'He was brilliant' - Herculez Gomez hails Folarin Balogun's breakout USMNT performance against Ecuador

Gomez said Balogun had shown glimpses of what he can offer, but this match represented a complete performance that showcased his full potential.

“Folarin Balogun had a coming out game, if we could call it that,” Gomez said on his YouTube channel. “He’s been giving us glimpses of how good he can be. How crisp, intelligent and decisive his movements are. Right now, pole position as the No. 9 heading into the World Cup. I thought he was brilliant.”

Gomez noted that Balogun showed his worth against a tough Ecuador defense.

“Thought he was unlucky not to have more than one goal,” Gomez said. “He was a handful for a very stingy Ecuadorian defense. A team that in the last, I believe 11 games, has given away up one goal. A team that gave up five goals in World Cup qualifying. And yes, they were missing, I believe, three important players. This is still a very good Ecuadorian team. A team that I completely, wholeheartedly think no team in the world wants to face or see in their group come World Cup time.”

Balogun's standout performance against Ecuador came despite the fact that he has struggled to impress for AS Monaco this season. The American has scored only one goal for the French side and is currently on a five-game drought across all competitions for his club side.

Following their 1-1 draw with Ecuador, the USMNT will face Australia on Tuesday to close the curtain on their October international break. They’ll then regroup in November for their final international friendlies of the year against Paraguay and Uruguay.