Soccer
The US men’s national team battled back from a first-half deficit to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw vs. Ecuador at Austin FC‘s Q2 Stadium on Friday night.
Following a back-and-forth affair in the early stages, Ecuador opened the scoring after 24 minutes. Veteran forward Enner Valencia raced past Chris Richards on a lightning-quick counterattack before beating New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese at the far post.
The US continued to push for an equalizer in the 37th minute, as a redirected cross looked destined for the top corner, before La Tri goalkeeper Hernán Galindez made a stunning save. Folarin Balogun and Aidan Morris also had chances on the counterattack, but couldn’t break through as Ecuador took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The US applied consistent pressure throughout the second half and were rewarded for their efforts in the 71st minute. Malik Tillman set up Balogun, who deposited his close-range finish off the post to even the match at 1-1.
Haji Wright nearly snatched a late winner for the USMNT in the 89th minute, but couldn’t convert a breakaway chance as the two sides settled for a draw.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: The USMNT secured a well-deserved point against a South American squad already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. La Tri boast a strong defense, conceding just once in their previous 10 matches heading into Friday. Despite not getting the win, the US showed fight in a performance that should inspire confidence, especially after a bright end to the September international window.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Balogun rescued a point for the USMNT, bringing the home fans to their feet with his 71st-minute equalizer.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 11, 2025
- MAN OF THE MATCH: After a strong September window, Balogun found the back of the net in the second straight game.
Back-to-back matches with a goal for Folarin Balogun! ⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/gcfVaJpykF
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) October 11, 2025
Next Up
- USA: Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. Australia | 9 pm ET | International friendly
- ECU: Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. Mexico | 10:30 pm ET | International friendly
Read MoreMaribel Schroeder