Folarin Balogun scored in the 71st minute as the U.S. men’s national team rallied to tie Ecuador 1-1 in a friendly in Austin, Texas, on Friday as the countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues.
The U.S. struggled to break the defense in the second half, but a takeaway deep in the Ecuador end put the ball on the foot of Tanner Tessmann. He passed to Malik Tillman on the right side of the box, and Tillman found Balogun running toward the near post for his seventh goal and second in two matches.
It ended Ecuador’s shutout streak at 520 minutes.
Enner Valencia put Ecuador in the lead 24th minute on its only shot on goal in the half.
U.S. star midfielder Christian Pulisic, who was questionable after not training due to an undisclosed injury, entered in the 73rd minute.
Ecuador, ranked 24th in the FIFA world rankings, has qualified for the World Cup, as has the next USMNT opponent, Australia (whom the Americans face Tuesday in Commerce City, Colo.). The 2025 schedule wraps up Nov. 15 vs. Paraguay in Chester, Pa., and three days later against Uruguay in Tampa.
Ecuadoran goalkeeper Hernan Galindez was the difference in the first half with two athletic saves sandwiching the Valencia goal.
He made a lunging stop on a break by Balogun in the eighth minute and fully extended to make a save with his left hand on a shot by Chris Richards from the middle of the box off a corner kick in the 26th as the 16th-ranked U.S. looked to respond to the deficit created by Valencia.
Ecuador had been outplayed until John Yeboah gathered a giveaway and sent Valencia down the right channel. His first touch put him by Richards and in position for a shot to the far netting past Matt Freese.
The match was played two days shy of the anniversary of Mauricio Pochettino’s debut as the U.S. coach, a 2-0 win over Panama in Austin. He is 10-7-2.
–Field Level Media
