The USMNT started the international window with an impressive 4-1 victory over Peru. Up next, the USMNT will play host to Chile Tuesday night. The Chileans are coming off a 1-0 defeat to Canada. With two more matches left in the window after Tuesday's, plenty of lineup changes from the Peru match are expected.
Here is how I see the USMNT lining up ahead of that contest.
Projected formation: 4-1-3-2
This formation should be the one utilized by the USMNT against Chile. The combination of five players at the back end allows for some flexibility moving up and down the pitch, while the utilization of three midfielders in support of the two forwards ensures that the USMNT won't be sitting back all game.
Forwards: Julian Hall, Justin Ellis
I'll be completely honest: it's quite hard to pick a starting forward pair. While Julian Hall and Justin Ellis both scored on Saturday, Cavan Sullivan is one of the most in-form goalscorers in MLS, which could possibly indicate that a first international goal is on the way. Cole Campbell and Damion Downs are both options, though it seems more likely that they will start the match on the bench.
All three of the remaining forwards could realistically find their way onto the starting lineup. But if the USMNT is to improve on its performance against Peru and become more effective in the final third, then starting in-form forwards could be the way to go. That's why I'm going to back Hall and Ellis in this spot, but I would not be surprised to see Sullivan come into the match as a second-half substitute should the United States put together an early two-goal advantage.
Midfielders: Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, Malik Tillman
The long ball suited the USMNT well against Peru, and both Sebastian Berhalter and Malik Tillman were quite effective in creating such chances.
Similar to how the USMNT was able to create pressure against Peru, one of the keys to beating Chile will involve forcing long-ball opportunities and turning Chile's attacking core back as quickly and as consistently as possible. Stationing Berhalter and Tillman a little further back from the front pairing of Ellis and Hall will help give the defense the opportunity to quickly work the ball around Chile's forwards, which will also reduce the chance of the USMNT's defense getting stuck in a disadvantageous position in case of an interception or misplayed pass.
A fantastic four-goal game on Saturday. ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS! 🎬 pic.twitter.com/4rKNpsT4WK
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 27, 2026
Starting Gio Reyna against a Chile side that can cause some headaches isn't necessarily the wisest move. He may need to be saved for Saturday's game against Mexico. However, he will act as an important outlet for the USMNT to be able to move the ball up the pitch should Chile take away the long-ball opportunities.
Defensive midfielder: Tyler Adams
The Mindreader will have part of the pitch all to himself in this projected lineup. As I indicated in my how to watch guide, the USMNT might want to build a defense with five players, though that could either take the form of a straight five-at-the-back defensive line or a four-player back-line with a defensive midfielder stationed a little further up the pitch
The latter combination should prove a little more flexible for Mauricio Pochettino and Co. Even with four at the back, the Americans would nonetheless hold a two-to-one advantage against any one of Chile's forwards when it comes to final-third defending. With Adams just up the pitch in terms of positioning, they would not only be almost assured control of their own half, but there would also be a decent opportunity to turn a defensive stand into a counterattack as quick as a heartbeat.
Defenders: Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Sergino Dest
This back-four would help Pochettino achieve two things. First, having two of his tallest defenders start in the middle of the pitch allows for a significant advantage if Chile is forced to use long balls in an effort to beat the American defense with speed. Specifically, using Richards and Trusty allows Pochettino to cover any potential threat through aerial duels, which would further limit Chile's ability to employ an offensive approach solely focused on three forwards. And if Chile has to commit numbers forward to neutralize the USMNT's numerical advantage at the back, that only leaves the USMNT more space to quickly push up the pitch when they win back possession.
That leads into my second point. Getting the ball out to the sides of the pitch would be a way in which the USMNT could eliminate Chile's offensive presence by forcing them to win possession and throw-ins with numerical inferiority. Even though that is something that could hurt Chile and the United States, both Antonee Robinson and SergiñoDest are capable of leading counterattacks and participating in the offensive buildup or scoring. As a result, consistently getting the ball to either player while moving up the pitch would help turn Chile's forward line around and keep the pressure on the defense.
With the above in mind, expect both Richards and Trusty to operate as center-backs, while Dest and Robinson's roles could be a little more flexible rather than being purely defensive.
Goalkeeper: Matt Freese
Matt Freese ended up playing half the match against Peru, conceding one goal while making a save. Diego Kochen came in for the second half of the match and helped to maintain the USMNT's grasp on a result.
Freese has seen his struggles in recent times, particularly at the club level, but he had a reasonably strong outing against Peru. He should be expected to start against Chile, though one shouldn't be surprised if Pochettino opts to give one of the other three keepers an opportunity during the second half.
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