For the first time in seven months, Weston McKennie represented the U.S. men’s national team.

McKennie made his return to Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup on Friday, logging 63 minutes in the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador. The veteran midfielder teamed up with Tim Weah on the right flank of Pochettino’s 3-4-3 formation, showing off his versatility once again in an advanced role.

McKennie was used in multiple roles with Juventus last season, a trend that continued over the summer under Igor Tudor. Normally used as a central midfielder, McKennie was also seeing time as a wing back and an outside midfielder, featuring heavily over the FIFA Club World Cup schedule.

The option of having McKennie used in different roles, could be a major benefit to the USMNT, especially with the World Cup only eight months away.

“I had a long preseason and was told that I needed to cut down some weight to be in the Juventus team,” McKennie revealed during the TNT postmatch show on Friday. “I am getting older and to play in so many matches, I needed to do that.”

McKennie was one of the positive performers in Friday’s match against Ecuador, a result that the USMNT easily could have turned into a victory. The USMNT out-shot, out-possessed, and out-passed their South American visitors, forcing Hernan Galindez into making five saves, and come up with several key moments to deny the hosts a winning goal.

The 27-year-old McKennie was pleased with the result, but ultimately felt the USMNT could have walked away from Q2 Stadium with a lot more than what they earned.

“It was a game where it felt like we dominated,” McKennie said. “They are dangerous in transitions and dangerous when we gave them those opportunities. We could’ve exploited them more. I am happy with the comeback, but we wanted to win the game. That’s football.”

McKennie now has 61 caps for the USMNT and could add to that total on Tuesday when Australia opposes the Americans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.