Young USMNT Lineup Faces Brazil in Allstate Continental Clásico

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ICARO Media Group
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12/06/2024 22h43

In an exciting matchup, the US Men's National Team (USMNT) is set to take on Brazil in the Allstate Continental Clásico at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The pre-game coverage is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET on various networks, including TNT, Telemundo, truTV, Universo, Max, Peacock.

The USMNT's starting lineup for the match against Brazil features a young squad, with an average age of 25 years and 151 days. This is the second youngest lineup the team has fielded in its 20 previous matches against Brazil, just behind the lineup that started in their last meeting in 2018.

Despite their youth, the lineup boasts considerable experience, with an average of 37.3 caps per player. This makes it the third-most experienced lineup in the 71 matches under head coach Gregg Berhalter, trailing only the starting XIs from the 2019 Gold Cup Final against Mexico and the semifinal against Jamaica.

Berhalter has made two changes to the lineup since the team's last match against Colombia. Striker Ricardo Pepi and midfielder Yunus Musah have been inserted into the starting eleven in place of Folarin Balogun and Johnny Cardoso, respectively. Pepi earns his first start of the year, while Musah gets his second start in 2024.

Christian Pulisic, who captains the team for the 23rd time tonight, will tie Thomas Dooley for eighth place on the USMNT's all-time captains list. The USA has an impressive record of 16 wins, 3 losses, and 3 draws when Pulisic wears the captain's armband.

Several members of the starting lineup have previous senior international experience against Brazil, including Tim Ream, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, and Tim Weah. Substitute Tyler Adams also featured in the 2018 match against Brazil.

In their last match against Colombia, Tim Weah scored his sixth international goal and recorded his 10th career goal contribution for the USA. Tonight's match against Brazil provides a chance for Scally, Pepi, and Chris Richards to make their first appearances against a top-five team in the FIFA World Rankings.

Matt Turner, the goalkeeper for tonight's match, made his USMNT debut in Orlando and kept a clean sheet by saving a penalty kick in a 7-0 victory against Trinidad and Tobago in January 2021. Pulisic recorded his first career hat trick in Orlando as well, during a 5-1 win against Panama in World Cup qualifying in March 2022.

The USMNT has had a successful history in Orlando, with a record of 7 wins and 2 losses. They have won their last seven matches in the city, and their last appearance at Camping World Stadium was in 1998, when they secured a 1-0 victory against Sweden.

Although historically the USMNT has struggled against Brazil, with only one win in 19 encounters, they are looking to end their 11-match winless streak against the Brazilian team, which is currently the longest against any international opponent.

In terms of attendance, tonight's match has already surpassed previous records for a US Men's or Women's National Team match in Florida. More than 57,000 tickets have been sold, surpassing the previous high of 52,033 for a match against Nigeria in 2014.

With high anticipation and a young and talented lineup, the USMNT is ready to take on Brazil in the Allstate Continental Clásico, hoping to make history and secure a memorable victory.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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