MLS players from across the league are featuring for their national teams around the world during this October FIFA fixture window and on Thursday they saw action in UEFA Euro qualifiers, South American World Cup qualifying and an international friendly.
South America World Cup Qualifying
Paraguay 2, Peru 2
A total of five MLS players saw action in the back-and-forth affair in Asuncion. Chicago Fire midfielder Gaston Gimenez made his debut for Paraguay, starting the match and playing 81 minutes. NY Red Bulls playmaker Kaku was on the Paraguay bench but didn't feature.
Orlando City SC goalkeeper Pedro Gallese started the match and played the full 90 for Peru and he was joined in the starting XI by Sounders striker Raul Ruidiaz, who played 74 minutes. Portland Timbers midfielder Andy Polo and Earthquakes defender Marcos Lopez came off the bench to see out the final three minutes of the 2-2 draw.
Uruguay 2, Chile 1
LAFC's Brian Rodriguez started and went 87 minutes as Uruguay started qualifying with a stoppage-time home victory. Fellow LAFC star Diego Rossi was on the bench, but wasn't subbed into the match.
Argentina 1, Ecuador 0
Seattle Sounders center back Xavier Arreaga went the full 90 for Ecuador as they succumbed to a 1-0 road defeat to Argentina on a Lionel Messi penalty kick. Orlando midfielder Sebastian Jhegson Mendez and LAFC's Jose Cifuentes did not come off the bench and LAFC left back Diego Palacios was not on the Ecuador matchday roster.
Euro Qualifiers
Georgia 1, Belarus 0
San Jose Earthquakes attacker Vako (46 caps / 10 goals) started for Georgia in their Euro qualifying match against Belarus, playing 81 minutes before subbing off in his country's 1-0 victory which came via a 7th-minute penalty kick. Vako was joined in the match by Earthquakes teammate Guram Kashia (81 caps), a longtime staple for the team who helped man the clean sheet.
Georgia advance to the European Championship playoff finals, and will host North Macedonia on Thursday, November 12 with the winner joining the 24-nation Euro 2020 lineup.
Slovakia 0, Ireland 0 (4-2 on PKs)
Real Salt Lake's Albert Rusnak also featured in Euro qualifying, starting for Slovakia in their match against Ireland. Minnesota United's Jan Gregus joined Rusnak on the squad, but was on the bench to start the contest.
Gregus wound up playing a major role, however, as he subbed on in the 86th minute of the eventual 0-0 draw that would be decided in a penalty-kick shootout. The 29-year-old stepped up to convert his attempt, courageously attempting a panenka that was nearly saved by the goalkeeper but made its way into the goal to seal Slovakia's Euro qualification.
Slovakia will travel to face Northern Ireland on Thursday, November 12 with a spot to the Euros at stake.
International Friendly
Russia 1, Sweden 2
Seattle Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson was also in action, starting and playing all 90 minutes for Sweden in their international friendly against Russia in Moscow. Sweden scored in each half and Russia got a stoppage-time consolation goal.
