We’re watching, Sacha Kljestan.
After nearly three years in the US national team wilderness, the New York Red Bulls creator re-introduced himself on the international stage in a major way earlier this month.
Kljestan was a late addition to Jurgen Klinsmann’s roster for the US’s qualifiers at St. Vincent and the Grenadines and against Trinidad and Tobago, coming in as a replacement for the injured John Brooks.
Late invite or not, Kljestan took full advantage of his opportunity. Despite only playing 24 minutes off the bench, he recorded a goal and two assists in the 6-0 win at Vincy Heat on Sept. 2, combining with Christian Pulisic on all three plays. His performance in the Caribbean pushed him into the starting XI for the contest against Trinidad and Tobago on Sept. 6 in Jacksonville, where Kljestan scored the first goal in the US’s 4-0 win.
Kljestan, who has five goals and leads MLS with 16 assists this year, should be a sure call-up for the US’s upcoming friendlies at Cuba on Oct. 7 and against New Zealand at RFK Stadium on Oct. 11.
On the surface, those exhibitions look like little more than blips on the USMNT schedule, a couple of easy matches against inferior competition that the US should cruise through.
But, with the Hexagonal-opening matches against Mexico on Nov. 11 and at Costa Rica on Nov. 15 looming, the Cuba and New Zealand contests take on added importance. The games will be the final chance for USMNT players to impress Klinsmann before the team takes on El Tri in Columbus. Trying to predict anything the German manager will do is often an exercise in futility, but I’m guessing he’ll treat next week’s camp as preparation for the November qualifiers, potentially using the Cuba and New Zealand matches as a chance to build some lineup cohesion ahead of the Hex.
Assuming he gets called in, Kljestan will have a ton riding on both matches – perhaps more than any other player in the pool.
Pretty much every other player likely to be called in for the October friendlies has far more experience under Klinsmann than Kljestan. The 31-year-old has an excellent body of work on the club level, but his lack of time with the US in the Klinsmann-era likely means he has more to prove to the US coach than most of his international teammates. That’s no fault of his own, but it means Kljestan has to really make the October matches count if he wants to make the team and crack the starting lineup in the Hex.
Trust counts a lot for any manager, Klinsmann included. Kljestan hasn’t had a lot of time to build that up on the international stage. He was excellent in September, but those were two games against much weaker competition than Mexico or Costa Rica. Cuba and New Zealand aren’t exactly high-caliber foes, either, but they’ll be the last, best chance Kljestan will have to convince Klinsmann he deserves a roster – and starting – spot in November.
