The U.S. Men’s National Team closes out the 2020 calendar on Wednesday night against El Salvador in the team’s fourth and final match of the year (7:30 p.m. ET, UniMas).
Gregg Berhalter has called in a predominantly MLS-focused squad, featuring several of the league’s top standouts, including MLS Best XI selections Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie.
SBI will be providing live match updates and analysis in the comments section below. Feel free to join the conversation, and share your own thoughts below.
Enjoy the action.
[jwplayer eJDPJzIA]
Turnover “machine” is a stretch. He had one bad turnover, but for the most part had a good game.
Is he the finished product? No, far from it, but he has some very good skills and will keep growing, especially once he can settle in and get consistent starts for the Galaxy at right back.
Now we just need to see the kids in Argentina.
Wonder why Dike wasn’t on the bench?
Balado mention that Dike was hurt.
He was invited during camp. Nothing serious.
typical POS officiating in CONCACAF, dirty dark arts sh!t from our regional cheap shot artists go unpunished, allowed. pathetic predictable dangerous
It seems unusual that UniMás isn’t providing a second audio feed in English via SAP, as they usually do for MLS games. I could understand it if the game was actually being shown elsewhere on an English-language channel, but as far as I can tell it isn’t.
.
Ives, just out of curiosity, do you speak enough Spanish to follow the commentary?
.
The game is on ESPN news
Sorry, did I say something wrong? Or maybe this blog has just slowed down to the pace of the second half …
.
One of the guys on UniMás, I didn’t catch who, complimented Chris Mueller on his Spanish, saying wtte that it speaks well of the multicultural atmosphere of cooperation at Orlando City.
.
Thanks, Dennis. Unfortunately, not one of the channels that Spectrum sees fit to give us. Ah well.
I’m fluent in Spanish, and will almost always watch the Spanish broadcast of games over the English ones.
Marco Farfan replaced Sam Vines at halftime, the Portland Timbers left back is reportedly heading to LAFC in a trade, but that hasn’t been anounced formally yet.
Job well done, guys!
The USMNT’s intensity and pressing have been really good, but the manner in which the team has used its width has been most notable for me thus far.
Lot of diagonal ball to the flanks, where the wingers are staying wide and testing El Salvador’s defense with constant runs in behind.
The USMNT are now three goals away from tying its largest win in history, an 8-0 triumph over Barbados in 2008. It’s straight domination.
Heck of a night from Chris Mueller, who has been very active. El Salvador isn’t much of an opponent, but you can see where Mueller can be a good fit in Berhalter’s system.
Ives how does this version of El Salvador stack up to the group that moved them up the FIFA rankings? Is this their first choice squad or an experimental group?
I don’t think this is their full-strength squad, and they have also struggled to get games in 2020 and their players haven’t played nearly as many games in 2020 as this MLS contingent has so there are a lot of advantages the USMNT enjoys in this matchup.
The rout continues as Akinola pokes home Mueller’s pass for a 5-0 USMNT lead. Aaronson had the chance to score, but the TFC man beats him to it.
4-0! Mueller gets on the end of a cross and heads home his second of the half.
Araujo with a great tackle to track back and stop the El Salvador counter.
USA up 3-0 now after Mueller scores his 1st international goal and Sebastian Lletget chips home as well! Great pressure from the hosts, but El Salvador look very flimsy at the back.
Goal from who else, but Paul Arriola. Chris Mueller with the setup, Akinola lets the ball run and Arriola pounces to blast it home in the 18th minute.
1-0 USA.
Paul Arriola has been very active early on, hasn’t been back that long since recovering from ACL surgery, but he looks strong, definitely put on some muscle during his recovery.
Mark McKenzie is working as the left centerback, with Aaron Long at right centerback.
Some long balls aimed at Ayo Akinola early. TFC striker is a handful.
With the USMNT lineup set, the players to watch tonight are Brenden Aaronson, Ayo Akinola and Julian Araujo. You could mention Mark McKenzie as well, but I wouldn’t expect him to be tested too heavily tonight.
Araujo starting u all mad cause I said he not all that good let’s see. He should have shut Mexico rumors down, and say he only committed to USA. I majored in PR, so he needs some. He not Musah!
Is there anyone in particular you’re talking to?
Araujo is a teenager, still developing. Nobody’s saying he’s Sergino Dest, but still a good prospect. As for what he should and shouldn’t have said, he has yet to make a decision so why would he say he’s committed when he literally hasn’t committed yet?
I just dont get why he would switch, he has never played for Mexico at any level. He was a turn over machine, I was very disappointed with his performance. He would even win ball back then run into the opposing team and lose it right again. I will with hold the jury on him until I see a few more performances