⚽️ U.S. Men's National Team vs. El Salvador
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 9
Location: Inter Miami CF Stadium - Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. CT
Broadcast: ESPNews, UniMás, TUDN
📰 Pre-Match Reading
ChicagoFireFC.com | Terens: How Mihailović, Pineda might fit into USMNT's plans
ChicagoFireFC.com | First Team All-ACC to first USMNT Call-Up: Pineda's big year
ChicagoFireFC.com | La oportunidad de Mauricio Pineda
SB Nation | Mihailovic, Pineda called up to U.S. Men’s National Team
USSoccer.com | Five things to know about El Salvador
MLSsoccer.com | USA vs. El Salvador Match Preview
👀 Must-See Content | Fire Academy throwback
The 2020 call-up to the senior U.S. Men's National Team is just the latest in a list of footballing achievements for Pineda and Mihailović. As shared on Twitter by the @USMNT, the pair were U.S. Soccer Development Academy champions with the Chicago Fire Academy back in 2015-15.
🤔 Fast Fact
Should they appear on Sunday, Mihailović would receive his sixth cap for the USMNT after appearing for them five times in 2019 (including two appearances at the Concacaf Gold Cup). Pineda would receive his first cap for the senior Men's National Team after previously representing the country on the Under-18 and Under-19 level.
🗣 Sound Off | Gregg Berhalter
In a Dec. 3 Q&A on USSoccer.com, Berhalter had this to say of his group of centerbacks currently in camp, among which Pineda will be competing to make an appearance on Wednesday night:
"I think the center back position is pretty open and we wanted diversity in the pool in this camp. We have two experienced guys in Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long, then you have inexperience with Mark McKenzie, who had a fantastic season, and Mauricio Pineda, who had a very solid season and is Olympic-eligible as well. For us, it’s really looking to see who’s going to take advantage of this opportunity, who can have a good performance in this camp and really try to stake their claim to be the starter on the team.”
🆚 USA vs. El Salvador All-Time
The U.S. are currently 17-1-5 all-time against El Salvador dating back to 1977. The two teams last met in the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals, a 2-0 win for the U.S. on July 19, 2007 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
