France vs. USA
International Friendly
June 9, 2018
Groupama Stadium; Lyon, France
Live Broadcast: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and UniMás
Tonight’s U.S. MNT Starting XI vs. France: 12-Zack Steffen; 18-Shaq Moore, 5-Cameron Carter-Vickers,
3-Matt Miazga, 21-Tim Parker, 17-Antonee Robinson; 4-Tyler Adams, 20-Wil Trapp ©, 6-Weston McKennie;
16-Julian Green, 7-Bobby Wood
Substitutes: 1-Bill Hamid, 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 8-Joe Corona, 11-Tim Weah, 13-Josh Sargent, 14-Erik Palmer-Brown, 15-Eric Lichaj, 19-Jorge Villafaña, 23-Rubio Rubin
- U.S. MNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Bobby Wood (39), Julian Green (10), Matt Miazga (7), Tyler Adams (6), Wil Trapp (5), Cameron Carter-Vickers (5), Weston McKennie (4), Zack Steffen (3), Shaq Moore (2), Tim Parker (2), Antonee Robinson (2)
- Sarachan makes five changes to the Starting XI that faced Ireland, inserting Zack Steffen in goal, fielding Shaq Moore, Tim Parker and Antonee Robinson on the back line and partnering Julian Green up top with Bobby Wood.
- As was the case in last week’s match against Ireland, the MNT will wear rainbow numbers as part of U.S. Soccer’s celebration of Pride Month. The WNT is doing the same for their two-game set against China PR this month.
- The Starting XI’s average cap number (including this match): 7.6 caps
- Tonight’s Starting XI has an average age of 22 years, 183 days. It is the second-youngest MNT starting lineup in the modern era (1990-present), coming in behind the team that began the 3-0 win against Bolivia on May 28 in Philadelphia (22 years, 160 days).
- All 11 players are 25 or younger, while six starters are 23 and under: Green, Steffen (23); Miazga (22); Moore (21), Carter-Vickers, Robinson (20); Adams, McKennie (19)
- The USA has yet to put a point – or even a goal - on the board in the all-time series with France, with an 0-3-0 mark and 10 goals conceded. In its last match with France, the MNT dropped a narrow 1-0 loss on Nov. 11, 2011 in Saint-Denis.
- Making his sixth MNT appearance, Wil Trapp captains the side for the fourth time tonight. Trapp wore the armband in the USA’s 0-0 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina (January 28), 1-0 win against Paraguay (March 27) and 2-1 defeat to Ireland (June 2).
- Six of the starting XI are products of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaq Moore (IMG Academy/FC Dallas), Zack Steffen (FC DELCO), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
- Six players have represented the USA at a Youth World Cup: Adams (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Carter-Vickers (2015, 2017 U-20), Miazga (2015 U-20), Moore (2015 U-20), Steffen (2013, 2015 U-20), Trapp (2013 U-20)
- The match marks the first time Dave Sarachan will not have a debutante in the lineup in his six matches as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. Sarachan has offered a total of 17 players their senior team debut in five previous matches dating back to last November’s 1-1 draw at Portugal.
- The senior-most player in the lineup, Bobby Wood will hope to score in his third-straight international appearance tonight. Wood tallied the lone goal in the USA’s 1-0 win against Paraguay on March 28 and gave the MNT a 1-0 halftime lead in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Ireland.
- Wood’s goal against Ireland made him just the sixth MNT player all-time to score three or more international goals on European soil.
- Having earned their first caps off the bench last week against Ireland, defenders Shaq Moore and Tim Parker get their first international starts tonight against France.
- Part of Spanish club Levante, Moore is the first La Liga-based player to start for the MNT since Jozy Altidore (Villarreal) started a World Cup Qualifier against Guatemala on Nov. 19, 2008.
- Forward Julian Green earns his first start since scoring the lone goal in the MNT’s 1-1 draw on Oct. 11, 2016 vs. New Zealand.
- Green and Wood will partner up top for the first time tonight.
- Fresh off winning Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month award in May, Zack Steffen returns between the sticks for the USA. Steffen last kept a clean sheet in the MNT’s 1-0 win against Paraguay on March 28.
- Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Wil Trapp form the core of the MNT central midfield for the second-straight match.
- The MNT starting XI represents clubs in six different countries: USA (4), England (3), Germany (3), Spain (1).
- With teams allowed to dress 20 players and make six substitutions, goalkeeper William Yarbrough, midfielders Luca de la Torre and Keaton Parks and forward Andrija Novakovich are healthy scratches from the matchday squad.
- The USA is 1-8-1 in 10 all-time matches on French soil. The MNT has tallied three total goals in those games, which all came in official competition:
- Andy Straden (1-0 W vs. Estonia; May 25, 1924 in Paris – Summer Olympics)
- Brian McBride (1-2 L vs. Iran; June 21, 1998 in Lyon – FIFA World Cup)
- DaMarcus Beasley (1-2 L vs. Turkey; June 19, 2003 in St. Etienne – FIFA Confederations Cup)
