Us Men To Host Friendlies Against Australia And Ecuador In October International Window

The US men’s nationalist squad will play friendlies against Ecuador and Australia successful nan October Fifa world window, nan federation announced connected Monday. The games will pit nan US against 2 teams that person already sealed their spots successful nan 2026 World Cup successful 1 of nan team’s past gatherings earlier nan commencement of nan tourney adjacent summer.

The US will big Ecuador first connected 10 October astatine Q2 Stadium successful Austin, Texas, pinch kickoff group for 8.30pm ET. This will beryllium nan US men’s 16th all-time gathering against Ecuador, pinch nan past gathering coming successful 2019. In that match, Gyasi Zardes scored a precocious victor successful a 1-0 triumph for nan US.

Ecuador has been 1 of nan champion teams successful South America this World Cup cycle, now sitting 2nd successful Conmebol qualifying. La Tricolor has not mislaid a lucifer since 1-0 nonaccomplishment to Brazil successful September 2024, winning 4 and drafting 5 successful that time. Each of Ecuador’s past 3 games person been 0-0 draws (against Chile, Brazil, and Peru).

Australia will beryllium nan United States’ force successful nan 2nd lucifer of nan window, owed to return spot successful Commerce City, Colorado astatine Dick’s Sporting Goods Park connected 14 October astatine 9pm ET. The gathering will beryllium nan United States’ 4th all-time gathering against nan Socceroos, pinch nan erstwhile 1 coming backmost successful 2010 earlier that year’s World Cup successful South Africa. The US won that crippled 3-1, pinch Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez scoring for nan Americans, and Tim Cahill scoring for Australia.

The World Cup qualifying run has been a tricky 1 for Australia, but it was rewarded pinch an automatic bid to nan World Cup past period since nan assignment of Tony Popovic arsenic caput coach. The Socceroos person reeled off 5 wins and 3 draws since he was appointed, culminating successful past month’s 2-1 triumph complete Saudi Arabia.

The United States will purpose usage nan model to further solidify their squad nether caput coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine brought a mostly second-choice roster to this summer’s Gold Cup, wherever nan Americans hit weaker guidance each nan measurement to nan final, wherever they were outclassed successful a 2-1 nonaccomplishment to location rivals Mexico.

It is thought that Pochettino will usage nan adjacent 2 world windows to effort to harvester nan team’s agleam spots from nan summertime for illustration Diego Luna and Malik Tillman pinch immoderate of nan first-choice players who sat retired nan Gold Cup and pre-tournament friendlies – namely Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah and others.