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In preparation for the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in October, the United States under-23 team will play two final friendlies. England and Qatar will be the pair of opponents Andi Herzog's group will be matched up against in these important prep matches. Starting with England on Thursday, it's time to see what this team is made of.
This group of players overall have been really disappointing all cycle. Even dating back to their U-20 cycle two years ago they've never lived up to their potential. Herzog was forced to add a plethora of current U-20 players into the mix to give this team a fighting chance at Olympic qualification.
The introduction of players such as Matt Miazga, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Emerson Hyndman, and Rubio Rubin has lifted the excitement around this squad tenfold. A younger core means that these new additions will be thrown right into the fire at a higher level than they've ever played internationally. It will be a sink or swim moment for this team once they enter the competitive environment.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 starting at 2:40 p.m. ET.
USA U-23's lineup: Cropper; Miller, Miazga, O'Neill, Okwuonu; Trapp, Hyndman, Pelosi; Kiesewetter, Rodriguez, Hernandez
How to Watch
Who: USA U-23's vs. England
When: Thursday, September 3, 2:40 p.m. ET
Where: Deepdale Stadium, Preston, England
How: ESPN3