Neither the United States or Ecuador have anything to play for this is international friendly, but that doesn't mean it's not a big deal for US fans. This will be the 157th and final national team match for Landon Donovan who is retiring at the end of the season, ending the run of what might be the greatest US player of all time.
USA vs. Ecuador live stream: How to watch their friendly online
U.S. Soccer will say goodbye to Landon Donovan as he plays in his final national team match.
With his club team the LA Galaxy battling for playoff positioning, Donovan is only expected to play 20-30 minutes of Friday. The game serves as a chance for fans to say goodbye to a man who has been the face of US Soccer over the past decade and a half. It will also close a contentious period between Donovan and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann who left him off the World Cup roster over the summer.
Klinsmann could play some of the new faces he called in for these games including Greg Garza, Luis Gil, Alfredo Morales, Joe Gyau, and Bobby Wood.
Key player - Landon Donovan (USA)
Let’s be honest, there’s not a key player in a match that means absolutely nothing. Friday is all about Donovan as he will no doubt get a huge ovation from the crowd both at the opening of the match and when he’s subbed out something during he first half. Hopefully it’s a positive experience, because no matter how you feel about the midfielder, he’s left a mark on U.S. Soccer.
Key question - Do Klinsmann and Donovan bury the hatchet?
In the wake of Donovan being left off the World Cup roster, the Galaxy midfielder has had little positive to say about Klinsmann. Most of the week has been sent discussing whether or not Klinsmann son ever apologized for a tweet mocking Donovan after he was left off the roster back in the summer. From a purely soap opera standpoint, it will be interested to see if the two men have any kind of interaction at all.
Match Date/Time: Friday, 7 p.m. local, 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Rentschler Field, Connecticut, USA
TV: ESPN (U.S. - English), UniMás (U.S. - Spanish), Gamavision (Ecuador)
Online: Watch ESPN, ESPN3, Univision Deportes En Vivo (U.S.)
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