CHESTER, Pa. – The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in 208 days and the U.S. Men’s National Team is gradually taking positive steps forward in hopes of being a contender.
Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Paraguay at Subaru Park extended the USMNT’s current unbeaten run to four matches and showed a little bit of everything. It included a first goal in 20 months for Gio Reyna, a third goal in a row for Folarin Balogun, a great performance from Max Arfsten and even a lengthy scuffle between the two teams in front of the benches.
While the USMNT’s performance overall was far from perfect, they showed fight and togetherness, which is what Mauricio Pochettino expects from them at all times. However, he also wants them to continue to improve with the minimal opportunities they have left until the tournament starts.
“What we have to do is create the platform for our players to perform and you saw today that all our players showed their quality to play entertaining football,” Pochettino told reporters at his post-match press conference. “I think we created chances, we were better at being a team that is very competitive and hard to beat, which is great.
“Sometimes I thought that wasn’t enough,” he added. “We have to keep going, we have to keep improving. We have to arrive at the World Cup in our best form and in our best form and show that the team is not about 1-2 names, but about the team, the collective and the togetherness.”
Reyna and Balogun provided the goals for the USMNT on Saturday, pitting themselves against Paraguay’s stubborn backline. Reyna’s powerful header sounded off the crossbar and in after four minutes, while Balogun finished Reyna’s deflected cross for the USMNT’s winning goal with 19 minutes to play.
Both players may have come into camp in different shapes, but both will leave Philadelphia with extra confidence tonight heading into Tuesday’s showdown with Uruguay. Pochettino praised both players for their impact on Saturday’s victory, crediting Reyna and Balogun for their contributions to the USMNT’s fight as a unit.
“Gio scored and did well tonight,” Pochettino said of Reyna. “He showed why he started and he confirmed that he is a player who needs to improve and play more for his club, but he can score and provide assists and always has a way to influence the game. He can read the game and find the rules for passing. I think he was a nightmare for Paraguay.”
“He [Flo] scored the winning goal and when you go into the World Cup he was fantastic because it wasn’t easy to fight.”
The USMNT backline was torn apart after Paraguay’s only goal of the match when Alex Arce’s diving header sneaked past Matt Freese in the ninth minute. Other than that, Freese rarely had any problems in the match, making just one additional save on Miguel Almiron’s long-range strike in the second half.
Pochettino’s three-back system continued with Tim Ream, Miles Robinson and Joe Scally working together at the heart of the defence. Although the USMNT did not hold its initial lead for more than five minutes, Pochettino believed his defense was calm and relaxed for most of the match.
“I was a bit worried that we had to concede so quickly in the first half, but I think we were very relaxed after that,” Pochettino said. “I’m very happy with the performance because we were relaxed. We want to dominate the opponent and be far from our goal. I felt like we weren’t rushed and we looked at ease, and that’s what I want to see. We’re moving forward in a good way.”
The USMNT will now turn their attention to a rematch against Uruguay on Tuesday in Tampa, the same team that knocked them out of the 2024 Copa America.
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