USMNT vs. Saudi Arabia, how to watch World Cup friendly and more

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Fresh off a rough 2-0 defeat against Japan on Friday, the U.S. men’s national team will look to end its final preparation game on a high note. 

Up next for the U.S. is Saudi Arabia in the second and final international friendly in September before the 2022 FIFA World Cup commences in November. 

Saudi Arabia is competing in Group C in Qatar, which also includes Argentina, Mexico and Poland. On paper, it’s likely that Al-Saquor, which translates to “The Falcons”, could finish in last place, so the USMNT should, in theory, pick up a win on Tuesday.

But the game is played on the pitch, not on paper, and the U.S. is struggling with form. Here’s everything to know ahead of the USMNT-Saudi Arabia contest:

When is USMNT’s friendly vs. Saudi Arabia?

The USMNT will take on Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

What time is USMNT’s friendly vs. Saudi Arabia?

Kick-off time for USMNT vs. Saudi Arabia is slated for 2 p.m. ET in Murcia, Spain. 

How to watch USMNT’s friendly vs. Saudi Arabia

You can catch the English broadcast on TV via Fox Sports 1, online on FoxSports.com or on the Fox Sports mobile app. Spanish broadcasts will be available via UniMás and TUDN. 

Who are the players to watch for USMNT’s friendly vs. Saudi Arabia?

Based on the disappointing loss against Japan, plenty of players have something to prove against Saudi Arabia, depending on Gregg Berhalter’s utilization of them. In particular, keep an eye on these three:

  • Jesús Ferreira: The USMNT logged four shots against Japan but none hit the target. Ferreira missed a key sitter in the opening minutes, and he’ll need to produce against Saudi Arabia to maintain that first-choice spot at No. 9. If not, Ricardo Pepi or Josh Sargent could get an extended run. 
  • Aaron Long: The New York Red Bulls center-back looked shaky and struggled in build-up play. Walker Zimmerman wasn’t exactly the greatest either alongside Long, but he fared better in the second half when Mark McKenzie came on for Long. If Long gets good minutes against Saudi Arabia, keep an eye on him otherwise left-footed veteran John Brooks should be getting a call from Gregg Berhalter about Qatar. 
  • Sergiño Dest: The 21-year-old right-back has been returning to fitness on loan with AC Milan, and he created one key opportunity against Japan, which was the aforementioned miss by Ferreira. He’s still raw with his defensive awareness, but on his day, he’s clearly the best full-back on the USMNT roster. Playing him more minutes against Saudi Arabia should benefit him as he looks to get back to his best. 

What is Saudi Arabia’s world ranking?

Saudi Arabia is ranked No. 53 as of FIFA’s latest world ranking on Aug. 25. The USMNT is currently No. 14. 

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