Mauricio Pochettino's imminent tenure at Manchester United began to take shape in south Florida on Saturday as the United States men's national team dismantled Haiti 6-0, leaving Tuesday's second leg in Cincinnati a near formality.
An emotional pre-match press conference had preceded the dominant display, with Pochettino paying tribute to his staff and players before watching his side run riot at Nu Stadium. Austin Trusty broke the deadlock with a smart 10th-minute finish from a set-piece, putting the hosts ahead before the interval. The second half brought an emphatic procession, with Christian Pulisic netting twice, and further goals from Julian Hall, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun completing the rout.
Trusty's contribution carried particular resonance. The Celtic defender returned having lost his father the previous month, and his composed early finish set the tone for the evening. "We played for him," Trusty said in a post-match interview with TNT Sports, Metro reported. "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."
For Pulisic, it was a significant night. The AC Milan attacker returned for his first appearance since the World Cup and his brace took him to 35 goals in 91 games for the United States, moving him past Eric Wynalda into fourth place on the country's all-time scoring list. Hall, meanwhile, scored his fourth goal in just five appearances, a match that officially cap-tied the teenager to the United States having previously been eligible to represent Poland.
Pochettino confirmed he will depart for United after Tuesday's second leg. When asked whether he had spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson, he told Telegraph Sport that no contact had yet been made but that he expected a conversation to become possible from Tuesday onwards. He described Ferguson as embodying everything he admires in a coach, a manager and a man, adding that he genuinely hopes to find time to speak with him, though he acknowledged the schedule ahead will be intense.
Balogun, who came off the bench to add the sixth, said Pochettino had contributed enormously to the national team and that parting with a coach of his calibre was always difficult, even if it is an inevitable part of football.
The 54-year-old arrives at Carrington on Thursday and officially begins as United head coach on 18 November. He inherits a side sitting in the relegation zone having taken eight points from their opening 10 Premier League matches, with their sole victory coming against Ipswich Town in August. United have conceded 30 goals across all competitions and are yet to keep a league clean sheet. His opening Premier League fixture is at Anfield on 22 November.
One notable element of his backroom team has also emerged. Silvia Tuya, 46, who holds a doctorate in sports science and previously worked with Pochettino at the United States, is set to become the first woman to serve within United's backroom staff. She joins a group that also includes Jesus Perez, Miguel D'Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Pochettino's son Sebastiano, a sports science specialist.
Reporting: Metro, The Athletic, GiveMeSport, Football Insider, Daily Mail, ESPN, The Sun, The Guardian, Evening Standard, talkSPORT, Mirror.