The United States men’s national team will take the pitch in Columbus with quite a task on Tuesday in attempting to knock off 17th-ranked Japan. Without a win in their last two matches, the USMNT need to gain momentum ahead of an October international break that will see them face Ecuador and Australia. The struggles against top teams have continued under Mauricio Pochettino, with the USMNT now losing five straight matches in those situations. While Pochettino stresses that this team doesn’t need to start winning until the World Cup, and that’s true, if some of the fringe players on the roster want to make the World Cup squad, they need to show why facing Japan.
Matt Freese and Alex Freeman are making their cases to be in the plans for 2026, and for the USMNT to get a result with an experimental roster; more will need to join them. After the USMNT finished out facing South Korea in a back three, there could be a tactical shift coming in this match as all eyes will be on how Pochettino adjusts facing a tough Samurai Blue squad.
Follow along as CBS Sports has updates from the match
