USMNT expects 'really intense battle' against tricky El Salvador
ORLANDO — Perhaps the most impressive part of the United States men's national team's 7-1 thrashing of tiny Grenada in Friday's CONCACAF Nations League match was that the record score line — never before in the program's 110-year history had the USMNT scored seven times in one match away from home — was that the team did it shorthanded.
Just three players who started the Americans' final match of 2022, the 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the second round of the World Cup, were in the lineup for the first competitive game of the 2026 cycle. Yunus Musah came on for the final 33 minutes. Regulars such as Sergiño Dest, Tim Ream and Antonee "Jedi" Robinson didn't get off the bench at all.
This was by design, of course. With two matches in three days this month, some squad rotation was always going to be necessary.
With the U.S. needing at least a tie against El Salvador on Monday to advance to June's Nations League semifinals, the established players who didn't start against Grenada are expected to feature in Orlando (7:30 p.m. ET).
"For sure there will be a few changes," interim U.S. coach Anthony Hudson said Sunday in response to a question from FOX Sports.
"It's a luxury we have in windows like this. We have a very strong group, and we have a good depth, which allows us to be able to prepare for two games in a short timeframe and to be able to rotate — not wholesale changes — but to rotate in a way that we can at least get to the second game and have freshness without losing quality."
Quality could matter against El Salvador, which will present significantly more difficulty than the Spice Boys. While Los Cuscatlecos are ranked 74th by FIFA to the Americans' 13th, they've been a deceptively tricky opponent for the U.S. in recent years under coach Hugo Perez, a former USMNT midfielder.
Two of the last three meetings between the teams, including their first Nations League encounter last June, ended tied. The U.S won the other, a 2022 World Cup qualifier, 1-0.
"The game is going to be a really intense battle," Musah said. "We have to, as usual, match their intensity and physicality. Our attitude has to be spot-on."
Musah seems likely to start the match in central midfield alongside Weston McKennie, who scored twice in Grenada. Christian Pulisic, easily the top U.S. performer last week, is a lock to retain his spot on the left wing.
Hudson will swap out a number of others, though, particularly in defense. Zack Steffen could spell Matt Turner in goal. Ream and Miles Robinson, the only American not to dress Friday as he just returned from a long-term injury, are the projected center back pairing. Expect Dest and Jedi to man their usual spots on the outside.
Up top will be either Ricardo Pepi or Daryl Dike, who replaced his fellow striker with about a half-hour left in the last game. Pepi has an argument to stay in the lineup after netting two goals. But Dike will be a matchup nightmare for the Salvadorans and, with the Monday's match being played in the same stadium he used to call home as a member of MLS club Orlando City, that was probably a pre-planned change.
"Center backs really, really don't like playing against him," Hudson said of the imposing Dike, who has been on a scoring tear with English second tier club West Brom. "His game is improving."
"Playing in front of fans that know you so well, I couldn't really ask for much more," Dike said of the potential opportunity.
It's not guaranteed, of course. The U.S. will field the lineup that gives it the best chance to claim three points and advance to the final four, which could be followed by another marquee final against arch-rival Mexico.
Still, for this camp, spreading the minutes around is part of Hudson's strategy.
"You're having players travel long distances from different parts of the world, and the last thing you want to do is have people travel across the world and don't dress or don't see a minute on the field," Hudson said.
"Not that it's about making everyone happy," he continued. "But it's important to make sure that we manage the group the right way and that we're we give everyone a fair crack."
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
Top stories from FOX Sports:
- England looks dominant in 2-0 win over Ukraine: Three takeaways
- Spain plays it safe in Luis de la Fuente‘s first match in charge: 3 takeaways
- Alexi Lalas' top-5 candidates for USMNT coaching job
- France legend Thierry Henry reportedly 'keen' on coaching USMNT
- Christian Pulisic backs Gregg Berhalter, says coach has been 'extremely unfortunate'
- Balogun? Dike? Pepi? USMNT still searching for No. 1 striker as Nations League begins
- Folarin Balogun joining USMNT? 'We'd be really grateful to have him,' says Matt Turner
- Has 'Ted Lasso' hurt soccer in U.S.? 'We'll be happy in the long run,' says Brendan Hunt
- Lionel Messi becomes second-ever player to reach 800 career goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo breaks men's international cap record with 197th appearance for Portugal
- Harry Kane gets his redemption in England's 2-1 win over Italy: 3 takeaways
