Mauricio Pochettino has said multiple times through the United States’ up-and-down 2025 that he does not care about results yet. The most important place to win – in fact, the only important place to win, according to him – is at the 2026 World Cup. The results would ideally match the performances, sure, but they don’t have to. Not yet.
That’s a good thing, because once again on Friday night the US performance was met with a result that was probably less than the Americans deserved. A 1-1 draw with Ecuador in Austin, Texas saw the US control the flow of the game most of the time, winning most of the individual defensive battles and on occasion constructing some truly attractive moves forward against Ecuador’s disciplined defensive shell.
Ecuador’s goal came on a relatively minor mistake in the first half, pounced upon and punished by seemingly-ageless veteran Enner Valencia. The US equalizer, scored by Folarin Balogun in the 71st minute, came on one of those aforementioned moves that did not usually lead to dangerous scoring chances. The looks on the faces of US players after the final whistle betrayed a sense of disappointment; a feeling that they could have, should have gotten more against the team that finished second in a stacked South American qualifying process.
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In this game, as in a similarly encouraging display against Japan to close the last window, the US utilized a three-man backline (Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Miles Robinson to start) with aggressive wingbacks and a double-pivot in midfield (Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris, both of whom made their returns to the national team after long absences). Once again, the US looked comfortable in that shape, settling into a rhythm after Ecuador’s press caused a few nervy moments in the game’s earliest stages.
Tim Weah starting at right wingback provided an interesting wrinkle – Weah has most often played that role at club level, but has done so less often with the US. He looked right at home, providing nice balance to Max Arfsten on the opposite flank, with both overlapping at will on the occasions when the US was able to progress the ball into the middle third.
Valencia nonetheless opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a run and finish that belied the mileage in the 35-year-old’s legs. In his 101st appearance for his national team, the former West Ham and Everton man found himself isolated in space against US defender Chris Richards. He used a well-weighted touch to open up space, forcing Richards to chase as he ran into the penalty area. With his window closing and US goalkeeper Matt Freese shaded to his near post, Valencia fired an inch-perfect finish past Richards’ feet and the hands of Freese to open the scoring.
The US defending, particularly from the otherwise solid Richards, will be questioned in that moment. But so too should the team’s midfield, who were caught upfield as Jordy Alcivar received a pass out of the back and was able to turn easily and find Valencia with little resistance.
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Richards nearly made up for it just a few minutes later, latching on to a corner kick at the far post with a close-range effort on the ground that was saved by Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Gilíndez – one of his five on the night.
The US ended the first half with 66% of possession – a figure they maintained throughout – but very little to show for it thanks largely to unlucky moments, dogged defending from Ecuador, and a few cases of indecisive play.
One such instance came in the 31st minute, the US were able to get numbers forward after turning over Ecuador in midfield. On the ball near the right touchline, Morris had four US bodies streaking into the box, each one an option for a potential cross. However, none of them came short to the ball, limiting Morris’ options. And when he did finally elect to hit Weah’s overlapping run, the pass was too heavy and rolled over the end line.
The positives for the US, though, were numerous. Time and again, effective defending in space halted Ecuador’s counterattacks, including a particularly timely tackle from Miles Robinson in the 33rd minute that saved a potential 3-on-1 after a set piece.
And throughout, the US found spaces in Ecuador’s well-drilled structure. They simply could not make those spaces count, at least not until Balogun equalized. It was the second straight US appearance with a goal for Balogun, who seems to finally be grabbing hold of the team’s starting striker spot.
His goal came off bad Ecuador turnover as they attempted to play out of the back, with Tessmann able to pick up the ball with space near the top of the box and hit a well-weighted through ball to Malik Tillman, who was barely kept onside by Ecuadorian defender Joel Ordóñez, jostling for position with Balogun near the penalty spot. Tillman’s cutback found Balogun’s foot, and his finish bounced off the post and into the back of the net.
The goal ended a 520-minute shutout streak for Ecuador, an indicator of the defensive mindset that helped them to their best World Cup qualifying campaign ever, and that the issues the US faced were not unprecedented.
There were further near-chances, opportunities that were blocked, passes that were a few inches off the mark. Christian Pulisic, held out of the starting lineup as a precaution after suffering a knock in training, was at the center of much of those positive moments after coming on as a sub.
In the end, though, the US’s obvious improvement will be a relief for fans who have been waiting for a long time to see this generation look the equals against the world’s best teams. There just won’t be a result that shows it.
