Neil Pierre's USMNT rise comes with a family twist as Haiti awaits in Nations League

Neil Pierre’s second call-up to the U.S. men’s national team carries extra significance with Haiti looming in the CONCACAF Nations League. At 18, Pierre has caught coach Mauricio Pochettino’s attention in a World Cup cycle where the U.S. is looking for solutions in a thin central defense. This weekend marks a two-leg quarterfinal starting Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on TBS in Miami, with the return leg on Nov. 17 in Cincinnati. Haiti can’t play in Port-au-Prince due to security issues. Pierre, whose parents are Haitian immigrants, also has a brother, Nelson, in Haiti’s U-20 setup.