AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Folarin Balogun scored in the 71st minute, offsetting Enner Valencia’s first-half goal, and the United States tied Ecuador 1-1 in a friendly on Friday night.
Balogun scored for the second straight game, his seventh goal in 20 international appearances, after Tim Weah intercepted a clearance and passed to Tanner Tessmann, who sent the ball wide to Malik Tillman.
Tillman crossed where Balogun got in front of Joel Ordóñez and from just inside the 6-yard box redirected the ball past goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez and in off the inside of the near post.
The 16th-ranked Americans remained with one win in their last eight games against top 25 opponents since March 2024, 2-0 last month over a mostly second-string Japan roster.
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“It’s good to build momentum,” Balogun said. “Disappointed to not get the win but I think we was the better side and there was a lot of positives to take into the next game.”
The U.S. plays Australia on Tuesday at Commerce City, Colorado, and faces Paraguay and Uruguay next month, then has only a pair of March friendlies before coach Mauricio Pochettino calls in players for his pre-World Cup training camp.
The Americans had 66% possession and outshot Ecuador 11-8. Galíndez dived to parry Balogun’s shot from just inside the penalty area in the eighth minute and pushed Richards’ shot off his left post in the 26th.
“I felt like we dominated,” midfielder Weston McKennie said. “I hope we take confidence. I hope we take the adrenaline from this game, playing forward, rotating the ball, having patience with the ball, and just always trying to be dangerous.”
Pochettino returned to Austin, where he coached his first U.S. match on Oct. 12 last year. The U.S. is 11-7-1 since he took over.
No. 24 Ecuador, which finished second behind Argentina in South American World Cup qualifying, extended its team-record unbeaten streak to 12 games, including seven draws.
La Tri is at Mexico on Tuesday.
Valencia scored in the 24th minute when he touched a through pass from Jordy Alcivar wide of Chris Richards, broke in on goal with two more touches and shot just past Matt Freese’s outstretched right hand and inside the far post. Valencia, who turns 36 next month, is Ecuador’s goals leader with 48 in 101 international appearances.
Christian Pulisic, the top U.S. player, didn’t start because of a sore ankle and entered in the 73rd minute.
Max Arfsten on the left and Weah on the right started as wing backs in a 3-4-3 formation. Five days after his birthday, defender Tim Ream became the fourth non-goalkeeper to play for the U.S. at 38 or older after Ed Murphy in 1969, Gordon Bradley in 1973 and Preki Radosavljević in 2001. Ream was joined by Richards and Miles Robinson on the back line.
Left back Antonee Robinson and forward Alex Zendejas did not dress.
USMNT tops Japan in friendly, ends losing streak against top 25 opponents
Folarin Balogun and Alejandro Zendejas scored for the United States in its first win over a top 25 team since March 2024.
USMNT stumbles in pre-World Cup friendly against Son Heung-Min’s South Korea squad
The friendly in New Jersey was another American home match where the crowd overwhelmingly supported the visitors.
Find more World Cup coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.