The United States men’s national team fought hard to secure a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in a tense and physical friendly match on Friday, held in Austin, Texas.
Folarin Balogun brought the U.S. level with a well-crafted equalizer, assisted by Tanner Tessmann, Timothy Weah, and Malik Tillman—all contributing to a strong team performance in their dark blue jerseys.
MORE — Recap and highlights of USMNT 1-1 Ecuador
Mauricio Pochettino has plenty to consider after this match, as his team followed up their impressive victory over Japan in September with another solid performance against a Top 25 team (though they were without star player Moises Caicedo).
Which players stood out, and who struggled on the field this Friday?
USMNT Player Ratings vs. Ecuador
Matt Freese: 6.5 — Redeemed himself after a misstep on Valencia’s excellent shot with several key saves in the second half, including an immediate response after the equalizer.
Max Arfsten: 6 — Continued his impressive offensive contributions, proving a challenge for opposing fullbacks, though he struggled defensively against quick attackers.
Chris Richards: 7 — Faced some criticism for his positioning during Ecuador’s goal, but his recovery was commendable. Played well while on a yellow card and excelled defensively, leading with 12 contributions.
Miles Robinson (Off 63′): 6 — Showed decent long passing and engaged in a few strong duels.
Tim Ream (Off 74′): 6.5 — Solid in possession, helping keep the defensive line organized.
Tanner Tessmann: 7 — Utilized his physical presence effectively and made a smart decision that led to the U.S. equalizer.
Aidan Morris (Off 74′): 6.5 — Earned several fouls and displayed ambition throughout, though it sometimes opened up space for Ecuador. Achieved the most duels in the match (8).
Timothy Weah (Off 74′): 7.5 — Dynamic and precise in his play, contributing crucially to the equalizer. He also delivered the most passes into the final third (10) during the game.
Weston McKennie (Off 63′): 6.5 — Tied for the most passes into the final third before being substituted. Displayed energy and an improved first touch, but overall impact was modest.
Malik Tillman: 8.5 — Notched an assist while creating six chances. While he may have been somewhat one-dimensional at times, he still worked hard in the attacking phase.
Folarin Balogun (Off 81′): 8 — Arguably the most impressive American No. 9 since Jozy Altidore’s peak. Showcased his speed and strength, scoring with a well-placed shot despite pressure from PSG’s Willian Pacho and the goalkeeper Hernan Galindez.
Substitutes
Diego Luna (On 63′): 6 — A quieter performance than usual for the Real Salt Lake standout.
Alex Freeman (On 63′): 6.5 — Brought valuable speed to the back three.
Cristian Roldan (On 74′): N/A
Christian Pulisic (On 74′): N/A
Mark McKenzie (On 74′): N/A
Haji Wright (On 81′): N/A