The USMNT takes on Mexico at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona on Wednesday night, but this doesn’t feel like a typical USA-Mexico matchup. Since this is not in a traditional FIFA window, the vast majority of the players taking part are domestic players, but that also opens up opportunities for other players to shine.
Let’s break down the position groups, starting with the goalkeepers:
Sean Johnson – Toronto FC – 11 Caps
Drake Callender – Inter Miami – 0 Caps
Roman Celentano – FC Cincinnati – 0 Caps
Johnson is clearly the number one of the group, but Celentano has long been deserving of a look and it is good to see him on the roster. Callender will most likely be the keeper that doesn’t suit up, but having him in camp helps develop depth.
Defenders:
DeAndre Yedlin – Inter Miami – 77 Caps
Walker Zimmerman – Nashville SC – 39 Caps
Aaron Long – LAFC – 31 Caps
Sergino Dest – AC Milan – 24 Caps
Matt Miazga – FC Cincinnati – 22 Caps
Shaq Moore – Nashville SC – 17 Caps
Julian Gressel – Vancouver Whitecaps – 2 Caps
Caleb Wiley – Atlanta United – 0 Caps
Joshua Wynder – Louisville City – 0 Caps
The largest position group also features two of the three players on the roster that are not on a MLS club. Wynder is a 17-year old currently playing in the USL, although I expect to see him on the move this summer after he turns 18. Dest is the only player on either roster from a senior side in Europe (Julian Araujo is on the Mexico squad and is part of the FC Barcelona B squad, despite not taking the pitch for them yet). Yedlin, Long, Moore, and Zimmerman join Dest as players on this squad that were with the team in Qatar. Gressel only became a US citizen less than six months ago, but has already suited up for interim manager Anthony Hudson twice and has an assist on his stat sheet. Wiley has scored three goals in seven appearances this season for Atlanta United and only turned 18 in December.
Midfielders:
Kellyn Acosta – LAFC – 57 Caps
Cristian Roldan – Seattle Sounders – 32 Caps
Jackson Yuiell – San Jose Earthquakes – 16 Caps
James Sands – New York City FC – 7 Caps
Alan Sonora – Juarez – 2 Caps
Aidan Morris – Columbus Crew – 1 Cap
Nobody comes into this window in better form than Morris, who has been nothing short of great for Nashville SC of late. Acosta is still the best free kick taker in the USMNT pool, and the only player who can reasonably fit the Tyler Adams role. Roldan and Yuiell have plenty of experience but don’t get me too excited. Sonora had a quality January window with the team and plays his club soccer in Mexico, so he will have plenty of familiarity with the Mexican squad. Sands is a guy who played well enough for NYCFC to find himself on an 18-month loan with an option to buy with Scottish power Rangers, but after 24 appearances the loan was terminated on the first of March and he returned to the Big Apple. Will be very interesting to see how he bounces back.
Forwards:
Jordan Morris – Seattle Sounders – 51 Caps
Paul Arriola – FC Dallas – 50 Caps
Jesus Ferreira – FC Dallas – 17 Caps
Brandon Vazquez – FC Cincinnati – 2 Caps
Cade Cowell – San Jose Earthquakes – 2 Caps
Morris and Arriola are the only two wingers on the squad, while the youngster Cowell can play both wing or the number nine and has looked really good in both of his appearances for the senior squad. The most interesting position “battle” is who will be the striker at the top, assuming Hudson goes with a single striker, Vazquez or Ferreira. Ferreira is the “veteran” striker of the group despite being only 22 and actually two years younger than Vazquez, but Vazquez was borderline unstoppable for Cincinnati a season ago and scored a goal in his debut.
The lineup I anticipate seeing/thing we should see is as follows:
The toughest spot was at the top, but ultimately I went with Vazquez but I anticipate seeing him and Ferreira be subbed out for each other.
In windows like this, I always like to see the young players get a shot, so if I were to put together my ideal starting XI in terms of entertainment value, it would look like this:
Again, Vazquez vs. Ferreira was tough, but we have seen Ferriera plenty, and Vazquez turned down Mexico to commit to the USMNT, so he definitely deserves to be there. Of course I would want to see the three teenagers on the pitch to see how they hold up against the squad’s biggest rival, and I think Celentano deserves a Cap on his stat sheet.