Chris_richards_-_asn_top_-_usmnt_training_-_june_2026
Friday kickaround

Richards to miss Germany friendly, U.S. U-21s and U-20s win, Kochen nears loan

ASN examines the big question involving Chris Richards, the nice pair of wins for two U.S. youth national teams on Friday, and Diego Kochen potential loan to Lyngby
BY Paul Stephens Posted
June 05, 2026
4:05 PM

THE END OF THE WEEK brings us plenty of news outside of the USMNT preparations for Saturday’s friendly against Germany. The news mainly involves U.S. youth national teams as well as rumors of potential transfers and loans.

Let’s start with the kids.

 

U.S. YNT notch wins

All U.S. youth national teams are in action in the first week of June and the U.S. U-20 and U-21 teams both came away with wins in friendlies.

For those still getting caught up to the new format, the U-20 and U-21 teams consist mostly of players who will make up the player pool for the 2028 Olympic U-23 team. The U-21 team, however, does include a few players born in 2004 with are too old for the upcoming Olympics but who U.S. Soccer wants to keep in the system.

The U.S. U-19 team, however, is the traditional U-20 team as we know it. That team will compete in U-20 World Cup qualifying in July-August and beginning in the fall will become known as the U-20 team.

Here are a look at the two wins today.

 

U.S. U-21s defeat Ukraine 3-1

 

The United States U-21 team opened their camp in Slovenia with a 3-1 win over Ukraine on Friday afternoon. After Ukraine opened the scoring early in the first half, the U.S. team scored twice before the break to take a 2-1 lead. Then they added a third early in the second half to claim a 3-1 lead.

An Olympic coach hasn’t been named but this team was coached by Northwestern University head coach Russell Payne.

Here was Payne’s lineup for the game.



The U.S. goals were all scored by players who struggled or are struggling to get minutes this past year.

Atlanta United’s Luke Brennan scored the first U.S. goal when he headed home a cross from Cole Campbell.

 Then it was Damion Downs who put the U.S. team up in the 43rd minute when he fired in a rebound after a ball hit the post.

Finally, it was Cole Campbell in the 57th minute who was able to fire a ball in from close range after a nice individual effort from Jackson Hopkins on the right side.

A video for all goals can be found here.



Next up the U.S. team will take on Uzbekistan on Monday to conclude camp.

 

U.S. U-20s defeat Georgia 2-1

 

The United States U-20 team is currently holding a camp in Bulgaria where they played their first friendly on Friday against the Georgia’s U-21 team. This team is coached by Rob Valentino.

The U.S. team controlled most of the game but were extremely lucky in the first half when Georgia was awarded a penalty and the ensuing kick was sent way over the bar.

But the U.S. team scored the only goal of the game in the second half when Colorado Rapids attacker Bryce Jamieson narrowly beat an offside line and fired home a low cross from the right side.

 

The U.S. team will face North Macedonia on Monday to conclude camp.

 

Kochen nears loan

 

Diego Kochen, who is one of the top American goalkeeping prospects, is reportedly nearing a loan from Barcelona to Lyngby in Denmark

Lyngby was recently promoted to the Danish Superliga via the promotional playoff.



Kochen has been a U.S. youth international for years but recently missed out on a big opportunity with the U.S. U-20 team in September. He was named to the 2025 United States U-20 World Cup team but was recalled shortly before the first game by Barcelona who needed him back due to an injury with the first team. Kochen is still highly rated by U.S. Soccer and Mauricio Pochettino currently has him with the full national team (along with Philadelphia Union teenage keeper Andrew Rick) to help them train for the World Cup. 

The bottom line is that if Kochen plays, it will be an excellent loan. If he can keep Lyngby in the Superliga, then it will be even better. He needs to simply go somewhere where he will play.

 

Richards update

 

As the United States prepares to face Germany in what will be a high level tuneup for both teams in Chicago, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino will again be without his top central defender, Chris Richards, who is still out with an ankle injury.

“He is still not ready to compete and play,” Pochettino said on Friday.

The good news is that Richards is back training in individual drills on grass giving hope that he will not need to be replaced on the final roster. The U.S. has until 24 hours before its first game to make a change on the roster due to injury.

If Richards needs to be replaced, the best guess is that Tanner Tessmann joins the team as he could tighten up central midfield while also being an emergency central defender.  

 

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