CHICAGO (June 6, 2018) – After a rousing 3-0 win against Bolivia in Philadelphia and a last-minute 2-1 loss to Ireland in Dublin, the MNT will take on France in the finale of its 2018 summer tour Saturday, June 9 in Lyon. Ranked No. 7 in the world, Les Bleus are loaded with top-tier talent, and will provide the most difficult test yet for a MNT roster with an average age of just 23 years.
Coverage from Groupama Stadium in Lyon kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and UniMas. Fans can also follow along via U.S. Soccer’s official Facebook, Twitter (@ussoccer_MNT) and Instagram (@ussoccer_MNT) accounts.
U.S. MNT Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (Midtjylland/DEN; 6/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 2/0), William Yarbrough (Club León/MEX; 3/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 3/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 15/1), Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG; 6/1), Shaq Moore (Levante/ESP; 1/0), Erik Palmer-Brown (Manchester City/ENG; 1/0), Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), Antonee Robinson (Everton/ENG; 1/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 18/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 51/0)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 4/0), Joe Corona (Club America/MEX; 22/3), Luca de la Torre (Fulham/ENG; 1/0) Julian Green (Stuttgart/GER; 9/3), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 3/1), Keaton Parks (Benfica/POR; 1/0), Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana/MEX; 7/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 5/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 3/1)
FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Reading/ENG; 2/0), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 2/1), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 38/12)
STORYLINES
PLENTY TO LEARN FROM 2-1 DEFEAT AT THE DEATH TO IRELAND
At Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, a young MNT battled for 89 minutes to a 1-1 draw against an experienced Ireland squad. Buoyed by a raucous crowd, the Irish attack was relentless down the stretch after a 57th minute equalizer. The home team broke through again in the 90th minute, as James McClean turned on net and Alan Judge hammered home the game-winning goal.
Bobby Wood netted just before the half to open the scoring off a set piece, but a defensive breakdown on an Irish set piece led to the equalizer after the break. Judge’s late goal ended a back-and-forth battle and a four-match unbeaten streak for the USA (2-0-2).
BOBBY WOOD JOINS MNT’S TOP EUROPEAN GOALSCORERS
Bobby Wood joined the MNT roster in Europe to provide some veteran experience, and the 25-year-old forward is well-versed in scoring overseas. While the current two-game European set provides the young roster exposure to top-level competition in difficult environments, Wood shone in a similar trip early in his MNT career, scoring game-winning goals in back-to-back wins against Netherlands and reigning World Cup champion Germany in June 2015.
Now the second-most senior player on the roster, Wood delivered the opening goal for the MNT in Dublin. At the end of the first half, Matt Miazga headed a long Wil Trapp free kick towards the net, and Wood charged forward to tap it home. The goal, Wood’s third on the continent, made him one of just six MNT players all-time to score three or more goals for the MNT in Europe.
|
1. Jozy Altidore |
5 |
Slovenia (2011); Bosnia-Herzegovina-3 (2013); Colombia (in London, England; 2014) |
|
Aldo “Buff” Donnelli |
5 |
Mexico-4* (in Rome, Italy), Italy** (1934) |
|
Bruce Murray |
5 |
East Germany, Switzerland, Austria**, Poland (1990); Romania (1991) |
|
2. Clint Dempsey |
4 |
Poland (in Kaiserslautern, Germany; 2006), Ghana** (in Nuremburg, Germany; 2006) Slovenia (2011), Italy (2012) |
|
3. Peter Vermes |
3 |
East Germany, Liechtenstein, Poland (1990) |
|
Bobby Wood |
3 |
Netherlands, Germany (2015); Ireland (2018) |
*World Cup Qualifying
**World Cup
A YEAR OF FIRSTS
As the MNT enters its next chapter, there has been no shortage of opportunity under head coach Dave Sarachan. Since his first game in November, 17 players have picked up their first caps for the USA, while 24 have earned their first invites to MNT camp. In games just in 2018, 14 players have made their debut, good for the third-most in a year for the USA less than halfway through. In the five games since November, 46 players have logged minutes for the MNT. Signaling an emphasis on the future, only 11 appeared during the Final Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
SARGENT, WEAH WRITE HISTORY IN MNT’S 3-0 WIN AGAINST BOLIVIA
The U.S. Men’s National Team opened its summer tour with an impressive 3-0 win against Bolivia on Monday night at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. Walker Zimmerman headed home his first international goal in the 37th minute before the 18-year-old duo of Josh Sargent and Tim Weah made some history. At 18 years, 102 days, Sargent became the second-youngest player in the modern era to score a goal for the MNT in his debut and fourth-youngest all-time, when he found the back of the net in the 52nd minute. Not to be outdone by his teammate at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, Weah also scored his first goal for the MNT seven minutes later, finishing a low cross from Antonee Robinson. Born two days after Sargent, Weah (18 years, 100 days) jumped ahead of Sargent to become the fourth-youngest to find the back of the net for the MNT, pushing Sargent to fifth.
YOUTH MOVEMENT CONTINUES
Handing the MNT’s next generation of prospective players opportunities with the senior team has been a theme since last November, and head coach Dave Sarachan has continued with that philosophy in his current roster selection. The 24-player squad that headed to Europe averaged out at 23 years, 102 days of age, just slightly higher than the group that gathered in Philadelphia ahead of the Bolivia match (22 years, 286 days). Each of the four rosters Sarachan has named in 2018 has averaged 24 years or under, with his selections for the game against Bolivia and European tour as the first and second youngest, respectively. To underline the point, only three players on the Europe-bound roster were born before 1990: Eric Lichaj (1988), Jorge Villafaña and William Yarbrough (both 1989).
DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY PAYING DIVIDENDS
While youngsters are getting their opportunity with the MNT, many of them are rising to the senior team after advancing through U.S. Soccer’s development pathway. Thirteen players, including Tyler Adams, Rubio Rubin and Josh Sargent, have been on the final roster at a Youth World Cup, while a total of 14 players have come through the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
FRANCE-USA NOTES
USA-France All-Time Results
|
Date |
Result |
Location |
U.S. Goal Scorers |
Competition |
|
May 2, 1979 |
0-6 L |
East Rutherford, N.J. |
- |
Friendly |
|
Oct. 10, 1979 |
0-3 L |
Paris, France |
- |
Friendly |
|
Nov. 11, 2011 |
0-1 L |
Saint-Denis, France |
- |
Friendly |
USA ROSTER NOTES
France Roster (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 0/0), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 97/0), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 27/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid/ESP; 4/0), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 2/0), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City/ENG; 6/0), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart/GER; 5/0), Adil Rami (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 35/1), Djibril Sidibé (Monaco/FRA; 16/1), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP; 18/2), Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid/ESP; 41/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/ENG; 23/1), Thomas Lemar (Monaco/FRA; 11/3), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus/ITA; 66/9), Steve Nzozi (Sevilla/ESP; 4/0), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG; 53/9), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich/GER; 8/0)
FORWARDS (6): Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona/ESP; 11/2), Nabil Fekir (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 11/2), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea/ENG; 73/31), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid/ESP; 53/20), Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 14/3), Florian Thauvin (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 4/0)
FRANCE NOTES