Mauricio Pochettino said he was happy, though at times it was hard to tell. Yes, the United States men's national team had prevailed 2-0 over Panama in his first match in charge. But what had transpired was definitely a mixed bag.

Little by little building something. The objective is 2026," Pochettino said of a game where Musah scored his first U.S. national team goal in his 42nd appearance. “It's only the first step.”

The new coach is still learning his new players, and the difficulty will rise with Tuesday’s match at rival Mexico.