

USMNT
U17 VS ARGENTINA MATCH ANALYSIS
Published
4 years agoon
Background
The U17s, which has been defined as players born in 2006 or later, in preparation for U17 2023 World Cup qualifying. This is the first time this group has played another federation since February 2020, right before the pandemic. The team is managed by Gonzalo Segares.
THe LINEUP
GK: Diego Kochen, Barcelona Academy
LB: Riley Dalgado: LA Galaxy Academy
LCB: Stuart Hawkins: Seattle Academy
RCB: Tyler Hall, Miami Acacdemy
RB: Oscar Verhoeven, San Jose Academy
CDM: Edwyn Mendoza, San Jose Academy
LCM: Cruz Medina, San Jose Academy
RCM: Luis Moreno, Houston Academy
LW: Bajung Darboe, Philadelphia Academy
RW: Fidel Barajas, San Jose Academy
ST: Micah Burton, Austin Academy
Pineda brought in 8 subs, using all 8 of his field players available to him off the bench. It was a bit hard to tell who came in and where as it was not communicated on the footage that I watched, but here is my best guess:
LB: Jayson Castillo, Seattle Academy
LCB: Gershon Henry, Salt Lake Academy
CDM: Pedro Soma, Cornella Academy
LCM: Brian Carmona, Charlotte Academy
RCM: Paulo Rudisill, LA Galaxy Academy
LW: Andre Gitau, Houston Academy
RW: Luke Zielinski, Phildaelphia Academy
ST: Ezekiel Soto: Houston Academy
MATCH ANALYSIS
When watching youth soccer, I am looking mostly for flashes of high quality play and moments of excitement. I am not concerned with the scoreline and I am not too concerned with the lows. These are kids and they are going to make a good amount of mistakes. The important thing is to identify potential and hope that over time consistency comes.
Overall I was very impressed by the variation of skill, athleticism and mentality, especially with the starters. Stylistically, the boys played very similarly to how our senior team wants to play and I saw a real dedication to pushing the ball forward and applying pressure on Argentina. The press applied by the front three was very effective and caused a lot of problems for Argentina and subsequently created a lot of dangerous situations for USA.
Our passing, for the most part, was decisive and crisp and we created a lot of good opportunities. The first half was even. We scored in the first minute after creating a turnover in the press and connecting two quick passes, ending in a clever back heal by Micah Burton to Cruz Medina who slid it past the Argentinian keeper for the opening goal. Argentina later scored two goals in the second half, creating almost all of their danger in counter attacks. The first on a driven cross that was inches away from being cleared by LB Dalgado. Kochen rightfully came out to close down the angle and the Argentinian winger found a small crease on the near side. The second goal was an own goal by Dalgada, who had a tough day defensively after Tyler Hall was caught out after a turnover. Again, the ball came down the left side and a low cross barely missed Stuart Hawkins feet and as Riley attempted to clear it over our own goal, he put in the back of our own net.
Our boys dominated the second half. We kept the ball in their half and created a lot of good chances, just couldn’t get one home to even the score line. The quality noticeably dropped in some areas when the solutions came in. We’ll talk more about that. Overall I thought we deserved better, at least a tie and looked like the better side. I was very happy with how the boys played and the level of skill they showed. It was a very fun and open game to watch. Not all youth matches are like that.
You can watch the full match here >>>
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Before we get in to each player’s evaluations, it’s important to not that these at 15 and 16 year old kids that are still developing physically, so a lot can and will change with them by the time most people are able to watch them as senior level players. Don’t take these evaluations as the final verdict on these players. There is a lot of development time left.
GK: Diego Kochen, Barcelona Academy
Kochen was super impressive. It’s very easy to see why he is playing up a couple of levels at La Masia. He’s in good positions, he’s aggressive, smart and athletic. He had a couple really nice reaction saves and made a couple of smart, aggressive decisions to come out and either punch the ball away or tackle the ball away. He was also impressive with his distribution and looked very comfortable on the ball. Assuming he continues to grow, he looks like the real deal.
Diego Kochen save. He was great overall. Fearless, balanced, great reaction time, good decision making and good distribution. High level prospect.https://t.co/x5G8jrm3G0
— Marcus Chairez (@chai_asc) March 16, 2022
LB: Riley Dalgado: LA Galaxy Academy
Riley had a tough game defensively. He struggled to keep the Argentinian right winger in front of him and was late and off with his backside positioning on the two goals conceded, one of which was an unfortunate own goal. The pace of the right winger seemed to give him some challenges.
I really loved how Riley kept fighting and got involved in the attack. He’s got a nice left foot and combined well with Darboe and Burton. He looks to have some skill on the ball and he kept fighting all game. I really respect that after a couple of tough moments.
LCB: Stuart Hawkins, Seattle Academy
Stuart did not stand out to me as much as the other CB that we will talk about next. For a CB, that can be good and bad. Overall Stuart was solid. He is not naturally left footed, which stood out, and he was the taller of the two CBs. He had a couple of really nice long balls and timed a couple of tackles well. He had a good idea of when to step and close down defenders. He made a couple of questionable decisions on the ball, but nothing too concerning. He was late to identify the own goal cross and was a few inches away from being able to clear it. Overall, nothing remarkable but an overall solid performance.
RCB: Tyler Hall, Miami Academy
The captain! And very easy to see why. Tyler plays with a ton of energy and passion and was all over the pitch. I loved his range and athleticism and he flashes some skill on the ball as well. He also had a couple of very nice line breaking passes. He was caught out in a tough position on the second goal, but overall I thought Tyler was easily one of the most impressive players on the day for the US team.
RB: Oscar Verhoeven, San Jose Academy
This kid was super fun! He’s oozing with technical skill. He’s got a nice first touch, great range on his passing, dribbling ability and a really good feel for how to attack a defense. I am not sure he is best suited as a RB. He’s taller, and while not slow, not the profile you typically look for in a RB. I think his skill on the ball and long passing might be better suited in the middle of the field. He even tried to rainbow a defender!
https://twitter.com/chai_asc/status/1503926549296279552?s=20&t=9Z3lTIH1Zqa3rmEvVjvd2Q
CDM: Edwyn Mendoza, San Jose Academy
Edwyn was very solid and competent as the 6. He showed up in good places on defense and was very effective in progressing the ball both with the dribble and with a pass. He has a smooth left foot. He might not be the quickest player, but he’s got skill and he was effective in ball progression.
LCM: Cruz Medina, San Jose Academy
To me, Cruz was the best player on the pitch and he was also the most confident. He scored the only American goal and was constantly getting into duels and pushing the game forward. He’s got super quick feet, he’s aggressive, creative and he is equally effective dribbling by defenders and picking out a pass. He’s also very smooth on the half turn. There is a ton to love about Cruz’s game. Very easy to see why Bayern was interesting in having him trial. Definitely one to keep tabs on. Full comp here:
https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1503848761180626948?s=20&t=9Z3lTIH1Zqa3rmEvVjvd2Q
RCM: Luis Moreno, Houston Academy
Luis Moreno is a guy you want on your team. He’s scrappy and doesn’t back down from any dual or challenge. He’s not the biggest kid right now, which does impact his ball security, but he’s super tough and has really quick feet. He Medina both flashed nice technical ability in the midfield.
LW: Bajung Darboe, Philadelphia Academy
Darboe is a very athletically gifted and strong kid for this age group. He was a menace in the press and created a lot of danger by terrorizing Argentina’s RB. He loves attacking defenses with the dribble and pushing the game at the back line. The ball got stuck on his feet a couple of times and he had one long range shot on goal. Overall it was a solid performance.
RW: Fidel Barajas, San Jose Academy
Barajas loves to have a go at goal and he has a nice left foot. I loved seeing a right footed player attack from the left wing and a left footed player attacking from the right wing. Fidel is a little undersized at this level, but quick, aggressive in the press, and as I said, looks to get a shot from all distances. I thought he had a couple opportunities to setup his teammates for good chances that he either missed, was late to see or decided to shoot instead.
ST: Micah Burton, Austin Academy
Micah was another player that flashed a ton of skill and feel for the game. He assisted Medina’s goal with a saucy back heel. He was connecting play all day as more of a Jesus Ferreira type 9 and had a good feel for making himself available to his teammates in build up. He struggled a little as a hold up player, he’s not a big kid, and probably would be better suited as a playmaking 10.
CDM: Pedro Soma, Cornella Academy
Two subs caught my eye. The first is a player I am very high on, Pedro Soma, from the Cornella Academy in Spain. He subbed on for Mendoza as a 6, though I think he could be equally as effective as an 8. Pedro is a super smooth and athletically powerful player. He’s great in the air and he is very smooth on the ball. He weaves through defenders with ease, with a good understanding of how to shield defenders with his body leverage. He also distributes well. He had a nice moment of connection with Gitau that ended in a left footed strike from distance that was deflected. I hope to see him start vs Uruguay on Friday.
LW: Andre Gitau, Houston Academy
Gitau was the other sub that caught my eye. He subbed in for Darboe at LW. He was also very active and disruptive in the press and he was very effective in attacking defenders 1v1. He had two very nice shot creation moments after some nice step over dribbles to unbalance the defender. He is a big, fast athlete that also has skill and some feel for finding his teammates. He is another I hope to get a longer look at next game.
Last clip. Andre Gitau came in for Darboe at LW. Both were menaces in press, created a ton of havoc. Gitau had some really nice 1v1 ability and setup this big chance. He's a really intriguing prospect. https://t.co/WAvaL2p5Ou
— Marcus Chairez (@chai_asc) March 16, 2022
Next, the boys take on Uruguay on Friday. I have no idea what time they play and if we’ll get footage. US Soccer hasn’t been communicative with any of that.
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USMNT
One Home or Many? The Debate Over a Primary Venue for U.S. Soccer
Published
6 days agoon
October 16, 2025
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
The logics of the United States make it almost impossible for the USMNT or USWNT to have a primary venue to play all of their home matches but a trend of playing in a handful of stadiums has been developing over the last couple of cycles. US Soccer says there are specific factors behind where matches are played, some make sense, while others come across as lazy or lacking creativity.
If and when Major League Soccer aligns with the FIFA calendar and observes international breaks, more MLS stadiums could become available for matches. While not all MLS venues currently feature natural grass, US Soccer has indicated they would be willing to invest in installing grass, though at a cost of around $500K and with potential concerns about surface reliability.
Global Approach to Scheduling
Many of the top-tier international teams play their World Cup qualifiers and other critical matches in a primary venue or two. Here’s a sample of some of those countries and generally where they play based on my research.
Here are some of the more notable nations that play nearly all of their home matches at a single venue, a setup made practical by their smaller size and simpler logistics, which also makes it easier for fans.
Germany and Spain are known for rotating their non-critical home matches across multiple venues.

Argentina-Estadio Monumental (River Plate)
Belgium– King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels)
Colombia-Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez
England-Wembley Stadium
France– Stade de France (Saint-Denis, near Paris)
Italy-Stadio Olimpico
Northern Ireland-Windsor Park (Belfast)
Norway-Ullevaal Stadion (Oslo)
Portugal– Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)
Republic of Ireland-Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
Scotland-Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Uruguay-Estadio Centenario
Wales-Cardiff City Stadium
What’s in a location?
Here’s a look at the past few cycles, highlighting the USMNT’s home matches and the venues they’ve used. While US Soccer has clarified that they don’t control Gold Cup or Nations League venue selection, a point still under debate, they do manage the locations for Friendlies and World Cup qualifiers and continue to review and adjust those choices.
2026 Cycle (Matches Scheduled Through the end of 2025) – 46 Home Matches – 30 unique cities
So far, half of the USMNT’s home matches in the 2026 cycle have been held across eight venues. Only two more windows, March and May/June, remain for Friendlies before the 2026 World Cup.
- 4-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- 4-Energizer Park, previously CityPark, St. Louis, Missouri
- 4-Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
- 3-Inter&Co Stadium (previously Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
- 2-Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
- 2-Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee
- 2-Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut
- 2-TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
2022 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
I can almost give US Soccer a pass on city and venue selection during the 2022 cycle, given the global circumstances at the time. That said, it’s interesting that they scheduled three consecutive home World Cup qualifiers in Ohio, with final round two matches in Columbus. Columbus has been a recurring choice, hosting multiple qualifiers in 2014, 2018, and 2022, handling one match each during both the semifinal and final rounds of qualifying in 2014 and 2018.

Lower.com, Columbus, Ohio
2018 Cycle – 47 Home Matches – 33 unique cities
During the 2018 cycle, the USMNT played in a wider variety of cities and venues. Aside from four matches in Carson, California for the January camp, they only repeated a location eleven times.

Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
2014 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 29 unique cities
During the 2014 cycle, the USMNT repeated cities twelve times, but only two cities hosted more than two matches: Carson, California, where two of three games were for Camp Cupcake, and Kansas City, Kansas, which hosted three matches.

Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
2010 Cycle – 35 Home Matches – 18 unique cities
One of the leanest home schedules in recent cycles saw the USMNT play in just 18 different cities, with 11 of them hosting only a single match. Over half of their home games were concentrated in four cities: Carson, California (7 matches); Chicago, Illinois (5 matches); and Foxborough, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (3 matches each).

Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
2006 Cycle – 44 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
The USMNT played eight matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts—double the number held in the next two cities, Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, which each hosted four matches. Notably, the team has excelled in Foxborough, losing only once in 22 games played there.

Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2002 Cycle – 38 Home Matches – 16 unique cities
During the 2002 cycle, California was clearly a preferred destination for the USMNT, hosting matches in five different cities across twelve games. Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. each hosted five matches as well.

Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA
1998 Cycle– 40 Home Matches – 21 unique cities
Washington D.C. was the city of choice for the USMNT during the 1998 cycle playing six matches. The USMNT would also play more than two matches in Los Angeles, California (5 matches), Foxborough, Massachusetts (4 matches) and Pasadena, California (3 matches) while playing only one match in twelve other cities.

RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
Long Term Venue Strategy
While US Soccer may favor a single venue for most USMNT and USWNT matches, doing so would limit access for thousands of fans across the country. However, with the move to Georgia and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center set to open in early 2026, ahead of the World Cup, it’s likely that future matches will focus on venues within three to four hours of Atlanta. We can expect the majority of games to continue taking place in roughly ten to twelve core cities.

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
With the September FIFA window now in the rearview mirror, and only three more windows left before final rosters are set in late May or early June 2026, Mauricio Pochettino has drawn a clear line.
He’s stated that September’s camp was the “last camp to have the possibility for new faces.”
If we take him at his word, the nearly 70 players who’ve been called across six camps and the Gold Cup will form the pool from which he selects the 2026 World Cup squad.
Of the 60 players named to the 2025 Gold Cup provisional roster, only five, Maxi Dietz, Richie Ledezma, Tim Tillman, Caleb Wiley, and Griffin Yow, have yet to appear on a #USMNT roster under Pochettino.
Comparing the 2025 Nations League provisional roster to the Gold Cup list reveals over a dozen different players, raising the question: are these minor differences simply the edges of the player pool Pochettino intends to draw from?
Goalkeepers
Nine goalkeepers have been called into Pochettino’s camps, but it’s clear that Matt Freese is his first-choice right now, with Matt Turner likely the No. 2 as we sit just 10 months from the World Cup.

- Chris Brady
- Drake Callender
- Roman Celentano
- Matt Freese
- Ethan Horvath
- Jonathan Klinsmann
- Diego Kochen
- Patrick Schulte
- Zack Steffen
- Matt Turner
Fullbacks
Outside of Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the USMNT’s fullback depth remains a concern. Pochettino appears high on MLS defenders Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten, while Caleb Wiley, though yet to feature in a USMNT camp but named to recent provisional rosters, could still be on his depth chart.

- Max Arfsten
- Sergino Dest
- Alex Freeman
- Marlon Fossey
- DeJuan Jones
- Kristoffer Lund
- Shaquell Moore
- Antonee Robinson
- Joe Scally
- John Tolkin
Centerbacks
Center back remains another position with uncertain depth. Chris Richards and the veteran Tim Ream look like locks for now, leaving three spots up for grabs. If Pochettino opts for a back three, that tactical shift could influence which players ultimately make the cut. Notably, Jackson Ragen and Maxi Dietz are the only center backs from the recent provisional rosters who haven’t been called into a USMNT camp.
- Noahkai Banks
- Tristan Blackmon
- George Campbell
- Cameron Carter-Vickers
- Mark McKenzie
- Tim Ream
- Chris Richards
- Miles Robinson
- Auston Trusty
- Walker Zimmerman
Central Midfielders
The central midfield position is the deepest for the #USMNT, with many players in the pool capable of also playing fullback, center back, or winger. Although Richie Ledezma has primarily played as a right back and right wing-back for his current club and for PSV last season, USMNT coaches view him primarily as a midfielder. This likely explains why he hasn’t yet been called into a USMNT camp.

- Tyler Adams
- Sebastian Berhalter
- Gianluca Busio
- Johnny Cardoso
- Ben Cremaschi
- Luca de la Torre
- Emeka Eneli
- Jack McGlynn
- Weston McKennie
- Aidan Morris
- Yunus Musah
- Tanner Tessmann
- Sean Zawadzki
Attacking Midfielders
There are several players at this position who could add real quality and play pivotal roles for the #USMNT at next summer’s World Cup. Gio Reyna remains a major question mark, but his talent is undeniable. With his recent club change, there’s hope he can return to the high level of form we’ve seen from him in the past.

- Brenden Aaronson
- Paxten Aaronson
- Brian Gutiérrez
- Djordje Mihailovic
- Matko Miljevic
- Gio Reyna
- Malik Tillman
Wingers
The winger position remains thin for the #USMNT, though several players there can also slot in as attacking midfielders, strikers, or even fullback. Notably, two young wingers, Cole Campbell and Griffin Yow, appeared on provisional rosters but have yet to be called into any Pochettino camp.

- Cade Cowell
- Diego Luna
- Christian Pulisic
- Quinn Sullivan
- Indiana Vassilev
- Tim Weah
- Haji Wright
- Alejandro Zendejas
Strikers
Another area of concern for the USMNT is striker depth. While the top options have all produced well for their clubs when healthy, injuries have kept the pool thin. If everyone is fit, the primary competition for the starting role likely comes down to three players: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. Haji Wright and Tim Weah can also step in as center-forward options if needed.

- Patrick Agyemang
- Folarin Balogun
- Damion Downs
- Jesus Ferreira
- Ricardo Pepi
- Josh Sargent
- Brandon Vazquez
- Brian White
Conclusion
It’s tough to read Pochettino’s mindset right now. Many expect fewer MLS players to be called for the October window, partly because the league continues through FIFA dates and the regular season ends mid-October.
Most World Cup rosters largely select themselves, with only a few surprising omissions, think of the 1994 squad, which left out several players many felt deserved a spot.
But with Pochettino still showing a shaky grasp of the USMNT player pool, this cycle could produce more notable snubs than ever, though there’s still time for him to get it right.

- Caring for Villa Hills, Fort Thomas, Union, Florence, Crestview Hills and Northern Kentucky
Over the past few years, I’ve written here at Chasing A Cup about family, faith, leadership, and walking through life with intention. Some of you have been reading since the early days. Some of you prayed for my family. Some of you even rolled up your sleeves and gave blood — blood that was meant for my mom and others like her in their time of need.
I’ll never forget that.
Three years ago, my mom passed away. It was a season of heartbreak, but also one of clarity. As I stood beside my family — and as I supported others in our community grieving their own parents — I came to understand how deeply care matters. Not just in hospitals or emergencies, but in the everyday: the quiet, complicated, deeply human moments that make up the final chapters of someone’s life.
That realization stayed with me. And over time, it changed the direction of my work.
For most of my career, I worked in product management — building teams, delivering systems, and leading with structure and strategy. I still believe in all of that. But I also wanted to build something more personal. Something rooted not just in outcomes, but in presence and compassion.
That’s why Sarah and I decided to open a Caring Excellence office in Northern Kentucky.
Caring Excellence has been serving families across Kentucky for over 13 years. It’s a family-owned, fully licensed home care agency that specializes in non-medical, in-home support for seniors and adults — help with daily living, memory care, companionship, and more. And now, we’re proud to bring that same level of compassionate, character-driven care to Florence and the surrounding region.
Our new Northern Kentucky office serves families in places like Villa Hills, Union, Fort Thomas, Crestview Hills, and Florence — communities filled with multi-generational households, strong family ties, and seniors who deserve to age with dignity.
At Caring Excellence, we focus on people first. We don’t just fill schedules — we carefully match caregivers to clients based on personality, needs, and values. Sarah leads our caregiver hiring, drawing from her years of experience as both a caregiver and healthcare professional. She looks not just for skill, but for heart — people of integrity, empathy, and real compassion.
As for me, I now use my business background to support the team behind the scenes — building systems, developing processes, and making sure our caregivers have the tools and training they need to serve others well.
This new venture is deeply personal. It’s also missional. It’s about stepping into people’s lives when they need support most and offering something simple, but powerful: peace of mind.
We’re not moving to Florence, but we’re fully committed to this region. We’re investing in it — by hiring local caregivers, building relationships with local providers, and offering families home care in Northern Kentucky a trusted option for high-quality home care.
To those of you who’ve been on this journey with me — through writing, through prayer, through donating blood when we needed it most — thank you. I hope this new chapter reflects what we’ve always believed in here: that service matters, character counts, and small acts of care can ripple further than we think.
If you know someone in Northern Kentucky who needs support — in Union, Villa Hills, Crestview Hills, Fort Thomas, or Florence — we’d be honored to walk alongside them.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of the story.
—Marcus
Learn More
To learn more about Caring Excellence and our in-home care services for Northern Kentucky families, visit:
https://caringexcellenceathome.com/northern-kentucky-office


One Home or Many? The Debate Over a Primary Venue for U.S. Soccer

The constructing of a World Cup roster

Launching Caring Excellence in Northern Kentucky

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