2020 International Friendly
United States vs. El Salvador
Inter Miami CF Stadium – Fort Lauderdale
December 9 – 7:30 PM ET
TV: ESPN News, UniMás, TUDN
After the young, largely European-based US men's national team impressed last month with results against Wales and Panama in the team's first matches in nine months, a young crop of MLS players will look to impress Gregg Berhalter in an international friendly against El Salvador at Inter Miami CF Stadium Dec. 9.
It is the last competitive match of the calendar year ahead of what will be a very busy and very important 2021, which includes World Cup qualifiers and the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Of the 23 players called up, with Benfica goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos the lone player not from MLS, 13 are looking to earn their first USMNT cap. There's some interesting storylines as well ahead of this match. Berhalter called in a handful of players who are either dual nationals or available to compete for several national teams, including Efra Alvarez from the LA Galaxy who has represented both the US and Mexico as a youth international.
Young forwards Daryl Dike from Orlando City SC and Toronto FC's Ayo Akinola both have multiple international options with each impressing in the 2020 season. Brenden Aaronson's year started with his first USMNT cap in January and included playing a starring role in the Philadelphia Union's historic Supporters' Shield run as well as a Best XI presented by Home Depot selection. Berhalter challenged Aaronson, who will join Jesse Marsch's Red Bull Salzburg in the new year, to show what he did in MLS on the international level against a tricky El Salvador side.
"What we’re looking for him now is to validate it. Validate it on the field," he told reporters in a video conference call. "It’s a good opponent we play. Against El Salvador, it's going to be a tight game and this is where he should be able to be very effective. We’re really looking forward to him capping off a strong season with a good performance against El Salvador."
Paul Arriola, who spent much of the season working his way back from a preseason ACL injury, returns to the fold and the D.C. United midfielder has more goals (5) and appearances (33) than any other player on this roster. And there's an open competition at the center back spot to earn regular starts with Aaron Long of the New York Red Bulls, newly-minted MLS Defender of the Year Walker Zimmerman from Nashville SC and Mark McKenzie of the Union leading the charge.
While Berhalter has one eye on the the USMNT future of some of these young players, 15 who are eligible to compete in Olympic qualifying, which should also take place in 2021.
"They’re here for a reason, they’ve here because they’ve earned this call-up based on what they do well and keep doing that well and we’ll fit them in to what we do," Berhalter said of the young players in camp. "That’s the important message for these guys."
Houston Dynamo midfielder Darwin Ceren and Andres Flores from the Portland Timbers, who have a combined 125 appearances, have been called into the El Salvador team for this match.
The USMNT hold a 17-1-5 all-time advantage in the series dating back to 1977. This is the first friendly meeting in more than a decade with Brian Ching and Sacha Kljestan scoring in a 2-1 win in Tampa on Feb. 24, 2010. The most recent match was a 2-0 USMNT win in the 2017 Gold Cup quarterfinals with Omar Gonzalez and Eric Lichaj scoring first-half goals.
Series Matchup vs. El Salvador
- United States: 17 wins, 53 goals
- El Salvador: 1 win, 11 goals
- 5 draws
Officials
- Referee: Jose Raul Torres Rivera (Puerto Rico)
- Assistant Referees: Wasnah Shavan Barnarde (Antigua & Barbuda), Limanauel Sola Morales (Puerto Rico)
- 4th Official: William Rene Anderson Abrams (Puerto Rico)
