Overview

• The United States hosts Ecuador on Friday in Austin and then meets Australia on October 14 as the final stretch of pre-World Cup tune-ups begins.
• Tyler Adams is absent for the birth of his child, with injuries ruling out Ricardo Pepi, Gio Reyna and Johnny Cardoso for the October window.
• Christian Pulisic headlines a roster that skews back toward European-based regulars after more experimental summer squads.
• An open competition persists in goal between Matt Turner and Matt Freese, with other selection battles ongoing at striker and attacking midfield.
• Media outlets have published predicted XIs for Ecuador that remain projections, underscoring that the USMNT’s first-choice lineup is not yet settled.