Pochettino names six teenagers to USMNT roster for Nations League quarterfinal vs. Haiti

Mauricio Pochettino is keeping the U.S. men's national team's youth movement intact for competitive play, naming six teenagers to a 25-man roster for the two-leg Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17.

Cavan Sullivan, Justin Ellis, Julian Hall, Mathis Albert, Adri Mehmeti and Neil Pierre all earned their first caps in September and account for 24% of the squad. They will play alongside the core of the team that reached the knockout stage of the World Cup, including Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, who are back with the national team for the first time since that tournament.

The U.S. won the Nations League three straight times before losing in the semifinals in the last edition. A win over Haiti would send the Americans to the competition's finals in March.

Pochettino used the September and October international windows, which featured only friendlies, to give a large group of young players their first look at senior camp. The U.S. won all four of those games, and the newcomers produced much of the offense. Hall scored three goals and set up another, Ellis scored twice, and Albert became the youngest goal scorer in national team history before Sullivan broke that record a few days later.

Hall has stayed hot since returning to his club. He has 13 goals in MLS play for Red Bull New York, three of them in six appearances after the national team camp, CBS Sports reported.

The quarterfinal will be the first competitive senior international action for the teenagers. ESPN's analysis notes that the U.S. played a loose, free-flowing style in the fall friendlies, while the veterans built a system over several years that relies on pressing opponents high up the field. The newcomers will have to learn that system quickly, ESPN wrote.

The draw should help. Haiti is ranked 84th in the world, 68 places below the U.S. Because of security concerns at home, Haiti moved its home leg to Miami, so all 180 minutes of the tie will be played in the United States, with games in Florida and Ohio.

Pochettino said the roster gives the staff a chance to experiment. He pointed to pairings that have never been tried, saying Pulisic and Albert would be together for the first time, and that the coaches would start studying how the group fits on and off the field once camp opens on Monday.

"Always our priority is with the ball," he said, adding that the team must also be organized to win the ball back quickly when it loses possession.

Pochettino said Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are both short of full fitness, so he chose to bring only one of them. Pepi played a few minutes last week, but the staff decided he would be better served continuing to train and building up his fitness, Pochettino said. He described the camp as a chance to keep helping Balogun develop after a difficult summer following the World Cup, and noted that Ellis and Hall are fully fit.

"The combination of Balogun, Ellis, and Hall I think is perfect," he said.

Pulisic arrives in form. He recently signed a new contract with AC Milan and has scored twice in his last three club appearances, including a goal in the Milan derby. Balogun, by contrast, has had trouble earning starts at Monaco after staying with the club through the summer transfer window, CBS Sports reported.

Albert, 4 caps into his international career, has seen little playing time at Borussia Dortmund. Pochettino said he considers the midfielder fully fit and described him as having "a quality that is not easy to find" in other players. He said the coaching staff hopes time with the national team will restore Albert's confidence and help him earn more minutes at his club.

On defense, George Campbell faces a late fitness test after he was taken off at halftime of West Bromwich Albion's last match with an injury. Pierre and Campbell, who both had difficult first camps, were called back again. Chris Richards and Auston Trusty lead the center-back group.

Two uncapped players are also in the squad: Nashville SC defender Reed Baker-Whiting and SC Paderborn midfielder Santiago Castañeda, who is also eligible to play for Colombia.

Several familiar names are missing. Miles Robinson and Johnny Cardoso have been dealing with injuries recently. Tim Weah and Yunus Musah were not selected, and CBS Sports suggested the call-ups of younger players at their positions could signal a door closing for both.

Club affiliation follows each name, then caps and goals.

Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese (New York City FC; 20/0), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub, Denmark; 2/0), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC; 2/0)

Defenders (9): Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville SC; 0/0), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion, England; 3/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands; 46/3), Alex Freeman (Villarreal, Spain; 26/3), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union; 3/0), Bryan Reynolds (Stade Rennais, France; 7/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, England; 43/4), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England; 62/5), Auston Trusty (Celtic, Scotland; 14/1)

Midfielders (8): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, England; 62/2), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund, Germany; 4/1), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough, England; 22/4), Santiago Castañeda (SC Paderborn, Germany; 0/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy; 71/12), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York; 3/0), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace, France; 47/10), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany; 39/7)

Forwards (5): Folarin Balogun (Monaco, France; 31/12), Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC; 3/2), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York; 4/3), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, Italy; 90/33), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 3/1)

The first leg against Haiti is Nov. 14, with the second on Nov. 17.