Agyemang May Be The Answer To USMNT's Search For A Consistent Striker

Forbes

6 hours ago

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Patrick Agyemang #24 of the United States celebrates scoring during the ... More second half against Haiti during a 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group D match at AT&T Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
In the U.S. men's national team's seemingly endless search for a No. 9 - aka a striker - the Americans hope they have found one in Patrick Agyemang.
It's not just because he has scored five goals in nine appearances since making his international debut in January. It is also the way he performs on the pitch. He is hungry going forward and to score.
Agyemang, 24, doesn't wait for the ball to be passed to him at his feet in the penalty area. He tries to make things happen, whether he is using his speed, soccer IQ or physicality.
Case in point:
In the USA's 2-1 victory over Haiti in its Group D finale in the Concacaf Gold Cup on Sunday, June 22, Agyemang was denied by goalkeeper John Placide in the 24th minute.
In soccer, it is sometimes better to have amnesia and forget about the past and worry about the future.
In the 75th minute, Agyemang had another opportunity. He latched onto a long feed from left back John Tolkin on the left flank. He raced into the penalty area and pulled Placide out of the net. Instead of ramming the ball into the empty goal, he put just enough momentum on it to roll safely into the lower right corner for what proved to be the game-winner and his second goal of the tournament.
'Me and John, we talked about that pass,' Agyemang told FOX Sports afterwards. 'He played the ball perfectly for me. Once I saw the keeper come on, compose yourself, take your time and around the goalkeeper, and once I got there, just finished.'
According to OptaJack, Agyemang has scored five goals in his first nine international appearances, tying him Jozy Altidore for the sixth-fewest games needed to score five times for the USMNT.
"Patrick is doing a fantastic job for the team," USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said at the post-game press conference. "All that he gave to the team today and the previous games also, he's a fantastic striker. Still room to improve, but we are so happy with him."
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 24: Patrick Agyemang #33 celebrates with Wilfried Zaha #10 of ... More Charlotte FC after Agyemang's second goal of the match against the Columbus Crew at Bank of America Stadium on May 24, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by)
An intriguing backstory
Agyemang (pronounced Aaw-jee-mawn) has a great feel-good backstory, taking a path that not many national team players have followed.
The son of Ghanaian parents, he began his college career at a Division III school - Eastern Connecticut State University. Most high-profile players will attend Division I schools right off the bat, climb through a club's academy or go to Europe at a relatively young age.
The 6-foot-4, 196-lb. striker recorded 30 goals and added 10 assists in his first two seasons at Eastern Connecticut, while earning D-III All-American honors. He also was named Little East Conference player of the year as a sophomore. Agyemang transferred to the University of Rhode Island (Division I) and connected for 19 goals and 12 assists in his final two seasons as he wound up on the MAC Hermann Award Watch List.
He was chosen by Charlotte FC as the 12th overall selection of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Not seeing much time with the first team (182 minutes total) as a rookie, Agyemang scored 10 goals in only a dozen matches for Crown Legacy FC (MLS NEXT Pro).
With some seasoning and a year of professional soccer under his left, Agyemang enjoyed a breakout sophomore season in 2024, pacing Charlotte FC with 10 goals. Not many MLS teams can say that their top goal-scorer is a U.S. citizen.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 18: Patrick Agyemang #7 of United States celebrates after scoring ... More the second goal of his team during an international friendly match between United States and Venezuela at Chase Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by)
A memorable international debut
Agyemang's production caught the eye of Pochettino, who called him into January camp and for a pair of international friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica. He acquitted himself well, scoring once in each of those contests.
In his debut match against Venezuela on Jan. 18, Agyemang demonstrated how lethal he can be. A pass from Matko Miljevic was deflected into his path on the left flank.
'Once that ball breaks through, I'm like 1 v 1. My best position,' Agyemang said. 'I love it. I see the keeper come on. I step into it. I love getting the shot off my left foot. And I knew I was confident to strike it through."
And into the back of the net in the 39th minute.
'I don't think many defenders like running with me, and I take advantage of it," he added.
Four days later on Jan. 22, Agyemang came off the bench to give the Americans some 90th-minute insurance in a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in Orlando, Fla. He became the 12th player to score in both of his first two USMNT caps, and the first since Ricardo Pepi in 2021.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 22: Patrick Agyemang #7 of the United States dribbles the ball away from ... More Ryan Bolaños #6 of Costa Rica during the international friendly at Inter&Co Stadium on January 22, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Michael Pimentel/)
It's Costa Rica on Sunday
Agyemang and his teammates will face the Costa Ricans again, this time in Minneapolis in the Concacaf Gold quarterfinals on Sunday, June 29. This encounter, however, won't just a friendly but in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup.
'The Gold Cup is a tough tournament,' Agyemang told FOX Sports. 'I think with our squad we know our quality, and as long as we put the effort and the heart into it, we let our play show.'
Agyemang is far from perfect. He has struggled holding onto the ball and his passing isn't always spot on, which is important for someone with his height who also can be a target payer. So, he still has some work to do.
The bottom line, however, for a striker is the top line of the scoreboard, a in putting the ball into the back of the net.
The USMNT hasn't had two players who can put the ball away on a consistent basis since the Landon Donovan-Clint Dempsey era of more than a decade ago. They finished their national team careers with 57 goals apiece.
Strikers and forwards, especially on the USMNT, can come and go, and run hot and cold, whether it is through injury, form or a coach's preference. Their prime-time years usually run from 22 to 30, although there are exceptions of the age spectrum (see Lionel Messi, who turned 38 on Tuesday, June 24, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, as two prime examples).
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Ricardo Pepi #9 of the United States celebrates scoring during the ... More second half against Panama at Q2 Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The more, the better, up front
As we have learned this year, strikers can live a fragile existence.
Here are just five recent examples of their rollercoaster life:
* Ricardo Pepi, 22, who has turned into a lethal presence for PSV Eindhoven (17 goals in 28 matches across all competitions. He was an obvious choice to play this summer but was sidelined with a serious knee injury in January. He hasn't played since.
* Folarin Balogun, 23, was selected to the Gold Cup roster, but had to be pulled due to an ankle injury. He missed two months with a dislocated shoulder while performing for Monaco in French Ligue 1.
* Josh Sargent, 25, who has filled the net for Norwich City in the English Championship (he tallied 15 goals this season), hasn't scored for the national team since a 4-0 win over Cuba in 2019. He didn't do much in the Concacaf Nations League in March and was left off the Gold Cup roster by head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
* Haji Wright, 27, who connected for a goal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has an Achilles injury and he was sent home during the tournament. His next game will be for Coventry City later this summer.
* Damion Downs, 20, also incurred an injury during the tournament and wasn't available as a substitute in the Haiti match. He competes for FC Köln in the Budesliga.
Christian Pulisic, who is not playing in the Gold Cup, is a forward and the team's best attacking option. The A.C. Milan standout is much better suited as a player, not a target man, who can run at the opposition and set up teammates for assists or score goals himself.
Besides, the more options Pochettino or any national team has up front, the better.
To borrow a baseball phrase about pitching, you can never have enough dangerous forwards on your roster.
On June 24, 2025, it is difficult to predict whether Agyemang, or any other No. 9 will be on the USMNT roster for next year's World Cup.
It likely will come down to whether they are fit and in form, healthy and whether Pochettino feels like he is best suited for the team.
So far, so very good for the Charlotte FC forward.
If Patrick Agyemang can stay healthy, keep up his production for club and country and improve and hone his skills through the next year, we just might see him on the U.S. roster for the 2026 World Cup.