Preview:USA vs Ecuador - prediction, team news, lineups

With under a year to go until the 2026 World Cup kicks off, the USA are preparing to put their squad through the test of international friendlies, starting with Ecuador in Texas on October 11.

The South Americans have also secured their place in the global tournament next year and will take all the practice they can get to better their round of 16 finish in 2006.

Match preview

As co-hosts with Mexico and Canada, the USA can turn their focus completely to awarding players the opportunity to showcase what they can do in an attempt to make the final squad for next summer.

Mauricio Pochettino has had a mixed bag of results under his guidance since occupying the hot seat in September last year, winning 11 of the 18 games he has overseen.

The previous pair of internationals went both ways for the USA, after they beat Japan 2-0 and then succumbed to defeat at the hands of South Korea by the same scoreline.

However, the Stars and Stripes have had the better of Ecuador in recent history, winning the last three clashes on the bounce and being undefeated in the last four head-to-heads.

Overall, the record is split evenly into five wins apiece across 15 meetings (D5), which means that this friendly is likely to go either way.

Four defeats in their last 10 outings under Pochettino is not a bad return, and since they are playing in their backyard, the USAMNT will fancy their chances on Saturday.

Sebastian Beccacece was appointed as the head coach of Ecuador just over a month before the US officially unveiled the former Tottenham Hotspur manager as their coach.

The Ecuadorian Football Federation awarded him a contract through 2030, after last season’s Copa America, and the results so far have been relatively impressive.

In his 12 games in charge, Ecuador have delivered five victories, but perhaps more importantly, just a single defeat since he joined (D6).

The 44-year-old Argentine has established a clear identity for the South American outfit and allowed his players some freedom to express themselves, while focusing on a miserly defensive structure.

La Tri only conceded two goals under the new manager’s leadership, a defensive approach that they will want to continue in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.

On that note, credit must be given to Ecuador, after they finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying behind Argentina, despite being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player.

The visitors ended their qualifying campaign with a home victory against the current world champions, an impressive feat to say the least, but it is their form on the road that will concern Beccacece.

USA form (all competitions):

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Ecuador form (all competitions):

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Team News

Pochettino has decided to call out his best players for the upcoming pair of friendlies, including AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, who has been in incredible form for his club.

Pulisic has bagged nine goal involvements (G6, A3) in his last 10 appearances for both club and country, earning him man-of-the-match awards in 40% of those games.

Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie are also some of the big names added to the squad, while Haji Wright and Aidan Morris were included, after alluding to the fact that they would like to represent their country at the World Cup next year.

Wright has been in a purple patch of form, scoring eight goals in nine appearances for Coventry City in the English Championship, while Morris has been a crucial part of the Middlesbrough midfield.

Johnny Cardoso has missed out, as the Atletico Madrid midfielder battles an ankle injury, but former Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner gets a nod to return to the USAMNT setup.

The visitors will be without Moises Caicedo in the engine room for this one, as the Chelsea midfielder has been given time off to rest.

Piero Hincapie and Gonzalo Plata are also among those notable absentees from the Ecuador squad for their upcoming friendlies.

However, the likes of Willian Pacho and Pervis Estupinan are part of the back four that will be difficult to score against, even for Pulisic and company.

Enner Valencia is likely to be Beccacece’s main man up front, after the Pachuca forward netted six times in qualifying and is the country’s current top scorer.

USA possible starting lineup:

Turner; Freeman, Richards, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Roldan; Pulisic, Zendejas, Arfsten; Balogun

Ecuador possible starting lineup:

Galindez; Ordonez, Torres, Pacho, Estupinan; Vite, Franco; Paez, Yeboah, Minda; Enner Valencia

We say: USA 1-1 Ecuador

Ecuador have only won one of their last 10 away games, with their last three such fixtures ending in a draw.

The head-to-head record is too far away to determine that the home side have the upper hand, and considering the USA recently lost to Korea at home, this one could end in a stalemate.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.