USA vs. New Zealand: Starting XI & Lineup Notes

LINEUP NOTES
USMNT vs. New Zealand
International Friendly
Sept. 10, 2024
TQL Stadium; Cincinnati, Ohio
Pre-Game Coverage: 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo, Max, Peacock and Fútbol de Primera Radio
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo, Max, Peacock and Fútbol de Primera Radio
Social Media: @USMNT on X and Instagram; U.S. Soccer on Facebook, The U.S. Soccer App

Tonight’s USMNT Starting XI vs. New Zealand: 1-Matt Turner, 3-Chris Richards (capt.), 4-Mark McKenzie, 6-Yunus Musah, 8-Aidan Morris, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Marlon Fossey, 19-Haji Wright, 20-Folarin Balogun, 23-Kristoffer Lund

Substitutes: 16-Patrick Schulte, 18-Ethan Horvath, 21-Diego Kochen, 2-Auston Trusty, 5-Caleb Wiley, 7-Cade Cowell, 10-Christian Pulisic 13-Tim Ream, 14-Luca de la Torre, 15-Johnny Cardoso, 17-Malik Tillman, 22-Joe Scally

GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

• USMNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): Matt Turner (45), Brenden Aaronson (44), Yunus Musah (41), Ricardo Pepi (30), Chris Richards (23), Folarin Balogun (17), Mark McKenzie (14), Haji Wright (13), Aidan Morris (7), Kristoffer Lund (5), Marlon Fossey (1).
• Today’s Starting XI has an average age of 24 years, 145 days.
• The Starting XI averages 21 caps.
• Mikey Varas makes five changes from the lineup that started on Saturday against Canada, inserting Marlon Fossey, Mark McKenzie, Aidan Morris, Ricardo Pepi and Matt Turner.
• Defender Chris Richards captains the U.S. Men’s National Team for the first time tonight. He is the first player from the State of Alabama to captain the USMNT.
• One day after his 26th birthday, defender Marlon Fossey earns his international debut tonight, becoming the 873rd player to appear for the USMNT.
• Mark McKenzie earns his first cap of 2024 and his first appearance since Sept. 12, 2023 against Oman.
• Kristoffer Lund starts back-to-back USMNT matches for the first time in his international career.
• Haji Wright starts in the same venue where he made his U.S. debut and scored his first international goal, coming on June 1, 2022 against Morocco.
• Having picked up his first career assist in Saturday’s match against Canada, Aidan Morris earns his third start in his sixth career cap for the USMNT.
• Brenden Aaronson also scored in the 2022 match against Morocco at TQL Stadium.
• Six starters are age 23 and younger: Brenden Aaronson and Folarin Balogun; Kristoffer Lund and Aidan Morris (22); Brenden Aaronson and Yunus Musah (21).
• The USA is 2W-0L-1D all-time against New Zealand in a series that began in 1999.
• Six substitutions are allowed in three different moments. Halftime does not count as a substitution moment.
• Tonight’s match referee is Selvin Brown of Honduras. This is the second USMNT match Mr. Brown has overseen, having previously officiated the team’s 3-1 extra time win against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League semifinal on March 24, 2024.