With expected incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino waiting in the wings, interim head coach Mikey Varas leads the U.S. men’s national team into a friendly against northern rivals Canada on Saturday in Kansas City.
It’s the first time the USMNT will take the field after the disappointment at this summer’s Copa America, where the United States crashed out in the group stage, a finish that marked the end for head coach Gregg Berhalter.
Pochettino is reportedly set to sign his contract in short order, but has not done so yet officially, leading Varas to take charge in this match. The Argentine head coach is expected to be in attendance for the match, to get an eye on the players he will lead into a World Cup on home soil in two years’ time.
Canada, meanwhile, are continuing to build on their successful Copa America, having made the semifinals to the surprise of many viewers. American head coach Jesse Marsch has a tenuous relationship with U.S. Soccer, but has become entrenched in his current position in just a short amount of time.
It’s the first chance for Marsch to take the field following the drone scandal that rocked Canada Soccer during the Olympics. While that focused largely on the women’s team, it also shed a dark cloud over the men’s program which has…
