Mauricio Pochettino buoyed by USMNT showing in Ecuador draw 🙌

Mauricio Pochettino could not help but be positive after the United States Men's national team earned a gutsy 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Friday. 

A second-half Folarin Balogun strike erased a one-goal deficit in a game in which the United States may feel they should have gone on to earn a victory. 

Ecuador came into the affair unbeaten in 11 matches, a record-streak for the South American nation, but Pochettino's side looked more than comfortable in a physical, tightly contested battle. 

“I think what works the most is that we are here talking about actions, concepts, formations, things like this,” Pochettino said in his postgame press conference.

“That, for me, is, after one year, I am so, so, so happy that we don't talk about other things like commitment, attitude. That is a massive step up.”

The USMNT had more shots, shots on target, possession and over 250 more passes than Ecuador in their 1-1 draw.

Best performance of the USMNT thus far in the Mauricio Pochettino era? pic.twitter.com/8wdXmkMMML

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) October 11, 2025

Tactics and team selection aside, Pochettino's USMNT had been roundly criticized for a perceived lack of effort during the summer, but the cultural shift American fans have been waiting for appears to be finally taking shape.

Next up for the Stars and Stripes is a friendly showdown with Australia in Denver Tuesday evening. 

📸 Omar Vega - 2025 Getty Images