With Mauricio Pochettino still waiting in the wings, the U.S. men's national team hosts northern rivals Canada in an international friendly from Kansas City on Saturday.
The two sides are both returning to action after Copa America results that couldn't have been more opposite. The United States, as tournament hosts with high expectations, crashed out in the group stage which spelled the end for head coach Gregg Berhalter.
There are extensive reports that Pochettino is set to take over as head coach, but he was not installed in time to take charge of the matches in this September international window, leaving Mikey Varas to lead the group on an interim basis.
Canada, meanwhile, are riding high after surprising at the Copa America with a semifinal appearance. American coach Jesse Marsch was installed just a month before the tournament began but managed to put together a quality performance that caught the eye of the North American confederation.
LIVE BLOG: Follow along with real-tiem updates as USA hosts Canada in an international friendly
What channel is USA vs. Canada friendly?Date: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024Time: 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PTThe USMNT friendly vs. Canada in Kansas City will be televised in the United States on TBS, as part of Turner's long-term rights deal with U.S. Soccer.
TBS and other Turner channels are available to stream on Sling, while the match can also be streamed on Turner's dedicated platform Max. Subscription service Peacock is also an option for a Spanish-language broadcast.
In Canada, this match is televised on OneSoccer, which is available to stream on Fubo Canada.
MORE: Full USMNT schedule, results, and highlights for 2024 calendar year
What time is USA vs. Canada kickoff?This international friendly match kicks off from Children's Mercy Park on Saturday, September 7 at 3 p.m. local time in Kansas City.
Here's how that time translates across the time zones in North America:
DateKickoff timeEastern TimeSat, Sep. 74 p.m.Central TimeSat, Sep. 73 p.m.Mountain TimeSat, Sep. 72 p.m.Pacific TimeSat, Sep. 71 p.m.MORE: USMNT roster for September international friendlies vs. Canada, New Zealand
USA vs. Canada lineups & team newsThe USMNT is without a few key players due to injuries. Sergino Dest continues to recover from his torn ACL and will be out for some time, and Antonee Robinson is not on the roster to gain some rest. Tyler Adams is still recovering from a back injury and has missed significant time for various fitness issues in recent years, while Tim Weah is also out thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in the Juventus season opener. Gio Reyna was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a groin strain, replaced by Cade Cowell.
Some, meanwhile, were left off due to club form, most notably Weston McKennie who is not starting at Juventus at the moment. Others include defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Miles Robinson who are both getting minutes at their various clubs but have struggled at times.
There are questions at the goalkeeper position, and Matt Turner is denied a start despite a desperate need for game minutes which are lacking at the club level, as Patrick Schulte is called upon instead. Up front, it's a surprise that Brenden Aaronson is named in the XI with Haji Wright and Josh Sargent in much better club form.
USA starting lineup (4-3-3): Schulte (GK) — Scally, Richards, Ream, Lund — Musah, Cardoso, M. Tillman — Aaronson, Balogun, Pulisic.
Head coach Marsch has called in a full-strength roster for these September friendlies as he looks to continue establishing his tactical influence over the Canada squad. Stars Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, and Stephen Eustaquio are all in, as are most of their other Copa America starters.
Full-back Sam Adekugbe was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a mild groin strain, having also missed the Copa America with a calf problem.
There's some young talent sprinkled in, with uncapped midfielders Niko Sigur and Nathan Saliba called up as well as Sporting KC forward Stephen Africa in his first national team camp.
Canada starting lineup (4-3-3): Crepeau (GK) — Johnston, Bombito, Cornelius, Davies — Ahmed, Choiniere, Eustaquio— David, Larin, Shaffelburg.
USA vs. Canada predictionScore prediction: USA 2-2 CanadaCanada have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in CONCACAF, and they bring a strong roster into this friendly. Yet the drone scandal this summer cast doubt on their recent rise, and Jesse Marsch is now tasked with proving they can win without any apparent unfair advantages at their backs.
U.S. Soccer is in a period of transition as they move on from Gregg Berhalter and towards the Mauricio Pochettino era, and the awkwardness of this international break will create some confusion within the squad.
Still, the USMNT has the better overall roster, especially from a depth perspective, and there are numerous holes on the Canada side. An entertaining draw could be on the cards for two sides that both sport weaknesses along the back line as well as in-form forwards.
