Thomas Floyd

Mauricio Pochettino is building the USMNT he wants. Here’s what to watch. Pochettino’s USMNT, focused and experienced this time around, seeks ‘the best confidence boost’ in October friendlies against Ecuador and Australia.

Weston McKennie’s role, injury concerns and a new formation — here are the storylines to watch as the #USMNT takes on Ecuador and Australia.

Reporting from Austin:

Winding down another lost season, D.C. United turns to new brass for hope General Manager Erkut Sogut and Coach René Weiler will look to revive a club that closed its home slate with a 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC.

“It’s very simple: The team is too weak.”

As D.C. United’s home slate ends with another defeat, here’s a look at the club’s vision to finally get back on track (with quotes from René Weiler, Erkut Sogut and Jason Levien)

Mauricio Pochettino pivots from experimentation for USMNT’s October roster The U.S. men’s national soccer team coach brought Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson and Matt Turner back to the fold for matches against Ecuador and Australia.

Mauricio Pochettino has called in a full-strength squad (more or less) for the USMNT's October friendlies. Among the headlines:

— McKennie, Robinson, Tillman and Turner are back.
— Sands and Morris return after long absences.
— No Scally, Musah or Sargent.

During the shutdown, federal employees can take advantage of deals like:
• Free Washington Spirit tickets
• Free museum admission
• All-day happy hours
• Parties with free food and drinks

Our growing list of specials (gift link): wapo.st/3WgocR9

Just need this one to finally come to Broadway now …

Review | A soccer-centric West End play gets its kicks in winning U.S. premiere Olney Theatre Center’s “Red Pitch” is a wistful reflection on gentrification, dreams deferred and life-defining friendships.

In an uncanny convergence of my coverage areas, I reviewed “Red Pitch,” a soccer-centric West End play getting a winning U.S. premiere at Olney Theatre Center

Not only got to see Marvin Joseph at work on this one — I got to be his impromptu photo assistant for this lovely shoot at the MLK Memorial. (Adding that new skill to my resume immediately.)

This actor has played MLK five times. The key is revelation, not imitation. Ro Boddie again embodies the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in “The American Five” at Ford’s Theatre.

“I can’t play an icon. But I can bring all the attributes of Martin that made him iconic, and that is his human decency, his empathy.”

Profiled Ro Boddie, the D.C. actor who is portraying Martin Luther King Jr. for the fifth — fifth! — time in “The American Five” at Ford’s Theatre.

The ultimate guide to getting cheap Broadway tickets Everything you need to know about rush, lottery, standing room, apps, discount codes and more.

Want to see a Broadway show without breaking the bank? Here’s everything you need to know about rush, lottery, standing room, apps, discount codes and more.

Hannah Einbinder is ready for her next act The 28-year-old, back onscreen with a stand-up special and Season 3 of “Hacks,” was lost before comedy cleared her path.

Hannah Einbinder is ready for her next act

He’s the master of the troubled teen, from ‘Adolescence’ to Harry Potter “I don’t think I was very good at being a teenager,” Jack Thorne says. “So I go back there quite a lot in my brain.”

Jack Thorne is the master of the troubled teen, from ‘Adolescence’ to Harry Potter

Whatever it takes to be a Gotham City villain, Cristin Milioti has it Cristin Milioti stars opposite Colin Farrell in “The Penguin,” a follow-up to Matt Reeves’s 2022 film “The Batman,” which premieres Sept. 19 on HBO.

On this #Emmys evening, might as well re-up a profile or two (or three) ...

Whatever it takes to be a Gotham City villain, Cristin Milioti has it

Today’s Sunday Arts cover: My profile of the enduring, ever-transformative Jude Law, alongside Jesse Dittmar’s gorgeous portraits. wapo.st/4gkylWd

Jude Law keeps surprising us. Anything less would be a shock. Whether he’s playing a surly philosopher, a hustling restaurateur or Vladimir Putin, the 52-year-old is one of Hollywood’s most daring A-listers.

In which Robert De Niro wanders into a Jude Law profile www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...

A fun discovery working on this piece: When you sit down with Jude Law in Tribeca, there’s a nonzero chance Robert De Niro will materialize and crash the interview.

Jude Law keeps surprising us. Anything less would be a shock. Whether he’s playing a surly philosopher, a hustling restaurateur or Vladimir Putin, the 52-year-old is one of Hollywood’s most daring A-listers.

“He keeps making a left when you think he’s going to make a right.”

Whether he’s playing a surly philosopher, a hustling restaurateur or Vladimir Putin, Jude Law is one of Hollywood’s most daring A-listers. For Sunday Arts, I profiled the enduring, transformative star of Netflix’s “Black Rabbit.”

Analysis | What will the USMNT World Cup roster look like? We’re starting to learn. The U.S. men’s September window has wrapped, which means fans and the media have a chance to look ahead to next summer and read the tea leaves.

What did we learn about the #USMNT during the September friendlies? Breaking it down for @postsports.bsky.social — and taking a stab at projecting Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man World Cup squad.

USMNT shows its quality and confidence in a 2-0 win over Japan The Americans pushed past Saturday’s loss to South Korea by finding their form in a win over Japan.

“It’s been a tough go recently,” Christian Pulisic said. “We wanted to walk away with some confidence, with a good feeling going into the next camps — and obviously going and leading into a World Cup year.”

Reporting from Columbus on the #USMNT and its pressure-alleviating 2-0 win over Japan.

Christian Pulisic on his relationship with #USMNT Coach Mauricio Pochettino: "We have good conversations, honestly. ... Things are good. We spoke, we had a normal camp, and everything is good between us, good between the team. There's probably not as much drama as you guys think."

And that ended up being perhaps the most comprehensive performance of the Pochettino era. It wasn't Japan's best squad, but the cohesion and quality were encouraging for the #USMNT all the same. Have to think Pochettino will be imagining this team in the 3-4-2-1 for the foreseeable future.

Quite the positive first half! Some #USMNT takeaways ...

— Zendejas is playing with confidence and creativity. Being one of two 10s suits him.
— The wing back roles amplify Arfsten and Freeman's strengths.
— Roldan looks more poised than I've seen previously him in a U.S. shirt.

Checking in from Lower.com Field in Columbus, where the #USMNT is facing Japan and Mauricio Pochettino seems to be trying out a 3-4-2-1 (as was telegraphed during his presser yesterday).

Freese; Blackmon, Richards, Ream; Freeman, Roldan, Adams, Arfsten; Pulisic, Zendejas; Balogun

Analysis | The USMNT is falling flat ahead of the World Cup. Can it learn from this? As Mauricio Pochettino continues to size up his U.S. men’s national team, here are three tactical takeaways from its latest loss.

The #USMNT is falling flat ahead of the World Cup. Can it learn from this?

Greetings from picturesque Columbus, where the #USMNT squad is down to 23 after Sean Zawadzki withdrew with a knee injury suffered last week in training.

Trinity Rodman scores twice in Spirit victory as a ‘new Trin’ emerges The Washington star went 90 minutes for the first time this season as she continues to round into form.

“That’s Trin. Old Trin, new Trin — she’s back.”

Reporting from Audi Field as Trinity Rodman scores twice in the Spirit’s 2-0 win over Seattle, logs her first 90 minutes in months and introduces the new version of her game-breaking self.

Christian Pulisic’s return can’t save USMNT from loss to South Korea American star’s first game for his country in five months is another bad result for the United States as it looks toward the World Cup.

Reporting from New Jersey on Christian Pulisic's USMNT return and the underwhelming loss to South Korea that emphasized how far this team still has to go before the World Cup — even with a slew of regulars back in the picture

Greetings from Harrison, where I’m on #USMNT vs. South Korea duty for @postsports.bsky.social. A few storylines to watch …

- Pulisic’s return.
- Dest’s first U.S. game in 17 months.
- Tristan Blackmon’s audition at CB.
- Freese, Arfsten, Luna and Berhalter get their shot alongside the big guns.

Added a newsy tidbit to this profile: Brad Ingelsby and Kate Winslet sure seem ready to make Season 2 of “Mare of Easttown” happen.

The man behind ‘Mare of Easttown’ is back with your next favorite show Brad Ingelsby, a committed chronicler of everyday heroes and working-class adversity, is back with the HBO series “Task.”

“I’ll be forgotten soon enough. But why not give it a shot?”

Got lunch with Brad Ingelsby, the creator of “Mare of Easttown” and the new HBO series “Task,” to find out why he’s telling more stories of working-class heroes and everyday adversity — and not writing the next big franchise film.

This reimagined ‘Damn Yankees’ confronts baseball’s racist past A Broadway-aimed revival updates the musical for the 2000 Baltimore Orioles, while the protagonist is now living out the dreams of his father, a Negro Leagues star.

The Broadway-aimed revival of “Damn Yankees” — now in rehearsal at Arena Stage — trades the Washington Senators for the Baltimore Orioles, moves the action to 2000 and confronts baseball’s racist past.

“But,” as playwright Will Power says, “it’s still ‘Damn Yankees.’”