'Meet Me in Saint Louis'

National Team returns to America’s first soccer capital

St. Louis has a rich soccer legacy, dating back to the late 19th century. The passion for the sport has made the city a fertile ground for developing American soccer talent and a desirable location for hosting the U.S. Men’s National Team. It will be the 13th time the men’s side has played at the Gateway to the West.

The foundation of St. Louis’s soccer culture was laid in the early 20th century with the formation of the St. Louis Soccer League (SLSL). The SLSL, founded in 1907, was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States at that time. The league’s success helped elevate the level of play in the city and produced players who would go on to represent the United States on the international stage.

St. Louis’s impact on the USMNT was profoundly evident during the 1950 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. team, which pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by defeating England 1-0, featured five players from St. Louis. Many of these players came from the city’s historically Italian neighborhood, “The Hill”.

St. Louis’s soccer legacy extends beyond producing players; the city has also hosted significant USMNT matches. St. Louis’s first official U.S. match was in 1957 at the Public School Grounds — a 3-2 defeat to Canada.

In 1984 and 1985, Busch Memorial Stadium was the site of two USMNT matches, starting with a 4-0 victory over Netherlands Antilles, which then setup a CONCACAF Championship match between the USMNT and Trinidad and Tobago, with the U.S. emerging victorious 2-1.

Fenton Soccer Park played host to three matches during 1990 World Cup Qualifying, including the 1-0 over Costa Rica with Tab Ramos netting the winner.

More recently, the USMNT kicked off their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a resounding 6-1 win against St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the new Busch Stadium in 2015. The match drew a crowd of 43,433, highlighting the city’s support for the national team.

The arrival of St. Louis City SC in Major League Soccer in 2023 marked another milestone in the city’s soccer history. The team's home stadium, now Energizer Park (formerly CITYPARK), hosted its first men's international matches during the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the U.S. beat Saint Kitts and Nevis 6-0. Most recently, Tim Weah, Ricardo Pepi and Christian Pulisic scored in a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan in St. Louis on Sep 9, 2023.

Weah Set to Return for Second Leg

Winger ready to come back after serving two-match suspension

United States winger Tim Weah is set to make his return to the national team Monday as it faces Jamaica in the second leg of the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals. The U.S. holds a 1-0 aggregate lead, and Weah will be available for his first minutes since receiving a costly red card against Panama in the Copa América.

The ejection, which saw the U.S. reduced to 10 men in an eventual 2-1 loss to Panama, contributed to the team's early tournament exit, which led to a management change. Weah has been candid about the impact of that moment.

"It was hard," Weah said Sunday. "It played a pretty negative role in how the rest of the tournament went and obviously no player wants that to happen... So I mean it was a moment and I think I've kind of accepted it and matured in a way that it just never happened again and we just have to move on." ESPN

New U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed confidence in the young winger, who has been in impressive form for Juventus with four goals in eight Serie A appearances this season.

"He's a very good player, very aggressive with the ball, fast, good legs," Pochettino said. "He's young, but it's normal. He can make a mistake. We need to help him, for him to evolve and to learn. But I think he's a very clever player. Always smiling. He brought very good energy to the group." Fox Sports

Pepi Scores, Rumors Start

The striker continues to turn heads as Liverpool
among others are monitoring his development

Ricardo Pepi continues to boost his profile both internationally and in Europe, scoring the decisive goal in the United States' 1-0 victory over Jamaica on Thursday.

"We were here to fight. We knew it was going to be difficult," Pepi said after the match. "At the end of the day we got the result and now it's time to go and take care of it at home." The Inquirer

The 21-year-old striker's goal, his 12th in 32 international appearances, came from a Christian Pulisic setup. Pepi timed his run perfectly to get behind Jamaica's defense, and despite a slight mishit, his shot found the net off the far post.

The goal marked another milestone in Pepi's rising career, making him just the fourth American to score 12 international goals before age 22, joining elite company with Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Pulisic.

At the club level, Pepi has become an important figure at PSV Eindhoven, where he has already netted six goals this season, halfway to his personal best in the Eredivisie. While primarily serving as a backup to veteran Luuk de Jong, Pepi's performances have caught the attention of several European clubs. According to recent reports, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund are monitoring the American striker. While PSV values Pepi at around €25 million and sees him as a long-term investment, they might consider offers if the price is right.

With the 2026 World Cup just 18 months away, Pepi has established himself as a key figure in Pochettino's U.S. squad but hopes to be the starter moving forward.

"I'm at a point in my career right now where I'm ready,” Pepi said. “I'm ready to either start, to get more playing time. I feel like I've been showing that." Yahoo

Injury Update

Cardoso is out, but Aaronson returns as National Team is stretched thin

The United States men's national team will be without midfielders Johnny Cardoso and Aidan Morris for Monday's CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg against Jamaica in St. Louis.

Cardoso, who has made 18 appearances for the national team, was forced off in the 21st minute of Thursday's 1-0 first-leg victory with a left hamstring strain. The Real Betis midfielder returned to Spain for rehabilitation. Morris, who has established himself at English Championship side Middlesbrough this season, is sidelined with a knee sprain.

However, the U.S. received positive news as Brenden Aaronson has recovered from illness and returned to training. The Leeds United midfielder, who has recorded four goals and one assist in Championship play this season, should be available for selection.

No replacements will be added to the 23-player roster as the U.S. looks to protect its one-goal aggregate lead and advance to a fourth consecutive Nations League semifinal.

Another Day at "The Office"

After a chaotic first 15 minutes, the USMNT

settled in and held on in first-leg victory

The U.S. Men's National Team took a big step toward qualifying for two important competitions next year with a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the opening leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series on Thursday in Kingston.

Striker Ricardo Pepi scored the game's lone goal in the 5th minute, finishing off a well-worked move involving Christian Pulisic and Johnny Cardoso. Goalkeeper Matt Turner also came up big for the Americans, saving a 14th-minute penalty kick to preserve the lead.

The win gives the USMNT a narrow 1-0 aggregate advantage heading into the second leg, which will be played on Nov. 18 in St. Louis. The winner of the two-game series will qualify for both the 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals and next summer's Concacaf Gold Cup.

In his third game in charge, new USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino named a starting lineup featuring the same back four as his first USMNT match, with Joe Scally, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson in front of Turner. Midfielders Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah also returned to the XI.

Jamaica quickly made their intentions known, pressing the Americans aggressively and trying to take advantage of the uneven playing surface at the National Stadium. But the U.S. found a swift response, with Pulisic setting up Pepi's opener in the opening five minutes. Pulisic, playing in a more free role, turned in the central space and found Pepi streaking in toward the goal.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead a couple of minutes later through chances from Robinson and Pulisic, but then, Jamaica were awarded a penalty when Turner fouled Shamar Nicholson. However, the goalkeeper atoned for his mistake, diving to his right to parry Demarai Gray's spot kick.

The second half saw the USMNT control possession more comfortably, though Jamaica did threaten late on. Substitute Brandon Vazquez nearly scored an insurance goal for the Americans, but his shot was blocked.

It became increasingly heated, with seven yellow cards shown in the second half, including a second caution for Jamaica's Mason Holgate which reduced them to 10 men. The U.S. saw out the victory, earning their fourth all-time win on Jamaican soil.

Next up for the USMNT is the decisive second leg on Nov. 18 in St. Louis, where a spot in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals and Gold Cup will be on the line.

Pochettino Post Match Quotes

USMNT Manager Mauricio Pochettino praised his team's performance in a challenging 1-0 victory against Jamaica, acknowledging the need for improvement. He emphasized the importance of learning from tough matches and preparing for the next leg in St. Louis, while recognizing Jamaica's quality as a team.

Question: “You came in an arena packed with a lot of eager and excited Jamaica fans. How will you manage to silence the noise and stick to the objectives and get a crucial goal and a win heading into the second?"

Pochettino's Answer: "I think the first step is done. I want to congratulate my players because in a difficult situation, they competed really well. We competed really well, and I am so pleased. Of course, we need to improve in all areas; that is logical because it's only one month that we are working, and it is only our second camp. But I think to come here and face and play against Jamaica, a very good player, was tough for us. I think we defended well in the second half. We conceded some chances that maybe Jamaica could score, but overall I am happy with the way the team competed. We didn't concede, and now we need to prepare for the second leg in St. Louis. It's going to be tough because Jamaica, like today, showed that they are a very good team and they have very good players."

Question: “Also in the second half, we saw that the Jamaicans actually came back and applied a lot of pressure. How were you able to kind of handle that pressure and still maintain the score at the end?"

Pochettino's Answer: "I think for us it is really good to have this type of opponent like Jamaica to make us realize that we need to fight to match the aggressivity of the opponent. It's true that it's not easy competition, but we learn. We need to learn, and today is another step. Learning is easier when you win games; you can learn fast. But I think yes, it was a tough game. We need to be pleased and now try to design all the strategy to recover and be ready for Monday."

Musah’s Game-Saving Clearance

Midfielder’s quick reflexes preserve clean sheet

In the 66th minute of the match, the United States' lead was hanging in the balance. Jamaica had earned a free kick near midfield. Renaldo Cephas received Leon Bailey’s free-kick, pushing into the right side of the box before slotting a pass centrally to Mason Holgate, who was positioned just yards from the goal.

With the chance to level the game, Holgate prepared to tap the ball past U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner. But in a moment of brilliance, Yunus Musah stepped up and delivered a perfectly timed and placed tackle, denying Holgate the opportunity and keeping the U.S. lead and clean sheet intact.

Musah has been playing off the right side of midfield under new manager   Mauricio Pochettino. Musah's timely intervention proved crucial, as the match soon descended into controversy. During the ensuing corner kick, tensions flared between the two sides, leading to a shoving match between the U.S.'s Antonee Robinson and Bailey. Both players were booked for their involvement in the altercation.

Despite the heated exchanges, Musah's defensive heroics ensured the United States maintained their advantage, showcasing the young midfielder's composure and defensive prowess in a high-pressure situation. His clutch play was integral to the U.S. securing a crucial victory.

Turner’s Redemption

Goalkeeper makes penalty save
after committing foul that led to the spot kick

Right after Ricardo Pepi scored in the 5th minute, the USMNT created two more clear chances with Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic missing those chances.

The match shifted back to the home side in the 12th minute when Matt Turner brought down Shamar Nicholson after a slaloming run. A few are at fault before Nicholson even gets close to Turner. It starts with Joe Scally giving the ball away on a pass after Johnny Cardoso intercepted a Jamaican pass. Kasey Palmer played the initial pass into Nicholson, who now just has centerbacks Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream in his way.

Nicholson makes a nice touch and spin move to elude Ream and a cutback on the right foot that leaves Ream in the dust. McKenzie steps over to defend and does well to tackle the ball, but it falls back to Nicholson, who just has Turner to beat.

Turner dives for the ball, Nicholson gets a touch on the ball and the goalkeeper clips the attacker's foot, dragging him down. It appears on replay that Nicholson was expecting the contact as he lunged to poke the ball away from the goalkeeper.

Demarai Gray stepped up to face Turner from the spot. His right-footed shot was struck with some force to the goalkeeper’s right. The shot was at a height perfect for Turner to save. The American guessed correctly, diving to his right to push the shot wide. Turner was pumped after the save, screaming and celebrating with his teammates.

“Needed a play like that for a long time now,” Turner said. The Washington Post

Turner had been struggling for minutes since making the move from Nottingham Forest to Crystal Palace over the summer, playing just 90 minutes so far this season — an EFL Cup Fourth Round match.

“I’m just going to keep plugging away, keep controlling what I can control right now, and when my number’s called, I’m going to play the best that I can,” Turner said. The Athletic

Turner has now saved three-of-six penalties from open play in his international career. He made a penalty save on Trinidad’s Alvin Jones on his debut and last summer in the Gold Cup against Jamaica’s Leon Bailey.

Injury Issues

Injury Woes Continue for USMNT as Johnny Cardoso Joins Growing Casualty List

The United States' victory over Jamaica in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals came at a cost, as the team's depth has been further tested by injuries. Among the casualties is Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who was forced to exit the match against Jamaica with a hamstring problem.

Cardoso's absence is the latest blow for the USMNT, who are already missing the likes of Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams and Josh Sargent. With the team's schedule limited to fewer competitive matches in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, opportunities for young players like Cardoso to prove their readiness are crucial.

The 20-year-old Cardoso had earned his place in the starting lineup, only to have his performance cut short. As the USMNT prepares for the second leg against Jamaica, Mauricio Pochettino must quickly find a solution to fill the void left by Cardoso's absence.

Pochettino’s Roster Release

 New manager’s first competitive roster made public Sunday

New USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has called up 25 players for November's Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals, with most of the squad based in Europe. The roster features players enjoying solid seasons at some of Europe's top clubs, particularly in the Champions League.

Christian Pulisic headlines the attacking options, arriving in exceptional form with seven goals and four assists in 15 matches for AC Milan. He's joined by PSV Eindhoven's Malik Tillman, who earned Champions League Team of the Week honors after a spectacular performance against Girona, contributing to his season tally of six goals and four assists. Fellow PSV striker Ricardo Pepi also joins the camp in strong form, having netted seven goals across all competitions.

The midfield maintains its core strength with Juventus' Weston McKennie, AC Milan's Yunus Musah, and a resurging Brenden Aaronson from Leeds United. The defensive unit features Premier League experience with Crystal Palace duo Matt Turner and Chris Richards, alongside veteran Tim Ream and Fulham's dynamic left-back Antonee Robinson.

The squad strikes a balance between experience and youth, with eleven players aged 23 or younger, including 18-year-old FC Barcelona goalkeeper Diego Kochen, who earned his second call-up. The roster's development pathway is evident, with seventeen players having come through the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, thirteen of whom were produced by MLS academies.

Players represent clubs across nine countries, with England and Italy leading the way with five players each. The squad's average age of 25 years and average of 26 caps per player reflects Pochettino's blend of established internationals and emerging talent as he builds toward the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – NOVEMBER TRAINING CAMP ROSTER (US Soccer) GOALKEEPERS (4): Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona Atletic/ESP; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 47/0) DEFENDERS (7): Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 15/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 64/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 48/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 30/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 17/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 3/0) MIDFIELDERS (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 46/8), Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 15/1), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 17/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 56/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 9/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 43/1), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 4/0), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 16/0) FORWARDS (6): Cade Cowell (Guadalajara/MEX; 10/1),Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 31/11), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 74/31), Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey/MEX; 9/4), Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 41/6), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 9/1)