ASN’s Brian Sciaretta seems again on what the win over Paraguay instructed us towards the USMNT and the chance the sport towards Uruguay presents
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 16, 2025
1:05 PM
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WITH SATURDAY’s 2-1 victory over Paraguay, the US nationwide workforce now carries a powerful run of three wins and a draw over its final 4 video games. The narrative is slowly altering and Tuesday’s sport towards Uruguay is the workforce’s most essential take a look at for the reason that fall. For now, we can have a really perfect measuring stick as as to if the workforce has turned the web page on a depressing stretch courting again to 2024 earlier than Mauricio Pochettino took over, or whether or not this latest run is a mirage.
There isn’t any doubt that the workforce is enjoying higher than it had been within the 2024 Copa America or 2025 Nations League, however the latest outcomes have come towards friendlies towards good however not nice groups in Japan, Ecuador, Australia, and Paraguay. On Tuesday, the U.S. workforce will get to face a Uruguay workforce that is excellent. Positive, friendlies don’t all the time supply a transparent image however in a construct as much as a World Cup, groups are taking issues significantly.
The win over Paraguay supplied but some extra clues as to the place the workforce stands and the place it’s headed. Some what we discovered is new, however a few of it bolstered what we already know.
The usteam performed effectively for many of the 90 minutes. Gio Reyna made a triumphant return to the U.S. workforce to attain the opening purpose with a well-placed header on a cross from Max Arfsten within the fourth minute. Then within the tenth minute, Alex Arce pulled Paraguay even after he slid residence a cross from Miguel Almiron. The ultimate purpose was a winner by Folarin Balogun within the 71st minute after Reyna’s cross into the field was poorly dealt with by Paraguay’s protection, Balogun slammed residence a free ball.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Staff (@USMNT) November 16, 2025
It was effort from the U.S. workforce, and it could be ample to routinely get wins over good groups. Then again, to beat groups similar to Uruguay, it was probably not sufficient.
That’s why Tuesday’s sport is so essential. It raises the expectations or the bar on what has been a pleasant run since September and sees the place the workforce stands earlier than a four-month break till March.
Listed here are some ideas on the workforce after the Paraguay win and heading into Tuesday night time.
Reyna stays in competition
Given how little he has performed this season or in any of the earlier 4 seasons on the membership stage, Gio Reyna had a number of eyes on him when he was named to the beginning lineup. However in simply 4 minutes, Reyna put the U.S. workforce forward with an ideal header on a cross from Arfsten.
However total, Reyna was sharp. He was concerned within the build-up to the second purpose as his cross ultimately resulted within the free ball Balogun pounced on to hit residence. He was aggressive and seeking to create probabilities.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Staff (@USMNT) November 16, 2025
It was reminder of the pure expertise stage he has. It is going to actually hold him in competition for the World Cup workforce. He was undoubtedly one of many massive winners on the night time.
However Reyna’s grip on a roster spot continues to be not agency. First, there are injured gamers in his place that may return quickly – similar to Malik Tillman. Second, he nonetheless should discover a manner to enhance his state of affairs at Borussia Monchengladbach. Lastly, he nonetheless should reveal consistency – which comes over time.
However this was an awesome step for Reyna. A nasty sport would have probably sunk his probabilities for the World Cup. Now he’s in combine.
Three man-backline right here to remain
Two months in the past in September, Pochettino switched to a three-man backline formation that pushed the wingbacks additional up the sphere and into the assault. It got here by way of eradicating a central midfielder. The narrative after the primary win was that this change gave Pochettino another choice in a option to play. However after three extra favorable outcomes and performances, it seems like there is no such thing as a going again.
The outcomes communicate for themselves. The workforce has performed higher protection and has considerably improved its offense. Even with gamers like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah enjoying solely restricted roles in that point, the workforce has been successful. Particularly, the workforce has been efficient in producing probabilities from out extensive.
Why would Pochettino return now? Any coach goes to move into essential video games enjoying with gamers an with techniques he trusts. What was much more essential about this result’s that the protection assist up comparatively effectively regardless of the workforce’s greatest central defender, Chris Richards, on the roster.
At this level, it could be extraordinarily stunning if the workforce isn’t utilizing a three-man backline on the World Cup.
Tessmann, Scally, Arfsten performed effectively
On prime of Reyna, it was a constructive efficiency from a number of different gamers who helped their case to make the World Cup workforce and maybe see minutes there.
Max Arfsten: is now on the level the place he’s very prone to make the U.S. nationwide workforce roster. The query is whether or not he’s the starter ought to Antonee Robinson not return to the extent wanted (which is a good query at this era). Arfsten assisted on the opening purpose with a really good transfer and go to Reyna. He additionally received 10/14 of his floor duels, 4 tackles, 4 dribbles, and 97 complete touches. His protection was missing, however his worth to the workforce for the reason that change in defensive formation has skyrocketed.
It wasn’t all good for Arfsten along with his determination making late within the sport. However his positives outweigh his negatives. Plus, he has a number of chemistry with this workforce proper now having been the workforce’s starter for many of this yr.
Tanner Tessmann: After efficiency final window towards Ecuador, Tessmann has stored up the momentum towards Paraguay with 90-minute shift. He related passes that moved the ball into the assault and his protection helped defend the backline.
Joe Scally: in his return to the nationwide workforce, he was put into his secondary place defensively in a three-man backline. He was caught up subject on the Paraguay purpose, however confirmed promise along with his capacity to go out of the again. This efficiency helped his case to be a part of the workforce along with his versatility.
Balogun, invisible till…
If Balogun was one in every of Pochettino’s substitutions within the 67th minute, it could have been a poor efficiency. He couldn’t get something going and he had but to have a single contact in Paraguay’s field.
That each one modified within the 71st minute when a free ball fell his manner and he reacted instinctively to pounce on it and put it residence. It was his solely contact in Paraguay’s field all sport earlier than he was subbed out within the seventy fifth minute.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Staff (@USMNT) November 16, 2025
That’s the lifetime of a striker on the excessive ranges of worldwide soccer. Chances are high laborious to come back by.
Ultimately, Balogun helped his case to be the workforce’s beginning quantity 9 when he completed his probability and Ricardo Pepi got here off the bench and couldn’t rating his from shut vary (needing to take an additional contact).
Balogun has it in him to be extra harmful over the course of a sport. He’ll must be higher than he was. However his powerful sport didn’t frustrate him and it didn’t cease him from reacting so effectively on that probability.
Profitable with out key gamers
The U.S. workforce defeated Paraguay with out many key gamers. That could be a big testomony to the workforce and Pochettino. It’s a signal that issues are going the appropriate manner.
The narrative earlier than this camp was questioning what could possibly be completed with out Pulisic, Weah, McKennie, Robinson, Richards, or Tillman. However the reply is that this workforce can nonetheless win towards workforce.
It’s all the time in regards to the “next man up” philosophy and checking excuses on the door.
The mentality of this workforce is lots higher now than it was earlier than. Now Pochettino should hold it that manner.
The scuffle on the finish
The tip of the sport was marred in pushing and shoving that started when Alex Freeman received a throw in and tried to retrieve the ball Paraguay captain Gustavo Gomez. That scuffle escalated when Sebastian Berhalter received concerned to assist Freeman.
Alex Freeman will get into it with the Gustavo Gómez from Paraguay ???? pic.twitter.com/AAHMvX8Q3j
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 16, 2025
Commentators are inclined to frown on these incidents, however it is usually an indication of togetherness. The U.S. workforce was in command of the match. This scuffle didn’t start with frustration for the U.S. workforce, however that they had one another’s backs. Pochettino is aware of South American soccer higher than anybody. He was in all probability not disenchanted with what he noticed from the U.S. workforce.
On one other level, Freeman looks like the final participant on the U.S. workforce an opposing workforce would need to tangle with.
A glance to Uruguay
Subsequent up is Uruguay what is going to see two of Argentina’s nice coaches in Pochettino and Marcelo Bielsa face one another. The respect Pochettino has in Bielsa is very large and this can be particular for each gamers.
Count on there to be a number of rotation with the gamers who performed lots towards Paraguay. Pochettino is unlikely to need to ship gamers again to their golf equipment in the event that they performed north of 150 minutes this window. Maybe some gamers whose seasons are over – Max Arfsten, Christian Roldan, Tim Ream – are truthful sport to start out regardless of enjoying for a very long time within the first sport.
Estos son los convocados de Marcelo Bielsa para la Fecha FIFA de noviembre ???? pic.twitter.com/mu66WfF0Ay
— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) November 10, 2025
However gamers like Tanner Tessmann, Joe Scally, Sergino Dest, Brenden Aaronson, and Folarin Balogun is perhaps rotated out.
Mark McKenzie, Alex Freeman, Aidan Morris, Diego Luna, Haji Wright, and Ricardo Pepi seem to be sturdy candidates to start out.
However motivation must be there for everybody. If a workforce can win towards Uruguay, the gamers concerned ought to really feel higher about their standing on the workforce and what the workforce can do subsequent summer time.
