The wait is finally over. Christian Pulisic scored the USMNT’s second goal against Senegal in a pre-World Cup friendly on Sunday, ending his 154-day wait since the last time he found the net.

Pulisic inspires USMNT: When was his last goal?

Pulisic ran onto Ricardo Pepi’s through-pass and took his time before sliding the ball past the Senegal goalkeeper to put Mauricio Pochettino’s team 2-0 up. The AC Milan attacker had already played a part in the USMNT’s first goal, sliding the ball across goal for Sergiño Dest to open the scoring.

The 27-year-old’s last goal had come for Milan against Verona all the way back on Dec. 28. He had not scored in 16 appearances in 2026.

End of a long wait

Pulisic has also ended a 558-day drought since his last goal for the USMNT, which came in the Stars and Stripes’ 4-2 win over Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals in December 2024. He had gone eight games without a goal for the national team since then.

Pochettino will now hope his talisman has rediscovered his best form just in time for the 2026 World Cup.

No repeat of controversial goal celebration

Pulisic’s strike against Jamaica a year and a half ago had been notable not only as his most recent goal for the USMNT, but also for his attention-grabbing, controversial celebration.

After netting the opener against the Jamaicans, Pulisic could be seen swaying and pumping his fists, in imitation of a dance performed by Donald Trump in the leadup to that month’s U.S. presidential election.

Pulisic later denied that his celebration represented a show of support for the Republican, who two weeks earlier had secured a return to the White House. “It was just a dance that everyone’s doing,” the player said. “He’s the one who created it. I just thought it was funny.”

Amid widespread criticism of the celebration, however, former USMNT captain Tim Howard voiced notable displeasure with Pulisic, labelling the player’s actions “stupid”. In a column for the Daily Mail, the retired goalkeeper said: “I don’t buy that [it wasn’t political]”.

By referencing a politician with a clear anti-diversity agenda, Howard argued, Pulisic had undermined key inclusivity and equality initiatives promoted by his colleagues in the U.S. women’s national team (USWNT).

“Pulisic is taking a lot of heat from soccer fans,” Howard wrote. “It’s hardly surprising, given the USWNT has led the fight for equal pay, and inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights. Players such as Megan Rapinoe have gone to war with Trump. Now the USMNT’s biggest star is doing his dance.”

There was no repeat against Senegal in Charlotte.

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