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USMNT analysis

After Paraguay win, USMNT looks to Uruguay hoping for solid end to 2025

ASN's Brian Sciaretta looks back on what the win over Paraguay told us against the USMNT and the opportunity the game against Uruguay offers
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
November 16, 2025
1:05 PM

WITH SATURDAY’s 2-1 victory over Paraguay, the United States national team now carries an impressive run of three wins and a draw over its last four games. The narrative is slowly changing and Tuesday’s game against Uruguay is the team’s most important test since the fall. For now, we will have an ideal measuring stick as to whether the team has turned the page on a miserable stretch dating back to 2024 before Mauricio Pochettino took over, or whether this recent run is a mirage.

There is no doubt that the team is playing better than it had been in the 2024 Copa America or 2025 Nations League, but the recent results have come against friendlies against good but not great teams in Japan, Ecuador, Australia, and Paraguay. On Tuesday, the U.S. team gets to face a Uruguay team that is very good. Sure, friendlies do not always offer a clear picture but in a build up to a World Cup, teams are taking things seriously.

The win over Paraguay offered yet some more clues as to where the team stands and where it is headed. Some what we learned is new, but some of it reinforced what we already know.

The U.S team played well for most of the 90 minutes. Gio Reyna made a triumphant return to the U.S. team to score the opening goal with a well-placed header on a cross from Max Arfsten in the fourth minute. Then in the 10th minute, Alex Arce pulled Paraguay even after he slid home a cross from Miguel Almiron. The final goal was a winner by Folarin Balogun in the 71st minute after Reyna’s cross into the box was poorly handled by Paraguay’s defense, Balogun slammed home a loose ball.

 

It was a good effort from the U.S. team, and it would be sufficient to routinely get wins over good teams. On the other hand, to beat teams such as Uruguay, it was likely not enough.

That’s why Tuesday’s game is so important. It raises the expectations or the bar on what has been a nice run since September and sees where the team stands before a four-month break until March.

Here are some thoughts on the team after the Paraguay win and heading into Tuesday night.

 

Reyna remains in contention

 

Given how little he has played this season or in any of the previous four seasons at the club level, Gio Reyna had a lot of eyes on him when he was named to the starting lineup. But in just four minutes, Reyna put the U.S. team ahead with a perfect header on a cross from Arfsten.

But overall, Reyna was sharp. He was involved in the build-up to the second goal as his cross eventually resulted in the loose ball Balogun pounced on to hit home. He was aggressive and looking to create chances.

 

It was a good reminder of the natural talent level he has. It will certainly keep him in contention for the World Cup team. He was definitely one of the big winners on the night.

But Reyna’s grip on a roster spot is still not firm. First, there are injured players in his position that will return soon – such as Malik Tillman. Second, he still must find a way to improve his situation at Borussia Monchengladbach. Finally, he still must demonstrate consistency – which comes over time.

But this was a great step for Reyna. A bad game would have likely sunk his chances for the World Cup. Now he’s in mix.

 

Three man-backline here to stay

 

Two months ago in September, Pochettino switched to a three-man backline formation that pushed the wingbacks further up the field and into the attack. It came through removing a central midfielder. The narrative after the first win was that this switch gave Pochettino another option in a way to play. But after three more favorable results and performances, it looks like there is no going back.

The results speak for themselves. The team has played better defense and has significantly improved its offense. Even with players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah playing only limited roles in that time, the team has been winning. Specifically, the team has been effective in generating chances from out wide.

Why would Pochettino go back now? Any coach is going to head into important games playing with players an with tactics he trusts. What was even more important about this result is that the defense help up relatively well despite the team’s best central defender, Chris Richards, on the roster.

At this point, it would be extremely surprising if the team isn’t using a three-man backline at the World Cup.

 

Tessmann, Scally, Arfsten played well

 

On top of Reyna, it was a positive performance from several other players who helped their case to make the World Cup team and perhaps see minutes there.

Max Arfsten: is now at the point where he is very likely to make the U.S. national team roster. The question is whether he is the starter should Antonee Robinson not return to the level needed (which is a fair question at this period). Arfsten assisted on the opening goal with a very nice move and pass to Reyna. He also won 10/14 of his ground duels, four tackles, four dribbles, and 97 total touches. His defense was lacking, but his value to the team since the switch in defensive formation has skyrocketed. 

It wasn’t all perfect for Arfsten with his decision making late in the game. But his positives outweigh his negatives. Plus, he has a lot of chemistry with this team right now having been the team’s starter for most of this year.

Tanner Tessmann: After a good performance last window against Ecuador, Tessmann has kept up the momentum against Paraguay with a good 90-minute shift. He connected passes that moved the ball into the attack and his defense helped shield the backline.

Joe Scally: in his return to the national team, he was put into his secondary position defensively in a three-man backline. He was caught up field on the Paraguay goal, but showed promise with his ability to pass out of the back. This performance helped his case to be part of the team with his versatility.

 

Balogun, invisible until…

 

If Balogun was one of Pochettino’s substitutions in the 67th minute, it would have been a poor performance. He could not get anything going and he had yet to have a single touch in Paraguay’s box.

That all changed in the 71st minute when a loose ball fell his way and he reacted instinctively to pounce on it and put it home. It was his only touch in Paraguay’s box all game before he was subbed out in the 75th minute.

 

That’s the life of a striker at the high levels of international soccer. Chances are hard to come by.

In the end, Balogun helped his case to be the team’s starting number nine when he finished his chance and Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and couldn’t score his from close range (needing to take an extra touch).

Balogun has it in him to be more dangerous over the course of a game. He will need to be better than he was. But his tough game didn’t frustrate him and it didn’t stop him from reacting so well on that chance.

 

Winning without key players

 

The U.S. team defeated Paraguay without many key players. That is a huge testament to the team and Pochettino. It is a sign that things are going the right way.

The narrative before this camp was questioning what could be accomplished without Pulisic, Weah, McKennie, Robinson, Richards, or Tillman. But the answer is that this team can still win against a good team.

It’s always about the “next man up” philosophy and checking excuses at the door.

The mentality of this team is a lot better now than it was before. Now Pochettino must keep it that way.

 

The scuffle at the end

 

The end of the game was marred in pushing and shoving that began when Alex Freeman won a throw in and tried to retrieve the ball Paraguay captain Gustavo Gomez. That scuffle escalated when Sebastian Berhalter got involved to help Freeman.

Commentators tend to frown on these incidents, but it is also a sign of togetherness. The U.S. team was in control of the match. This scuffle did not begin with frustration for the U.S. team, but they had each other’s backs. Pochettino knows South American soccer better than anyone. He was probably not disappointed with what he saw from the U.S. team.

On another point, Freeman seems like the last player on the U.S. team an opposing team would want to tangle with.

 

A look to Uruguay

 

Next up is Uruguay what will see two of Argentina’s great coaches in Pochettino and Marcelo Bielsa face each other. The respect Pochettino has in Bielsa is massive and this will be special for both players.

Expect there to be a lot of rotation with the players who played a lot against Paraguay. Pochettino is unlikely to want to send players back to their clubs if they played north of 150 minutes this window. Perhaps some players whose seasons are over – Max Arfsten, Christian Roldan, Tim Ream – are fair game to start despite playing for a long time in the first game.

But players like Tanner Tessmann, Joe Scally, Sergino Dest, Brenden Aaronson, and Folarin Balogun might be rotated out.

Mark McKenzie, Alex Freeman, Aidan Morris, Diego Luna, Haji Wright, and Ricardo Pepi seem like strong candidates to start.

But motivation should be there for everyone. If a team can win against Uruguay, the players involved should feel better about their status on the team and what the team can do next summer.

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