<
>

Zusi at right-back, Garza back in the XI as Arena returns to U.S. sidelines

The United States are deploying in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Graham Zusi starting at right-back and Greg Garza back in the lineup in Bruce Arena's return to the sidelines for the national team in a friendly against Serbia.

Arena, 65, is back at the helm for his second time around after replacing Jurgen Klinsmann in December after the German was fired as manager. Arena had previously managed the team from 1998 - 2006 including overseeing the team at two World Cups.

Garza has been out of the U.S. team for some time after suffering a hip injury in September 2015 and then struggling to find playing time with former club Tijuana of Liga MX for much of 2016. Garza signed for MLS expansion team Atlanta United in December.

Zusi, 30, is making a transition from an attacking midfielder to right-back, a position he has played on several occasions for his club Sporting Kansas City, as Arena tries to shore up the U.S. defence.

Jozy Altidore will earn his 100th cap for the team on Sunday -- the second-youngest player in U.S. history to reach that milestone behind Landon Donovan -- while captain Michael Bradley draws level at fifth on the all-time list with Marcelo Balboa on 127 caps.

The United States will face Jamaica in another friendly on Friday at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as the team prepares for a pair of crucial CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers on March 24 and 28 against Honduras and Panama, respectively.