Between injuries forcing last-minute roster changes and the inevitable departure of Mauricio Pochettino, it’s been a busy week for the USMNT. Luckily, it’s time to forget all about the white noise and shift our focus between the lines. The Americans return to the field on Saturday with the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti. This will be the first competitive match for the USMNT since the 2026 World Cup.
How does USMNT line up against Haiti?
Pochettino is still in line to coach, and he’ll surely want to put his best lineup on the field for Saturday’s game. Even with plenty of young players on the roster, getting a result is the top priority. But with key injuries and uncertainty at certain positions, plenty of spots remain unspoken for ahead of Saturday’s game. Here is our prediction for the USMNT starting 11 for Saturday’s game against Haiti.
Diego Kochen (GK)
One of the downsides of Pochettino’s exit is that a new manager may have a different take on certain position battles. That means it’ll take time to get clarity on the goalkeeper situation. Nevertheless, Kochen did enough during the September-October window to show that he’s ready for a competitive game and deserves a chance to prove himself as the starter.
Alex Freeman (RB)
No matter who’s coaching, starting Freeman at right-back is the easiest lineup decision for the USMNT right now. He’s already among the best right-backs in La Liga and a no-brainer to start on Saturday.
Chris Richards (CB)
Richards hasn’t been in the best form at Crystal Palace lately. But he’s still the best option the U.S. has at center-back. Playing for the national team should help Richards step up his game. If not, that position becomes an even bigger concern than it already is.
Auston Trusty (CB)
With George Campbell forced off the November roster due to injury, starting Trusty is an easy decision. The problem is that he hasn’t played a game in nearly a month, as he took time away from Celtic when his father passed away. But unless Pochettino trusts teenager Neil Pierre, Trusty remains the obvious choice.
Antonee Robinson (LB)
Robinson is also among the first players on the lineup sheet. He’s coming off a poor performance from Fulham but has been otherwise solid in the Premier League this season. Plus, there’s no other left-back in the player pool who is close to taking his job.
Tyler Adams (CM)
Adams has had quite a run lately for Bournemouth, as the Cherries are one of the hottest teams in Europe right now. He will lead the charge for the U.S. midfield in both games against Haiti. The fact that he’s the USMNT captain leaves no doubt he’ll be starting.
Weston McKennie (CM)
There was a slight injury concern with McKennie, but he played 79 minutes for Juventus in Serie A last weekend. It’s possible that his minutes are managed over the two games. But unless there is an immediate injury concern, McKennie will be in the starting lineup for the first leg of the quarterfinals.
Malik Tillman (AM)
As long as Pochettino is deciding the starting lineup, Tillman will be in it. He’s been among Pochettino’s favorite players during his USMNT tenure. The fact that Gio Reyna had to pull out of camp because of an injury makes it a lock that Tillman will start in the midfield, most likely in a more advanced role, with McKennie set up to have freedom but help Adams when needed.
Christian Pulisic (LW)
He’s back! Not only is he back with the national team, but Pulisic heads into the Nations League quarterfinals in great form. Despite a lack of playing time early in the season, Pulisic has scored three goals in his last four Serie A games. He’ll be a key part of the USMNT attack in the two games against Haiti.
Cavan Sullivan (RW)
There is almost no choice but to start Sullivan in this spot. With Gio Reyna and Sergiño Dest both unavailable because of injury, the options are limited. Unless the injury he picked up on MLS Decision Day is more concerning than we realize, the most likely scenario is Sullivan getting the start on the right wing opposite Pulisic. Getting those two players on the field at the same time feels like a dream scenario and a great way for the USMNT to begin its first competitive game of the new cycle.
Folarin Balogun (ST)
How many minutes to give Balogun is one of the biggest questions heading into the Nations League quarterfinals. He’s barely played for Monaco this season, other than a recent start in Conference League. Balogun certainly isn’t fit to play 90 minutes, but he’s at least available to start. The issue is how many minutes he can play in the first leg while also saving something for the second leg. It’s impossible to know the answer to that question, although it’s still a safe bet that Balogun will start on Saturday.
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