Draw between United States and Ecuador in a Friendly Match
A second-half goal from Folarin Balogun secured a 1-1 draw for the United States men’s national soccer team against Ecuador in Austin, Texas, on Friday night. The friendly match served as preparation for future international commitments.
Despite the home team finding themselves at a 1-0 disadvantage at Q2 Stadium after a goal by Enner Valencia in the 24th minute, the United States showed a good offensive performance from the start of the match. With the intention of changing the score, the USMNT finished the first half with 66% possession and six shots, but remained scoreless due to the outstanding saves of Ecuadorian goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.
In the second half, the Americans continued to press in the final third of the field. With the additions of offensive players like Diego Luna and Alex Freeman, the United States intensified its efforts, which ultimately led to Balogun’s goal in the 71st minute.
The coach Mauricio Pochettino made tactical changes seeking victory, including Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright. However, Ecuador maintained its defensive solidity and managed to maintain the 1-1 draw until the end of the match.
In preparation for the FIFA World Cup, Pochettino and his team will close out this month’s international window with another friendly on Tuesday against Australia.
Technical Director Evaluation
Mauricio Pochettino, 7: Although victory was not achieved and the early goal against was not ideal, Pochettino did a good job creating a dynamic approach with rapid build-ups in his 3-4-2-1 formation. If it weren’t for Galíndez’s outstanding saves, the USMNT could have taken the lead. Pochettino will have to work on the details with his team, which needs to be more efficient in set-piece situations and in possession. However, against a dangerous opponent, Friday’s performance was satisfactory.
Player Ratings
Goalkeeper: Matt Freese, 6: Not much criticism for Valencia’s goal, but in a match where details made the difference, Freese couldn’t secure his goal at a crucial moment. However, he made a good save in the second half.
Defense: Tim Ream, 7: Reliable in his ground and aerial duels, the 38-year-old captain worked well in the defensive setup. At this moment, a starting position is his.
Defense: Chris Richards, 5: An up-and-down game for the defender, who was a step behind Valencia on the goal, but almost scored from a corner minutes later. He showed a yellow card, but was also a threat on corner kicks.
Defense: Miles Robinson, 7: Robinson looked comfortable in the three-man defense, and, despite a yellow card, that didn’t stop his aggressiveness and forward movements.Folarin Balogun scored the equalizing goal in the 71st minute for the USMNT against Ecuador on Friday night.
Midfielder: Max Arfsten, 6: Defensively average, but creative in attack, Arfsten should continue to add minutes in the 3-4-2-1 formation. However, he should be surpassed by Antonee Robinson, once he is recovered.
Midfielder: Tanner Tessmann, 6: An important connector in midfield, but also someone who won’t grab headlines after looking calm at the heart of the XI. He still has more to prove, even with his indirect assist.
Midfielder: Aidan Morris, 8: Earning his first start in almost a year, Morris was heavily involved and constantly active in midfield with his ability to progress the ball. A step up for the 23-year-old, who also showed vital tackles.
Midfielder: Tim Weah, 7: Playing as a “false full-back” (as he said before the match), Weah made exciting runs down the right wing and also dared to take a couple of shots. Versatile with his positioning, the Marseille player didn’t seem to mind being in a more withdrawn position.
Offensive Midfielder: Weston McKennie, 7: The Juventus player should have had an assist at the end of the first half, and as the match progressed, he became even more involved in creating intelligent plays. In one of the roles with the most pressure, McKennie looked effective.
Offensive Midfielder: Malik Tillman, 8: Connected well with Balogun, made quick connections in the front and midfield, and ultimately provided a well-deserved assist in the second half.
Forward: Folarin Balogun, 9: Balogun worked very hard in the physical battles against Ecuador. Despite this, he made decisive runs in the final third of the field, took threatening shots, and scored the equalizing goal for the USMNT in the second half.
Substitutes
(Players who entered after the 70th minute did not receive a rating)
Offensive midfielder: Diego Luna, 6: He seemed eager to participate in the attack and took a shot on goal.
Defense: Alex Freeman, 7: Able to recover the ball in crucial moments and made fast runs down the right wing.
Defense: Mark McKenzie, No rating: Provided two clearances and blocked a shot.
Forward: Christian Pulisic, Unrated: Pochettino indicated before the match that the AC Milan player had an ankle problem, which limited his time on Friday.
Midfielder: Cristian Roldan, No rating: Quickly connected 10 of 12 passes in the final stages of the match.
Forward: Haji Wright, Unrated: Quickly took a couple of shots in his brief appearance.
