The U.S. men`s national team is gearing up for the Gold Cup with final preparations underway. This weekend also features key NWSL action, potentially marking the return of a major league star.
Upcoming Fixtures
- Friday, June 6
- 🌍 WCQ: Norway vs. Italy, 2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus
- 🇺🇸 NWSL: Racing Louisville vs. Utah Royals, 7 p.m. – Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Saturday, June 7
- 🌍 WCQ: Andorra vs. England, 12 p.m. – FS2
- 🇺🇸 NWSL: Gotham FC vs. Kansas City Current, 1 p.m. – CBS, Paramount+
- 🌎 Friendly: USMNT vs. Turkiye, 3:30 p.m. – TNT
- Sunday, June 8
- 🇪🇺 UNL: Portugal vs. Spain, 3 p.m. – Fox
- 🇺🇸 NWSL: Washington Spirit vs. North Carolina Courage, 4 p.m. – Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
- 🇺🇸🇨🇦 MLS: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders, 9 p.m. – MLS Season Pass
The Forward Line
USMNT Focuses on Youth for Gold Cup
The official roster for the U.S. men`s national team heading to the Gold Cup has been announced, comprising a mix of seasoned veterans and largely inexperienced players.
Only six players have more than 30 international appearances; seven are yet to make their senior debut. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino`s squad selection was influenced by the unavailability of several key players. Antonee Robinson is injured, Christian Pulisic opted out after a busy season, and Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Gio Reyna are involved in the Club World Cup.
Consequently, the Gold Cup and the preceding friendlies against Turkiye on Saturday and Switzerland on Tuesday present a significant chance for Pochettino to evaluate a broader range of players as the USMNT enters the crucial year before the 2026 World Cup.
Here`s the roster in full:
- Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG)
- Defenders (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
- Midfielders (9): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED)
- Forwards (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Damion Downs (FC Koln/GER), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG)
While competition is open across various positions, the forward line sees particularly strong opportunities. The USMNT has long experimented with different options at the striker position, with Folarin Balogun recently establishing himself alongside Ricardo Pepi.
However, both Balogun and Pepi are absent due to injury for the Gold Cup, while Josh Sargent was excluded based on a `football decision,` according to Pochettino last month. This situation creates uncertainty at the position, offering a chance for a player from the Gold Cup squad to step up.
Patrick Agyemang is notable as the sole scorer in the USMNT`s challenging March Concacaf Nations League finals campaign, while Brian White aims to transfer his strong recent MLS form to the international stage, representing the league`s most in-form American forward.
Midfield Link Play
Gotham Targets Improvement Against Current
Following the international break, the NWSL season resumes this weekend with several compelling fixtures, highlighted by the match between Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Last season, these two teams were among the top four and reached the playoff semifinals, but their performance trajectories have differed since then. The Current currently lead the league standings after 10 matches, showcasing a balanced approach that has resulted in eight wins this season.
Vlatko Andonovski`s team maintains its attacking philosophy, leading the league with 22 goals scored by various players. Temwa Chawinga, the 2024 NWSL MVP, has six goals, supported by Debinha with five and Bia Zaneratto with three. Significantly, they have also strengthened their defense, conceding only seven goals in 10 games this season compared to 15 in the same period last season. This defensive improvement leads the NWSL and helps contain the league`s potent attackers.
On Saturday, they face a Gotham side that is experiencing inconsistent league form, despite recently becoming the inaugural champions of the Concacaf W Champions Cup just two weeks prior.
Injuries have affected Gotham`s league performance, requiring players like Emily Sonnett and Jess Carter to fill in at center back due to Tierna Davidson`s absence, and rookie Sarah Schupansky to step into an attacking midfield role while Rose Lavelle was out. Their results reflect these challenges – Gotham, typically strong defensively, has conceded 10 goals in 10 league matches while only scoring 12, with seven of those credited to Esther Gonzalez.
Saturday`s game could be a turning point for Gotham, particularly as Rose Lavelle might make her first appearance of the season. The Women`s World Cup winner has been sidelined since December following ankle surgery. Her potential return is expected to boost the offensive capability of the 2023 NWSL champions.
Last season, despite missing early games due to a lower leg problem, she scored eight goals and provided one assist, contributing significantly to Gotham evolving into one of the league`s top attacking sides.
