Equalizing goal in the second half Folarin Balogun earned US men’s national team 1-1 draw against Ecuador In Austin, Texas, Friday night.
The home team trailed 1-0 after a goal scored in the 24th minute at the Q2 Stadium. Ener ValenciaThe United States impressed with its aggressive pace in the early stages of the exhibition. Eager to make a change in the scoreline, the USMNT finished the first half with 66% possession and six shots, but remained scoreless until the mid-break after some clever saves from the Ecuadorian goalkeeper. hernan galindez,
In the second half, the Americans continued their pressure in the final third.
Coupled with the introduction of some offensive-minded names like diego luna And alex freemanAfter this, the United States stepped up their efforts, with Balogun eventually scoring the equalizer in the 71st minute. Manager Mauricio Pochettino took to the field in search of victory. Christian Pulisic And Haji Wright,
Nonetheless, Ecuador impressed with their defensive positioning and kept the score at 1–1 until the final whistle.
Looking forward to their continuing FIFA World Cup After preparations, Pochettino and his US roster will end this month’s international break with another friendly on Tuesday Australia,
Manager’s rating out of 10
Mauricio Pochettino, 7 — It’s no victory and falling 1-0 down so quickly isn’t ideal, but Pochettino did well to create a dynamic approach with lots of quick buildup in his 3-4-2-1 formation. If it weren’t for some note-worthy stops from Galindez, the USMNT likely could have been the one that took an early lead in the friendly match. It’s the smaller details that Pochettino will need to work on with his roster, who will need to become more efficient with their long list of dead-ball situations and possession, but against a dangerous opponent, Friday was a satisfying performance.
Player Rating (0-10; 10 = Best; 5 = Average)
gk matt freeze6 — It shouldn’t be criticized too much Valenciagoal, but in a match where the little things made the difference, Freeze was unable to tighten up in one of the most important moments of the friendly match. That said, he provided good high claims and saves in the second half.
df tim ream7 — Reliable in his duels on the ground and in the air, the 38-year-old captain worked well in the changed defensive setup. For now, a starting place is to lose him.
df chris richards5 — How do you rate a defender who was one step behind Valencia on goal, but almost scored a corner just minutes later? An up-and-down game for the member of the backline who was shown yellow but was also a threat from corners.
df miles robinson7 — Robinson looked comfortable in the back three, and despite the ominous yellow he had earned, his aggression and occasional forward pace showed no signs of diminishing.
mutual fund max arfston6 — Defensively average, but creative going forward, Arfston should continue to get minutes in a 3-4-2-1 formation. However, one must go beyond that antony robinsonOnce healthy.
mutual fund Tanner Tesman6 — An important midfield connector, but one who won’t steal any headlines after occasionally looking quiet in the heart of the XI. He still has more to prove, even with his hockey help.
mutual fund aidan morris8 — Making his first start in almost a full year, Morris was highly active and constantly created a buzz in midfield with his ability to advance the ball. A step forward for the 23-year-old, who also showed some important tackles.
mutual fund Tim Weah7 — Playing as a “fake wing back” (as he put it on pre-game TNT), Weah made exciting runs down the right flank and also stepped up with a few shots of his own. Versatile with your situation, marseille The player doesn’t seem to mind being in more depth.
forenoon Weston McKenney7 — juventus The man should have had an assist late in the first half, and as the game progressed he became more involved in creating clever play. In one of the most pressure-filled roles, McKechnie looked impressive.
forenoon malik tillman8 — Linked up well with Balogun, made quick connections across the frontline and midfield, and ultimately provided a good number of assists late in the second half.
FW Folarin Balogun, 9 — Balogun played extremely hard in the physical battle against Ecuador. Despite this, he still made decisive runs in the final third, delivered dangerous shots and scored the equalizing goal for the USMNT in the second half.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes do not receive a rating)
AM Diego Luna, 6 — Looked eager to join the attack and provide a shot on target.
DF Alex Freeman, 7 — Able to win the ball back in important places and make quick runs down the right side.
df Mark McKenzieNR — Provided two clearances and blocked one shot.
FW Christian Pulisic, NR – Pochettino noted before the game that AC Milan The player had an ankle problem, which limited his playing time on Friday.
mutual fund cristian roldanNR — He connected on 10 of 12 quick passes in the final stretch of the game.
FW Haji Wright, NR — Delivered a few quick shots in his cameo appearance.
