Biggest Winners and Losers of USMNT October Friendlies | OneFootball

For the first time in a long time, the USMNT had what can undoubtedly be considered a successful international window. First, they came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against a feisty and stingy Ecuador team on Friday night. Tuesday, the U.S. came from behind again to beat Australia 2-1. That’s two good results against two teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

In addition to this being a good window for the team, plenty of individuals stood out as well. On the other hand, there are also a few players who didn’t help their case for making the World Cup roster. Let’s look at some of the biggest winners and losers coming out of the USMNT October friendlies.

Winner: Mauricio Pochettino

The USMNT manager might be the biggest winner of the window. He’s faced plenty of criticism over the months and endured some frustrating results. However, including a win over Japan in September, the U.S. has had three positive results in a row and finally appears to be moving in the right direction. The switch to a three-back formation in September is paying off, giving the USMNT an identity under Pochettino, taking some of the pressure off the manager for now.

Loser: Joe Scally

After not being called into the squad in September or October, it’s safe to say that Scally is on the outside of the World Cup picture right now. It remains puzzling for some fans why Scally hasn’t been included. Pochettino giving a snarky answer as to why Scally was left off the roster didn’t help. Perhaps more importantly, Scally isn’t a good fit for a three-back formation because he isn’t the same attacking threat as some other right backs or wingers. That gives him a slim chance right now of making the World Cup roster.

Winner: Cristian Roldan

A few months, Roldan wasn’t even in the picture among USMNT midfielders in contention for a World Cup spot. But that’s quickly changed, as his form in MLS was enough for Pochettino to bring him back into the squad. With two assists in the win over Australia, Roldan made a strong case for why he should be on the World Cup roster. While there figures to be stiff competition for those midfield spots, Roldan brings a lot of intangibles to the table and is at least on the radar for next summer.

Loser: Brenden Aaronson

Heading into the October friendlies, Aaronson was one of the players with the most to prove. Unfortunately for him, his opportunities to impress Pochettino have been limited. He didn’t play against Ecuador and then logged just 26 minutes against Australia, not making much of an impact. After getting limited minutes during the Gold Cup this past summer, it’s safe to say Aaronson has failed to impress Pochettino in national team games. His form with Leeds United has also been inconsistent, but right now, playing well at club level looks like Aaronson’s only path to making the World Cup roster.

Winner: Haji Wright

Despite being on the 2022 World Cup roster and scoring a rather fortunate goal during the tournament, Wright has often been overlooked compared to Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. But coming out of the October games, Wright is in excellent standing. He’s currently leading the English Championship in goals, netting eight in nine games for Coventry City. Wright was able to translate that club success to the international level, scoring both of the USMNT’s goals against Australia. Both goals were quite impressive, and with Pepi struggling to stay healthy and Sargent struggling to score, Wright is now Balogun’s top competitor to be the starting striker for the U.S.

Loser: Matt Turner

With four goalies on the October roster, it seemed likely that someone other than Matt Freese would see some game time. However, Freese went the distance against both Ecuador and Australia, leaving Turner on the bench. That would suggest that Pochettino views Freese as the No. 1 goalie right now and that the competition isn’t open. Turner has been playing regularly with the New England Revolution since being loaned there in August. For him, it must be disappointing not having a chance to earn his starting spot back from Freese, especially with just two international windows left until Pochettino has to name his World Cup roster.

Winner: Miles Robinson

Robinson’s performances in October didn’t necessarily jump off the page. But the fact that Pochettino continued to use a three-back formation is good news for Robinson. He has all of the tools to play as one of the outside backs in that system, so this switch of tactics has increased Robinson’s chances of making the World Cup roster. The fact that he started both games in October would seem to indicate that Pochettino views him as being ahead of some of the other center-back options.

Loser: Cameron Carter-Vickers

On the other hand, Carter-Vickers didn’t have a good October window, remaining on the bench for the entirety of both games. That was after the Celtic man didn’t get called into the squad in September or during the Gold Cup. To be fair, Carter-Vickers came up with Tottenham Hotspur while Pochettino was the manager in North London, so the two are well acquainted with one another. However, Pochettino didn’t seem to be a big fan of Carter-Vickers back then, and that seems to be the case now as well. While the USMNT is likely to bring at least five center-backs to the World Cup in a three-back system, sitting on the bench for both October games doesn’t bode well for Carter-Vickers being included.