Aaronson, McKenzie seeking first USMNT caps in Costa Rica friendly

Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie have plenty of company in the zero cap category for players on Gregg Berhalter’s 22-player roster for Saturday’s international friendly against Costa Rica.

There are a dozen players in all who have yet to make an appearance for the senior national team and 13 who are age-eligible for the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament kicking off in Mexico in March.

The Union teammates have been in camp with the USMNT before — McKenzie was part of the January camp last year and he and Aaronson were both with the team in October — but are waiting for the moment that will forever etch them in U.S. Soccer history.

Aaronson, the 19-year-old midfielder from Medford, N.J., talked about the potential to take the field for the U.S. in Carson, California in a recent press availability in California.

“A lot of emotions would come but I would stay cool and just play my game,” he said in a video posted by the Scuffed Podcast.

Neither Aaronson or McKenzie are in the starting lineup predicted by Stars and Stripes FC, but with Berhalter able to make six subs in an international friendly that means that all but four of the players on the roster could at least get a cup of coffee on Saturday night.

Let’s hope we see Aaronson and McKenzie both.

How to Watch USA vs Costa Rica

Saturday, February 1
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
Coverage begins at 3:55 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNNews, UniMás and TUDN
Streaming: FuboTV (subscription)