Folarin Balogun’s late equalizer gave Mauricio Pochettino’s United States men’s national team a 1-1 draw with fellow World Cup entrants Ecuador at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Friday.
The USMNT was arguably the better team on the day but trailed when a rare mistake came back to bite them via Enner Valencia’s savvy first-half finish.
MORE — USMNT player ratings vs Ecuador
Ecuador presented a solid change though the absence of Moises Caicedo helped the Americans’ cause as Malik Tillman, Timothy Weah, and company produced several dangerous chances.
Balogun cashed in a strong team goal at the near post to help Pochettino stack a solid draw to last month’s win over Japan.
The USMNT know their best front four
Christian Pulisic was unable to start this game so the USMNT did not get to see him work with Timothy Weah, Malik Tillman, and Folarin Balogun, but if those four players aren’t starting the first game of the World Cup then one of them is probably carrying an injury or Pochettino is playing an opponent that doesn’t allow him to use his preferred formation. Tillman was fantastic in the final third (again) and Weah flew up and down his flank. Balogun cashed in another chance and boy did he work well do it. Bodied up by Willian Pacho of PSG and with a would-be Man of the Match goalkeeper in front of him, the Monaco man bulled his way to the near post and kissed the ball off the inside of it. The talent pool is deep, yes, and Diego Luna, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Haji Wright, and others can all make their cases to rise to the top but right now it’s so difficult to imagine that Balogun won’t be atop a feeding trio of Weah, Pulisic, and Tillman.
What’s next?
Now they’ll turn their attention to Australia for a 9pm ET Tuesday kickoff with the Socceroos at DSG Park in Colorado.
USMNT vs Ecuador live updates, final score: 1-1
Enner Valencia 24′, Folarin Balogun 71′
USMNT subs
Cristian Roldan, Mark McKenzie, and Christian Pulisic enter for Aidan Morris, Tim Ream, and Tim Weah with about a quarter-hour to play.
Folarin Balogun goal — USMNT 1-1 Ecuador
Oh this had been coming.
The Yanks have worked right to left a few times with vigor, and this time it ends in an impressive goal.
Weah finds Tessmann, who sends Tillman into the box.
Tillman cuts a pass to the near post and Balogun has a lot to do with PSG star Pacho on his back and Galindez in goal.
Balogun muscles a shot off the post and over the line.
Balogun helps USMNT get level with Ecuador
Folarin Balogun finishes off the pass from Malik Tillman help USMNT even the score at 1-1 in the second half of its friendly against Ecuador.
USMNT subs
Diego Luna and Alex Freeman enter for Weston McKennie and Miles Robinson.
Malik Tillman penalty shout
Some good work from the USMNT down the left leads to Malik Tillman getting shoulder dropped on the edge of the 18. No call.
Ecuador changes at the break
Union Saint-Gilloise star Kevin Rodriguez and Anderlecht’s Nilson Angulo enter the game for Paez and Yeboah.
Halftime — USMNT 0-1 Ecuador
They’ve been fine, really. Ecuador showed the value of a savvy finisher in Enner Valencia, but the Yanks could easily have a goal or two if not for Galindez and the offside flag.
Possession is 67% to the Yanks, and shot attempts are 5-4 for the hosts. The Americans have also piled up seven corner kicks while conceding just one.
Folarin Balogun, Malik Tillman, Timothy Weah, and Chris Richards have impressed. Aidan Morris has had a couple of bright moments but won’t love his role on the goal.
Lots to discuss going forward.
Pervis Estupinan injury
The AC Milan man was dinged up earlier and has decided he cannot continue to the break.
Yaimar Medina will take his place.
Kendry Paez draws yellow card
Chelsea prospect Kendry Paez fools Miles Robinson with an electric turn.
Robinson doesn’t appreciate it, and you can see the hard tackle coming from a mile away.
So can referee Filip Dujic, who has the yellow card at the ready in the 41st minute.
Galindez reacts to pinball
Max Arfsten cuts inside and slashes a cross or shot that takes two big deflections and might be headed for the upper 90 only for Galindez to fly to his left and push it away from the goal.
Chris Richards smashes the post
He’s at the heart of everything in both 18s, as his half-volley through traffic is pushed onto the post by Galindez.
Enner Valencia goal — USMNT 0-1 Ecuador
Aidan Morris tries to jump a pass in the midfield and it leaves John Yeboah in space.
Yeboah cuts a pass to Enner Valencia, and Chris Richards has to change directions. He does well to force Valencia to an acute angle, but finishers finish as Freese isn’t in the right position for an effective dive.
A lot of good work to be down 1-0.
Valencia puts Ecuador up early against USMNT
Enner Valencia finds the angle to put Ecuador up 1-0 against USMNT.
Balogun feeling it
Balogun freezes Alciver with a change of speed, and curls an ambitious shot for the far upper 90 which is not fr from the mark.
Really good second 10 minutes for the Yanks.
0-0, 22′.
USMNT chance!
Malik Tillman works a 1-2 with Balogun, sending the Monaco man toward goal.
Balogun forces a low diving save out of Huracan’s Hernan Galindez, and Ecuador clear the danger.
0-0, 10′.
So close to 1-0
Ecuador have done well early, their press unsettling the USMNT.
A corner kick is headed away by Chris Richards. Jordy Alcivar settles the clearance from just outside the penalty spot, and he can’t quite keep his shot attempt on frame.
The Yanks go back the other way and Folarin Balogun wins a corner, and Richards heads Tillman’s corner off an Ecuadorian player for another corner.
USMNT vs Ecuador team news: No Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic is not at full fitness despite a rich vein of form for AC Milan. Antonee Robinson’s on the bench as well.
Miles Robinson gets the call in the back line with Max Arfsten, Chris Richards, and Tim Ream, winning the start over Mark McKenzie and Cameron Carter-Vickers.
For Ecuador, New England Revolution forward Leonardo Campana starts the game on the bench.
USMNT lineup
Freese, Arfsten, Richards, M. Robinson, Ream, Tessmann, Morris, Weah, McKennie, Tillman, Balogun
Ecuador lineup
Galindez, Ordonez, Pacho, Franco, Estupinan, Alcivar, Vite, Preciado, Paez, Valencia, Yeboah
USMNT focus
This team can do some damage even without Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Yunus Musah, and Ricardo Pepi.
RELATED — How will USMNT line up vs Ecuador?
Antonee Robinson is back in the fold despite a surprisingly-limited number of minutes at Fulham, while red-hot Tanner Tessmann of Lyon rejoins the midfield unit. Malik Tillman is also doing so well after a move to Bayer Leverkusen.
Christian Pulisic has had a sensational early run at AC MIlan this season even accounting a missed penalty in recent weeks. In-form Haji Wright and Timothy Weah will also be in the discussion to start.
Ecuador focus
The Yanks will not have to deal with several big names besides Chelsea star Caicedo, as Arsenal’s Piere Hincapie, Flamengo’s Gonzalo Plata, Quito’s Carlos Gruezo, and Cremonese’s Jeremy Sarmiento are not in the squad.
But new centurion Enner Valencia is joined by Strasbourg hotshot Kendry Paez (a Chelsea loanee), PSG’s Willian Pacho, and AC Milan’s Pervis Estupinan in the squad. It’s an excellent group.
USMNT vs Ecuador preview
The Yanks have a strong squad for this window, an improved unit from the group that lost 2-0 to South Korea before toppling Japan by the same score.
This Ecuador team hasn’t lost in over a year, a September 2024 away loss to Brazil in World Cup qualifying. La Tricolor have since gone 11 games without a loss, all CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with a win over Argentina the latest triumph.
Former Elche manager Sebastián Beccacece, a Jorge Sampaoli disciple, is at the wheel of a strong ship, even if Ecuador will be without Moises Caicedo for the window. They’ll face Mexico in Zapopan on Oct. 14, and play North American-based matches in November against Canada (Toronto) and New Zealand (New Jersey).
USMNT vs Ecuador prediction
The Caicedo absence could loom large here, especially with the Americans on home soil. Let’s go for the same score as a memorable Copa America quarterfinal win for Jurgen Klinsmann’s USMNT in 2016. USMNT 2-1 Ecuador.
Read the full article here