 10th minute and Hall in the 52nd minute, which United In Focus contrasted with Manchester United’s slow starts in both halves this season.
- Set-piece execution: Trusty’s opening volley came from a worked free-kick routine that left him unmarked in the penalty area, an area where United In Focus noted Manchester United have scored only one non-penalty set-piece goal in the Premier League this season following Casemiro’s departure in the summer.
- Possession control: United In Focus credited the USMNT with 72% possession and 376 completed passes, noting how Pochettino’s side patiently recycled the ball and switched play from flank to flank to wear down Haiti’s defense.
Pochettino’s farewell and Tuesday’s second leg
On Friday, Manchester United confirmed a $10 million buyout with U.S. Soccer to hire Pochettino after firing manager Michael Carrick with the club in 18th place in the Premier League with one win. Pochettino, who had signed a contract extension with U.S. Soccer through 2030 and improved his USMNT record to 22-12-2 with Saturday’s win, grew emotional during Friday’s farewell press conference in Fayetteville, Georgia, alongside U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and president Cindy Parlow Cone.
“I think [the decision was] one of the most difficult decisions of our careers. Thank you guys. Thank you so much,” Pochettino said on Friday, as reported by The Guardian.
Batson said Friday on FOX Sports that the buyout funds will go toward hiring a new head coach and confirmed that U.S. under-23 coach Steve Cherundolo will serve as interim head coach for the senior team’s December camp and friendly against Jamaica in Fort Lauderdale. Pochettino will coach his final USMNT game in the quarterfinal second leg against Haiti on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. EST at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati before starting work at Manchester United on Nov. 18 ahead of his Nov. 22 Premier League debut at Liverpool.