On Wednesday, the US Men’s National Team will play its first game of 2015, a friendly against Chile, in Rancagua, Chile (6 pm: Fox Sports 1, UniMas, UDN).

Chile, which reached the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup (going out on penalty kicks to the host, Brazil), has been a top team in world football for years. For this match, however, Chile has called in a squad of only domestic players, meaning talismanic forward Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, among others, will not be present. The US’s squad is more experienced, on paper, but the game will be very difficult, nonetheless, with the hostile environment and Chile’s high press being at the top of the list of reasons why.

US roster notes

Whither the fullbacks? The US roster is relatively experienced, with nine veterans of the World Cup in camp, but there is a distinct lack of fullbacks. DeAndre Yedlin, the former Seattle Sounder now playing for Tottenham Hotspur in England, was called into camp late, and is the only recognized outside back. Some have speculated that this might cue a formation switch to a three-man defense. Klinsmann has described the possibility with Jermaine Jones as the centerpiece. That would push Yedlin up into a wingback position on the right, with Miguel Ibarra, Brek Shea, or perhaps young Dillon Serna as his counterpart on the left (and if Serna feels like doing this against Chile, that would be A-okay).

Nguyening: Lee Nguyen, following a stellar 2014 MLS season and good performances in fall friendlies is also on the roster, competing with Mix Diskerud and youngsters Wil Trapp and Luis Gil for spots alongside Michael Bradley in the middle of the park. With Bradley more of an offensive player, it will be interesting to see if the US fields a dedicated defensive midfielder. Perry Kitchen is in the squad, but is listed as a defender, so perhaps he will play as a “stopper” in front of the back three.

Familiar forwards: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, and Chris Wondolowski, alongside the now-familiar Bobby Wood, form the forward corps, joined by LA Galaxy starlet Gyasi Zardes. With Altidore now a Toronto FC player, Wood is, interestingly, the only non-MLS forward.

Challenging Chile

The hallmark of Chile’s play is high-intensity pressing, a calling card for coach Jorge Sampaoli. They are also unafraid of physical confrontation, as the foul-strewn match against Brazil in the World Cup showed. The Chileans will be fit and firing, regardless of the specific personnel.

Defensively, Chile is not fortress, but neither is it a house of cards. The US can get at the Chile back line, but must not commit too many players forward at any given time.

The key for the US will be retaining composure. Most likely, the US will spend much of the match without the ball, and should stay intelligently compact, forcing the Chileans to play sideways and build up from the back, then look to break with alacrity when the ball turns over. US turnovers must be kept to a minimum.

Prediction

While the US comes in with a relatively strong side, it appears a new formation may be in the offing, which always requires adjustment. Meanwhile, Chile is at home, but playing without any of its Europe-based stars.

The US certainly has a chance, but playing in hostile territory against a physical, aggressive opponent will be exceedingly difficult. 2015 opens with a positive performance but a negative result: Chile 2–1 USA.