How to watch Mexico vs USMNT live: stream link, TV channel, team news, prediction

Mauricio Pochettino will delve even deeper into the USMNT player pool on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET) when he gets his first taste of the U.S.-Mexico rivalry south of the border.

[ RECAP: USMNT 2-0 Panama: USA perfect in the Pochettino era | Player ratings ]

After beating Panama 2-0 in his debut as USMNT head coach on Saturday, Pochettino immediately released five players, including Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, to return to their clubs. Pulisic’s departure serves to manage the load after he had already logged more than 700 minutes for AC Milan in the young season. With 6 goals and 2 assists in 9 games, it’s no wonder Pulisic is a bit tense. McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Zack Steffen and Marlon Fossey were not expected to play against Mexico due to minor injuries.

[ MORE: Three things we learned from Pochettino’s USMNT debut ]

The question now is: can they create enough chances with Pulisic out of the team, when so much of what they did well in the final third against Panama went straight through the 26-year-old superstar? Yunus Musah is likely to be deployed as a winger – a tactical change he liked and which Pochettino welcomed on Saturday – while Brenden Aaronson moved to the left wing in Pulisic’s absence. It will be a low-volume game for the USMNT, meaning they will have no choice but to make the most of scoring chances and set pieces.

[ MORE: Gregg Berhalter lands next coaching gig ]

Here’s how to watch USMNT vs. Panama Live, stream link and start time

Kick-off time: 10:30 p.m. ET Tuesday (October 15)
Venue: Estadio Akron in Jalisco, Guadalajara
Here’s how to watch: TNT, max

USMNT team news, focus

The USMNT effectively played in a 3-4-3 formation against Panama, with Musah providing width on the right, Joe Scally playing a wider center-back role behind him, and Antonee Robinson being given even more space (if you can believe that) on the left . It worked against an overwhelmed Panama side, but would probably put the back three of Scally, Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie under more pressure than they are ready for after two or three training sessions with the new coach. It will probably be a rigid 4-3-3 system that puts a lot of players behind the ball when in possession and tries to build up the attack slowly.

Mexican team news, focus

Mexico played La Liga side Valencia to a 2-2 draw on Saturday, with Alexis Vega and Ozziel Herrera getting on the scoresheet. A number of first-team players, including Edson Alvarez and Raul Jimenez, have been rested for the first game of this window, meaning they are likely to be fully fit and in the lineup on Tuesday. El Tri have to do without regular players Jesus Gallardo and Uriel Antuna this week.

Mexico vs USMNT prediction

It won’t be a nice football game – anything but likely. The USMNT’s injury crisis is such that the uglier the game, the better their chances of a positive result. Shoe, hit other foot. Mexico 0-0 USA.