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USMNT U-23’s to face Mexico, Japan in October friendlies

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The U.S. Under-23 men’s national team will have its first preparation matches ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

Mexico and Japan will oppose Marko Mitrovic’s squad in Phoenix, Arizona on Oct. 11 and Oct. 17 respectively, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday. Phoenix Rising Stadium will serve as the host venue for the pair of matches.

Mexico will also square off with Japan on Oct. 14.

Mitrovic was announced as head coach of the USMNT U-23’s earlier this summer. The former U.S. Under-19 men’s national team head coach will lead the Americans into their first Olympic involvement since 2008.

Thanks to the USMNT U-20’s 3-0 victory over Honduras at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, the Americans will make the trip to Paris next summer.

Mexico will not compete in the Olympics, missing the tournament for the first time since 2008.

Japan is preparing for next spring’s 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, which will qualify three Asian nations to Paris 2024. Japan is currently competing at the Asian Games.

Several young talents in the USMNT player pool will be eligible for the Olympics including Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah, Gabriel Slonina, and Ricardo Pepi.
 

Comments

  1. in terms of next summer, who will we see, well, we have copa america before that so the younger senior team regulars may be there instead and likely won’t be double booked. july-august tournament also makes it harder to get european first teamers. in terms of now, this will also be a senior NT window and the serious folks will be there. i would anticipate seeing some mix of this spring’s U20s and the “needs polishing” type younger NT pool guys eg llanez konrad cremaschi paredes tessman reynolds tolkin busio morris bello youngeraaronson booth hoppe. might also be a good time to look at some guys like brian gutierrez, noel buck, bajrakatevic, kelman, k.henry, johan gomez, dietz, covill, j.butler, n.brown, or mighten.

    phoenix kind of suggests a MLS/MX-heavy selection though. odd site selection, not really convenient to anyone.

    senior team is also running out of time to chase richardson and koleosho.

    Reply
    • Richardson not eligible for US Olympics already played for Moroccan Olympic team in qualifying. Would have to file a switch, and was “morally” capped as you call it last window by Morocco. I think Koleosho would have to file a switch after playing at U19 Euros but I might be wrong on that maybe it’s just qualifiers and WC.
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      Tricky part is you have to start having conversations about whether guys will be released but so much changes in 9 months. Like building the U20 attack around Paxten Aaronson then he starts making the Frankfurt bench and isn’t released. Teams wouldn’t have to release guys for this camp although most do if it’s in window. Reyna, Musah, Pepi definitely not getting on this team.
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      Good shout on Llanez, doesn’t seem to be playing anywhere currently. At Wolfsburg but not with first team or II squad. Maybe he’s hurt, I guess. Konrad is hurt right now. Haven’t seen Bryang Kayo this year either. Kobe Hernandez would be another possible name. Griffen Yow, Agustin Anello. Cole Bassett and Matthew Hoppe are eligible guys as well.

      Reply
      • it’s complicated. re the U23s you can use it either as an age group team or an effective NT B side. an age group side might focus more on players with fewer NT. caps or involvement who are less known, and players with fewer selection risks for next summer. like you’d try and approximate next year’s team. in contrast a NT B side might favor the perceived best players within the age group not making the senior team each window, even if they are well known quantities, and even if they are high risk to not be available next summer, either due to club situations or a potential for making the team next summer. the B team approach makes it more likely they bail before next year — wasting gel time — but emphasizes the purpose of age group ball as preparing NT guys. the “anticipate U23” approach treats this more like let’s gel a team and chase olympics and not even bother with players we won’t have. even if we think some of the U23s have lower senior NT potential.

        last cycle it started out as more of a B team with guys like miles and sargent and richards and such, and so many of the players who started the initial games were later graduated/diverted into senior team WCQ and not on the oly qualifying team. if you believe the purpose of the exercise is to identify NT help then you’re fine with that.

        i would go hybrid. i would use the next couple windows as scouting for the roster, maybe one cycle here one cycle europe. you do it that way you can call both B team types and rank and file age groupers. assess what you have and its chance to be available next summer. next year turn the corner into focusing on the likely olympics unit give or take the overagers. IMO the US under GB does this backwards. they will go for a wish list lineup now (without proof of concept). they will circle back at the end with trialists. i don’t get narrow now then open it back up at the end. to me steadily funnel it down. quit playing favorites up front. make people prove themselves to make the next camp. make them prove they belong on next summer’s roster.

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