The United States men’s national team will be back in action on Friday night, hosting Ecuador in Austin, Texas. It’s a chance for the USMNT to begin their next winning streak while building on the good energy from defeating Japan during the September international window. Entering this match, there are slight concerns as Pochettino announced that Christian Pulisic didn’t train on Thursday before the match. While the issue doesn’t seem to be serious, this isn’t the time to take risks with the Milan man.
He’ll be looked at and will have a chance to go for this match against Ecuador, but if he can’t Haji Wright could get a chance on the left wing. Called back in due to his strong form for Coventry City, Wright is looking to make his second consecutive World Cup squad, and this will be a critical camp for that. Antonee Robinson has also returned to the USMNT setup and may not be fit to go 90 minutes. He acknowledged that he’s not 100%, but if Robinson is good to go 60 minutes or so, it’d be a good time for Pochettino to get him into the XI in order to see what the side looks like with their starting left back.
It’s especially important for Robinson to feature if the back three that helped lead to the defeat of Japan comes back. Pochettino has called in center backs who are strong in a back three, and with him stating that no player is a lock for the World Cup squad, being able to see players like Mark McKenzie in a back three will show how sustainable this formation can be.
Call it What You Want: A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States. Catch the show YouTube live every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
Ecuador sports a strong defense, and while they may not play their first-choice side after qualifying for the World Cup, the 24th-ranked team in the world will be a test for the USMNT. Their physicality can turn the match into a grind, but that’s exactly why it’s a good test. Some players in Pochettino’s squad are used to those kinds of matches, but this provides a chance to give players a group stage style test without the high stakes.
Let’s take a look at how Pochettino could line the team up for the occasion:
How to watch USMNT vs. Ecuador, odds
- Date: Friday, Oct. 10 | Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Q2 Stadium — Austin, Texas
- TV: TNT | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: USMNT +125; Draw +220; Ecuador +230
Predicted XI
USA: Matt Freese, Antonee Robinson, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic
