PREVIEW: USMNT Takes on Colombia on Saturday at Commanders Field in Summer Showdown Presented by Marriott Bonvoy

LANDOVER (June 7, 2024) — The U.S. Men’s National Team’s preparation for the 2024 Copa América in the United States continues this Saturday, June 8, when it takes on Colombia at Commanders Field in Landover, Md., in the Summer Showdown presented by Marriott Bonvoy.

Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage available on TNT, Telemundo, truTV, and Universo, with streaming options on Max and Peacock, and additional coverage on FDP Radio. Alongside broadcast coverage, fans will also be able to follow the match via Facebook, Twitter @USMNT, Instagram @USMNT and the official U.S. Soccer App.

Saturday’s match is the first of two pre-tournament friendlies in which the USMNT will participate, with a warmup match against Brazil in the Allstate Continental Clásico also on deck for Wednesday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Broadcast coverage of that match will also be available on TNT, Telemundo, truTV, and Universo, with streaming options on Max and Peacock, and additional coverage on FDP Radio.

DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City/WAL; 9/0), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 13/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 39/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 16/0), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 13/0), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 18/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 56/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 16/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 41/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 29/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 9/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 38/2), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 11/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 20/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 51/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 35/0), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 26/8), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 10/0), Timmy Tillman (LAFC; 1/0)

FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 40/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 10/3), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 23/10), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 66/28), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 23/5), Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 37/5), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 9/4)

SHARPENING FOR THE SUMMER AHEAD

Both the USMNT and Colombia will take part in this summer’s Copa América tournament, which is to be held in the United States for the second time in its history.

The prestigious South American competition – which this year features all 10 CONMEBOL teams as well as qualified Concacaf sides Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the U.S. - begins on Thursday, June 20, when Argentina and Canada square off at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The United States was drawn into Group C and will kick off its group stage campaign against Bolivia in Arlington, Texas on June 23, followed by matchups with Panama in Atlanta on June 27, and Uruguay in Kansas City, Mo. on July 1.

In Group D, Colombia will face Paraguay in Houston on June 24, Costa Rica in Glendale, Ariz. on June 28 and Brazil in Santa Clara, Calif. on July 2.

Following Saturday’s match against the U.S., los Cafeteros will face Bolivia in a second pre-Copa friendly. That matchup takes place on June 15 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. at 5 p.m. ET.

PRIDE-THEMED NUMBERS

As part of U.S. Soccer’s partnership with the You Can Play Project, the Federation is celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month in June.

Special edition number packs will be worn at all four USMNT and USWNT matches in June that U.S. Soccer controls, which includes Saturday’s match against Colombia and the clash with Brazil on June 12.

U.S. Soccer will then auction off signed, player-issued Men’s and Women’s National Team jerseys with rainbow-themed numbers inspired by Pride, with all proceeds going to You Can Play to help promote a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community. Fans can bid now at ussoccer.com/youcanplay and the auction will run through June 30.

The You Can Play Project is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches and fans no matter their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

WELCOMING TAPS

Earlier this week, players and staff from the MNT welcomed TAPS - a national nonprofit organization that provides care and comprehensive resources for those grieving the death of military or veteran loved ones - to a team training session in Bethesda, Md. During the visit, players took photos, signed autographs, and spoke with member families.

Prior to Saturday's match against Colombia, members of TAPS will be on-site at Commanders Field to welcome the team to the stadium as they arrive before the match, and will stay to attend the game.

TAPS provides a variety of programs to survivors nationally and worldwide. To connect with TAPS, visit their website here.

AGAINST COLOMBIA

Saturday’s match marks the United States’ 21st meeting with Colombia, against whom they hold a 3-13-5 record against all-time. Most recently, the two sides played to a 0-0 draw on Jan. 28, 2023, in Carson, Calif.

The USMNT is looking to earn its first victory against Colombia since March 2005, a 3-0 win in Fullerton, Calif. One of the USMNT’s most memorable World Cup victories came against Colombia in Southern California during the 1994 World Cup, a 2-1 win at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena featuring a goal from former U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Earnie Stewart.

The USA and Colombia faced off twice in 2016 during the Copa América Centenario, the only other time the tournament took place in the United States. The U.S. fell 2-0 in the group stage in Santa Clara, Calif., followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat in the Third-Place Match in Glendale, Ariz.

AT COMMANDERS FIELD

Saturday’s match is set to be among the top five most-attended MNT games in the DMV area, with 50,000+ fans expected at kickoff against Colombia. The record was set in 2012, when 67,619 fans watch the U.S. take on Brazil, a 4-1 defeat for the home side.

Commanders Field will host the USMNT for the first time since 2012, a 4-1 defeat at the hands of five-time World Cup champion Brazil in front of 67,619 fans. The U.S. Women’s National Team won a quarterfinal match there en route to its historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship, a 3-2 triumph against Germany with President Bill Clinton in attendance.

The USMNT has played many important matches in the D.C. area, compiling a 16-5-6 record all-time. RFK Stadium was the USMNT’s most-frequent home venue, putting up a 15-3-6 record in 24 matches, including a 4-1-2 record in World Cup qualifying.

The USA last played in the DMV at Audi Field, the home of D.C. United, in October 2019, a 7-0 Concacaf Nations League victory against Cuba.

ROSTER NOTES

• The roster will have an average age of 25 years, 210 days as of matchday against Colombia on Saturday.
• The squad has an average of 25 caps, and 15 in official competition.
• The 27 players represent clubs in 10 different countries: England (8), Italy (5), USA (4), Netherlands (3), Germany (2), Spain (2), Belgium (1), France (1), Scotland (1), Wales (1).
• Christian Pulisic (66) is the leading cap-winner, followed by Tim Ream (56), Weston McKennie (51), Antonee Robinson (41), Matt Turner (39), Tyler Adams (38), Tim Weah (37) and Yunus Musah (35).
• The 27-player training camp roster is comprised of 18 players who were on the 2022 FIFA World Cup roster.
• A total of 21 players have appeared on at least one of the three Concacaf Nations League-winning rosters since 2021. Seven players have won all three titles - Brenden Aaronson, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah – and an additional 11 have lifted the trophy twice.
• Additionally, 2022 FIFA World Cup veterans Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luca de la Torre and Sean Johnson each make their first camp appearances of 2024.
• Should they both appear in one of the June friendlies, Malik and Timmy Tillman would become the ninth set of brothers to play for the USMNT in the same match, and the first since Ken and Steve Snow against Costa Rica on June 14, 1988. The Tillman became the 10th set of brothers to appear for the USMNT upon Timmy’s debut this past January against Slovenia.

USA-COLOMBIA NOTES

• The USMNT holds a 3-13-5 record against Colombia all-time.
• The two teams last met in January 2023, a 0-0 draw at the conclusion of the USMNT’s annual January camp.
• June 22 marks the 30th anniversary of one of the USMNT’s most memorable upsets at a FIFA World Cup. On June 22, 1994, the Americans secured a 2-1 triumph over Colombia, considered one of the competition's favorites. Colombia defender Andres Escobar scored a 35th-minute own goal, and Earnie Stewart doubled the lead in the 52nd minute at the Rose Bowl. Halftime substitute Adolfo Valencia spoiled goalkeeper Tony Meola's shutout bid in the 90th minute.
• The USMNT has met Colombia four times in Copa América play, across the 1995, 2007, and 2016 iterations of the tournament. Two of those matchups came in the tournament’s third-place game. In 1995, the U.S. got a goal from Joe-Max Moore, but fell 4-1 in Maldonado, Uruguay. In 2016, it was a 1-0 defeat to Los Cafeteros in Glendale, Ariz.
• Midfielder Weston McKennie registered the fastest hat trick in USMNT history during his last visit to the Washington, D.C. area, tallying three goals inside the first 13 minutes of a 7-0 win against Cuba on Oct. 11, 2019 at Audi Field. Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent also scored in that match.
• Five players on the roster have previous experience against Colombia: Christian Pulisic (2; June 2 and June 25, 2016); Josh Sargent, Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah (Oct. 11, 2018), and Sean Johnson (Jan. 28, 2023).
• Tim Weah registered his first career assist in the 2018 match against Colombia, playing provider on Bobby Wood’s 53rd minute goal.

COLOMBIA OF LATE

Los Cafeteros are currently red-hot, riding a 21-match unbeaten streak going back more than two years which includes a 1-0 win against No. 8-ranked Spain in the last March window. Since playing to a 0-0 draw at Ecuador in a World Cup qualifying match on Oct. 17, Los Cafeteros have won six consecutive contests.

Colombia currently sits in third place in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with an unblemished 3-0-3 record. This summer, Colombia will aim to build on a third-place finish at the last Copa América and secure its second title after topping the podium on home soil in 2001.

AT THE HELM

Nestor Lorenzo was named manager on June 2, 2022, replacing Reinaldo Rueda, who had been fired that April in the wake of Colombia failing to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Since taking over the coaching reins, Colombia is undefeated in 18 successive matches (13-0-5).

After a playing career as a defender for Argentinos Juniors, San Lorenzo, Banfield, Ferro Carril Oeste and Boca Juniors, Bari, and Swindon Town (as well as earning 13 caps for the Argentine National Team), Lorenzo turned to coaching.

The 58-year-old was previously an assistant coach for the Argentina Under-20 and full National Teams, and additionally with Leganes (Spain), Toluca and Tigres UANL (Mexico), before getting an opportunity to be the head man with Melgar (Peru) from 2021-22.

COLOMBIA ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Alvaro Montero (Millonarios; 8/0), Camilo Vargas (Atlas/MEX; 21/0), David Ospina (Al Nassr/RSA; 128/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Cuesta (Genk/BEL; 13/0), Jhon Lucumí (Bologna/ITA; 18/0), Santiago Arias (Bahia/BRA; 56/0), Yerson Mosquera (Villareal/ESP; 3/0), Johan Mojica (CA Osasuna/ESP; 24/1), Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace/ENG; 25/1), Yerry Mina (Cagliari/ITA; 43/7), Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray S.K./TUR; 58/1), Deiver Machado (Lens/FRA; 9/0)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Kevin Castano (Krasnodar/RUS; 7/0), Richard Ríos (Palmeiras/BRA; 5/0), Jorge Carrascal (Dynamo Moscow/RUS; 13/1), James Rodríguez (Sao Paulo/BRA; 98/27), Jhon Arias (Fluminense/BRA; 13/1), Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace/ENG; 41/1), Juan Fernando Quintero (Racing/ARG; 34/4), Yaser Asprilla (Watford/ENG; 4/2), Mateus Uribe (Al-Sadd/QAT; 53/6), Luis Sinisterra (A.F.C. Bournemouth/ENG; 11/3)

FORWARDS (6): Luis Diaz (Liverpool/ENG; 47/11), Jhon Cordoba (Krasnodar/RUS; 3/1), Sebastian Gomez (Coritiba/BRA; 2/0), Rafael Santos Borre (Internacional/BRA; 32/5), Miguel Angel Borja (River Plate/ARG; 27/8), Jhon Jader Duran (Aston Villa/ENG; 8/1)