Sports
USMNT Wins All Four Friendlies, Pochettino Prepares for Haiti Quarterfinal
Mauricio Pochettino’s experimental squad delivered a perfect record during the long international break, winning all four friendlies on home soil. The United States defeated Peru 4‑1 on September 26, Chile 4‑2 on September 29, Mexico 3‑0 on October 3, and Canada 1‑0 on October 6. The victories came without several high‑profile names, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and World Cup captain Tim Ream. Newly‑permanent captain Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, and Malik Tillman shared leadership duties. Teenage forwards stepped up after Ricardo Pepi withdrew with an injury and Folarin Balogun remained in Monaco.
Pochettino now faces a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti on November 17 in Cincinnati. Player availability will be affected by MLS Cup playoff schedules that could begin as early as November 18. Several players from the September/October roster may be unavailable, such as Red Bulls’ Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti, Orlando City’s Justin Ellis, and Philadelphia Union players Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield.
Goalkeeper options include Diego Kochen, the lone European backstop, and MLS options like Matt Freese, Brian Schwake, and Chris Brady. Defenders likely to feature are Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Alex Freeman, Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest, George Campbell, Max Arfsten, and Mark McKenzie, with potential additions of Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Cameron Carter‑Vickers, or Neil Pierre.
Midfielders under consideration are Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter, Giovanni Reyna, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Tanner Tessmann, and Brenden Aaronson. Forward options include Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Julian Hall, and Cavan Sullivan, with possible inclusion of Liga MX star Zendejas or Dortmund playmaker Mathis Albert.
Haiti’s squad features Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor and Wolves’ Jean‑Ricner Bellegarde. The U.S. will have 20‑22 spots for field players if 23‑25 call‑ups are made, including three goalkeepers. The upcoming match will test the squad’s depth and the impact of player availability amid overlapping club commitments.