AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. men’s national team took one positive step towards the 2026 World Cup on Friday night.
After a 1-1 draw with Ecuador and a performance that suggested real progress is being made under Mauricio Pochettino, here are three big-picture thoughts.
The “fake wingback”
Last month, a switch to a 3-4-3 seemed to provide stability for the USMNT in a 2-0 win over Japan. With that in mind, there was an expectation Pochettino and his staff would use it again, perhaps even to kickstart this October window given the amount of center backs on this roster who are comfortable in that setup. Additionally, Pochettino has noted Weah being deployed as a fullback or wingback with his club and Max Arfsten – the starter with Antonee Robinson’s lack of fitness – is more comfortable as a wingback.
