Gio Reyna named to U.S. Soccer’s Nations League roster
Forward Gio Reyna, the participant on the middle of a three-month cleaning soap opera that has engulfed and embarrassed U.S. Soccer, was referred to as as much as the nationwide group Wednesday for Nations League video games with Grenada and El Salvador.
The roster announcement comes two days after U.S. Soccer launched a report detailing the friction between World Cup coach Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna household, one which started eventually fall’s event in Qatar and left each males’s futures with the nationwide group unsure.
The report cleared Berhalter of any wrongdoing, however the federation has not determined whether or not to supply the coach a brand new contract. In the meantime, Anthony Hudson, a U.S. assistant in Qatar, is managing the group. Hudson visited Reyna final month in Germany, the place he performs for Borussia Dortmund, and has referred to as him again to the nationwide group for the primary time because the World Cup.
“Clearly it became a bit more complex in the months since the World Cup, but as far as we’re concerned Gio is a part of our program,” Hudson stated in a press release. “He’s a good guy and a top talent and he is evaluated like any other player. We made the roster decisions based on what gives the team the best opportunity to win these games and we brought him in because we think he can help us do that.”
Results at Grenada on March 24 and towards El Salvador on March 27 in Orlando, Fla., would raise the U.S. into the Final Four of the Nations League and qualify it for this summer season’s Gold Cup. The U.S. gained each tournaments underneath Berhalter two years in the past, then made the spherical of 16 within the World Cup.
The 24-player roster Hudson summoned for the 2 video games contains 13 gamers from the World Cup group, amongst them ahead Christian Pulisic, midfielder Weston McKennie and goalkeeper Matt Turner. Also named was Club América ahead Alex Zendejas, a twin nationwide who has determined to play for the U.S., and defender Miles Robinson and goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who each featured closely in World Cup qualifying however weren’t on the group in Qatar.
Missing is captain Tyler Adams, who not too long ago picked up a hamstring harm, in addition to LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta and defender Aaron Long, who had been each on the World Cup group.
The roster contains gamers from membership groups in 10 international locations and 17 gamers who’re youthful than 25. Robinson, who performs for Atlanta United, is the one MLS participant on the group.
“First and foremost, our objective is to win both matches,” stated Hudson, who managed the U.S. to a win over Serbia and a draw with Colombia this winter in his first matches as interim coach. “From there, we want to maintain the standards that we’ve set and continue to build on the accomplishments of the last four years. We walked away from the World Cup knowing that we are capable of more and we’re excited to continue to move this group forward.”
The roster
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough), Matt Turner (Arsenal)
Defenders: Sergiño Dest (AC Milan), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Tim Ream (Fulham), Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City)
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Leeds United), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Alan Soñora (Juárez)
Forwards: Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Tim Weah (Lille), Alex Zendejas (Club América)