Joe Scally said he “felt free” during his 30-minute cameo against Saudi Arabia last month as he continues building toward a possible World Cup roster berth with the U.S. national team.
Scally was a bright spot in a difficult window for the USMNT, as he injected an immediate attacking thrust at right back in what would eventually end as a 0-0 draw against the Saudis.
It was just the third cap for the 19-year-old, who made his USMNT debut in June’s friendly against Morocco. The Borussia Mönchengladbach right back told the Orange Slices podcast that he’s starting to feel more comfortable with the USMNT.
“I would say that last 30 minutes I played in that last game, that’s the best I’ve felt with the national team. I felt free,” Scally said. “I was able to show what I can do, and just go out there and try and make something happen those last 30 minutes.
“At the other camps when you’re making your debut or something, you’re a little more tense, you don’t want to make a mistake, you don’t want something to happen where you do something crazy. So that game I just went in there and felt free, like I could just go out there and play like I do with my club.”
Scally has gained a lot of confidence from locking down the starting right back position at Gladbach this season, beating out Austria international Stefan Lainer.
“This last camp really was a good one because you have more confidence when you earn that starting spot at my club where Lainer is healthy and he’s there, so I really earned the starting spot, Scally said. “To know that gives you so much confidence going to a national team camp and every game.”
Scally is in the mix for a USMNT World Cup roster spot, coming in on the right side of the bubble in our latest projection due to his ability to play both fullback positions.