Republic of Ireland vs. USA
International Friendly
June 2, 2018
Aviva Stadium; Dublin, Ireland
Live Broadcast: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2, UniMás and UDN
Tonight’s U.S. MNT Starting XI vs. Republic of Ireland: 1-Bill Hamid; 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 5-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 3-Matt Miazga, 19-Jorge Villafaña; 20-Wil Trapp (capt.); 11-Tim Weah, 4-Tyler Adams, 6-Weston McKennie, 23-Rubio Rubin; 7-Bobby Wood
Substitutes: 12-Zack Steffen, 8-Joe Corona, 9-Andrija Novakovich, 13-Josh Sargent, 15-Eric Lichaj, 17-Antonee Robinson, 18-Shaq Moore, 21-Tim Parker, 24-Luca de la Torre
- U.S. MNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this match): DeAndre Yedlin (51), Bobby Wood (38), Jorge Villafaña (18), Rubio Rubin (7), Bill Hamid (6), Matt Miazga (6), Tyler Adams (4), Wil Trapp (4), Cameron Carter-Vickers (3), Weston McKennie (3), Tim Weah (3)
- The U.S. Men’s National Team will wear rainbow numbers as part of U.S. Soccer’s celebration of Pride Month. The MNT will do the same for its June 9 match at France, as will the WNT for their two-game set against China PR on June 7 and June 12. Sarachan’s lineup will have eight changes to the Starting XI that faced Bolivia. Midfielders Weston McKennie, Rubio Rubin and Tim Weah are the only holdover starters from the 3-0 win on Monday in Chester, Pa. Villafaña also entered the match as an 89th minute substitute.
- The Starting XI’s average cap number (including this match): 13 caps
- Tonight’s Starting XI has an average age of 23 years, 73 days. It is the second-youngest starting lineup MNT head coach Dave Sarachan has fielded in his five matches in charge, coming in behind the team that began Monday’s 3-0 win vs. Bolivia (22 years, 160 days).
- Six starters are 22 and younger: Miazga, Rubin (22); Carter-Vickers (20); Adams, McKennie (19); Weah (18)
- The USA has held opponents scoreless in its last 329 minutes of play, keeping three-straight clean sheets this year. The last goal conceded came in the 31st minute of the 1-1 draw at Portugal on Nov. 14, 2017.
- Sarachan runs out the same four-man back line that went the full 90 minutes and helped keep a clean sheet in the USA’s 1-0 win against Paraguay on March 27 in Cary, N.C.
- Making his fifth MNT appearance, Wil Trapp captains the side for the third time tonight. Trapp wore the armband in the USA’s 0-0 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina (January 28) and 1-0 win against Paraguay (March 27).
- Tonight’s match serves as a “send-off” for long-time Ireland center back John O’Shea. A five-time Premier League champion with Manchester United and former teammate of MNT right back DeAndre Yedlin at Sunderland, the veteran defender will end his international career with 117 caps – third most all-time for the Boys in Green.
- Six of the starting XI are products of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
- Eight players have represented the USA at a Youth World Cup: Adams (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Carter-Vickers (2015, 2017 U-20), Miazga (2015 U-20), Rubin (2015 U-20), Trapp (2013 U-20), Villafaña (2009 U-20), Weah (2017 U-17), Yedlin (2013 U-20)
- Having partnered during the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Matt Miazga pair together for the third time with the MNT.
- The MNT starting XI represents clubs in six different countries: England (3), Germany (2), Mexico (2), USA (2), Denmark (1), France (1).
- Three players will look to make their MNT debuts tonight: Luca de la Torre, Shaq Moore and Tim Parker.
- Three players took part in the MNT’s last visit to Dublin, a 4-1 loss on Nov. 18, 2014. Bill Hamid started the match in goal, while Rubio Rubin and Bobby Wood entered as substitutes.
- Weah and Trapp will make their first appearances for the MNT on European soil.
- Midfielders Julian Green (right foot injury) and Kenny Saief (right knee injury) were held out of tonight’s squad due to injury. Midfielder Keaton Parks, defender Erik Palmer-Brown and goalkeeper William Yarbrough also will not dress for the match.
- Both teams will dress 20 players and are allowed six substitutions in tonight’s match.
- The series with Ireland is one of the MNT’s longest running. The USA faced the Boys in Green in its sixth international match, a 3-1 defeat in Dublin on June 16, 1924.
- The MNT has a 2-5-2 all-time mark against Ireland. The side opened the 1992 U.S. Cup by collecting a 3-1 win on May 30, 1992 in Washington, D.C. The match marked the international debuts of future MNT captain Thomas Dooley and striker Roy Wegerle.
- The USA’s other victory came June 9, 1996 in Foxborough, Mass. Tab Ramos and Claudio Reyna scored to give the USA a 2-1 win in the opening match of the 1996 Nike U.S. Cup.
