PREVIEW: MNT Closes Camp Against Defending Copa America Champions Chile

CHICAGO (March 25, 2019) – After earning a 1-0 victory against Ecuador in Orlando, the U.S. Men’s National Team closes the spring international window when it faces two-time defending Copa América champions Chile on Tuesday, March 26 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

Coverage of USA-Chile begins at 7:55 p.m. ET on ESPN2, UniMás and UDN. Fans can also follow along via U.S. Soccer’s official Facebook, Twitter (@USMNT) and Instagram (@USMNT) accounts.

USA DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (3): 12-Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas; 0/0), 22-Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 3/0), 1-Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 7/0)

DEFENDERS (8): 5-John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 37/3), 3-Omar Gonzalez (Atlas/MEX; 48/3), 
24-Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes; 2/0), 23-Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 5/0), 16-Daniel Lovitz (Montreal Impact; 2/0), 19-Matt Miazga (Reading, ENG; 11/1), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham, ENG; 27/1), 2-DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United, ENG; 58/0)

MIDFIELDERS (5): 4-Michael Bradley (Toronto FC, CAN; 144/17), 17-Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 8/2), 10-Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 24/9), 15-Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 8/0), 6-Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 14/0)

FORWARDS (6): 7-Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 20/3), 20-Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake; 2/0), 18-Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC; 3/0), 11-Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 26/5), 21-Christian Ramirez (LAFC; 2/1), 9-Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC; 43/7)

ZARDES POWERS MNT PAST ECUADOR
The U.S. Men’s National Team won its third straight match since MNT head coach Gregg Berhalter took the reins, using a Gyasi Zardes 81^st-minute strike to earn a 1-0 victory against Ecuador on Thursday, March 21 at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The MNT controlled possession through much of the match, while the back line of Tyler Adams, John Brooks, Aaron Long and Tim Ream limited La Tricolor to just one shot during the course of the 90 minutes.

After coming close to a goal a few times during the first half, the MNT found the lone marker through Zardes, whose shot from 22 yards out took a wicked deflection off Ecuador defender Robert Arboleda and looped over ‘keeper Alexander Domínguez. The goal was the seventh of Zardes’ international career and first since scoring the game-winner against Ecuador in a 2-1 victory during the Copa America Centenario quarterfinal on June 16, 2016 in Seattle.

CHANGES EXPECTED FOR CHILE
Utilizing the March camp to make evaluations for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup roster, MNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said post-game on Thursday that he would make several changes to the starting XI that will face Chile on Tuesday in Houston.

Twenty-four players have appeared for the MNT during the three matches this year, with 20 starting.

MILESTONE WATCH: GREGG BERHALTER
With Thursday’s result against Ecuador, Gregg Berhalter followed Bob Bradley as just the second MNT head coach to win each of his first three matches. Along with remaining unbeaten (3-0-0), the USA has not conceded a goal in the three matches under Berhalter. The record for most consecutive shutouts at the beginning of an MNT coaching tenure is held by Alkis Panagoulias, who guided the team to four straight clean sheets from 1983-84.

With a win Tuesday against Chile, Berhalter would set a new mark for most wins at the beginning of an MNT coaching tenure, while a clean sheet would tie him with the milestone set by Panagoulias in the 1980s.

ADAMS, McKENNIE RETURN TO BUNDESLIGA CLUBS
On Friday, midfielder Tyler Adams was released back to RB Leipzig in an arrangement that was made prior to the opening of the international window.  

After exiting Thursday’s match with an injury, midfielder Weston McKennie remained with the MNT through the weekend for further evaluation and was diagnosed with a moderate to high degree left ankle sprain. He returned to Schalke on Monday where he will continue to his care and is expected to miss several weeks.

Neither player will be replaced on the roster, which now stands at 22 players heading into Tuesday’s match against Chile.

PREPARING TO PREPARE
One of the challenges for any National Team coach is impacting their players during the long periods between matches. Now add in a new coach and a new game model, and addressing that gap becomes more important. The coaching staff has spent the last six weeks attempting to do just that.

“We have laid a lot of ground work in preparation for this camp,” Berhalter said. “It entailed meeting with the players, video conferences with the players, conversations with the players, evaluating their games … it’s a very important time period to keep working and be productive. We’ve used that time to meet the players and communicate what we’re looking to do in the next camp.”

USA-CHILE NOTES

• Since first meeting at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the teams have met 10 times with the USA trailing the all-time series by a mark of 3-5-2.
• In the last meeting, the USA received goals from Jozy Altidore and Brek Shea, but ultimately fell 3-2 to La Roja on Jan. 28, 2015 in Rancagua, Chile.
• The now-Columbus Crew SC duo of Wil Trapp and Gyasi Zardes both entered the 2015 match as second-half substitutes to make their international debuts.
• USA goalkeeper Sean Johnson also made his debut against Chile, playing the second half of a 1-1 draw on Jan. 22, 2011 in Carson, Calif.
• The MNT has played once before at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium, drawing 0-0 with Canada on Jan. 29, 2013.

USA ROSTER NOTES

• Fifteen players play domestically in Major League Soccer, while eight feature for clubs abroad in Germany (2), England (3), Belgium and Mexico (1 each).
• Based on appearances, the senior-most players on the roster are Michael Bradley (144), DeAndre Yedlin (58), Omar Gonzalez (48), Gyasi Zardes (43) and John Brooks (37).
• On the flip side, 12 players hold nine or fewer caps.
• Gyasi Zardes recorded his seventh international goal in Thursday’s 1-0 victory against Ecuador and first since finding the back of the net against La Tricolor in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Copa America Centenario on June 16, 2016 in Seattle.
• Having successfully recovered from a torn right ACL suffered last February with Seattle Sounders FC, forward Jordan Morris made his first MNT appearance since January 2018 against Ecuador, going 68 minutes in the 1-0 win Thursday in Orlando.
• Veteran defender Tim Ream made his first MNT appearance since 2017, captained the side for the first time against Ecuador and was credited with the assist on Zardes’ goal.

CHILE ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Gabriel Arias (Racing/ARG; 3/0), Brayan Cortés (Colo-Colo; 2/0), Lawrence Vigouroux (Swindon Town/ENG; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Paulo Díaz (Al-Ahli/KSA; 16/0), Mauricio Isla (Fenerbahçe/TUR; 105/4), Gonzalo Jara (Estudiantes La Plata/ARG; 110/3), Igor Lichnovsky (Cruz Azul/MEX; 5/0), Guillermo Maripán (Deportivo Alavés/ESP; 13/2), Gary Medel (Besiktas/TUR; 116/7), Eugenio Mena (Racing/ARG; 55/3),  Óscar Opazo (Colo-Colo; 4/0), Sebastián Vegas (Morelia/MEX; 4/1)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Charles Aránguiz (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 67/7), Pablo Hernández (Independiente/ARG; 25/3), Jimmy Martínez (Universidad de Chile; 3/0), Jean Meneses (Club León/MEX; 0/0), Esteban Pavez (Colo-Colo; 3/0), Erick Pulgar (Bologna/ITA; 13/0), Diego Valdés (Santos Laguna/MEX; 9/1), Arturo Vidal (Barcelona/ESP; 105/26)

FORWARDS (4): Nicolás Castillo (Club América/MEX; 18/3), Felipe Mora (Pumas UNAM/MEX; 2/0), Iván Morales (Colo-Colo; 0/0), Diego Rubio (Colorado Rapids/USA; 4/0)

CHILE NOTES

• Chile is currently 13th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings
• La Roja is coached by Reinaldo Rueda, with the Colombian racked up a 4-4-3 record since beginning the job in March 2018.
• Chile comes into the match off a 3-1 defeat to Mexico on Friday night in San Diego. Club América striker Nicolás Castillo scored Chile’s lone goal in the match.