The September international window was a bit all over the place for the U.S. team, though it did finish on an upbeat note. A poor first-half performance Saturday against South Korea condemned the Americans to a 2-0 defeat, but the team rebounded Tuesday against Japan as attackers Folarin Balogun and Alex Zendejas made the most of their rare starts, contributing a goal each in a 2-0 victory. A change in formation -- let's call it a 3-4-3, with the presumed wingers taking up positions in the pockets underneath the center forward -- provided increased defensive stability, though there is still room for improvement.
USMNT 2026 World Cup Big Board 2.0: Balogun, Zendejas rise
