Pulisic omitted from U.S. squad as Reyna returns for friendlies
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Christian Pulisic will miss the United States' friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay, the next-to-last set of games before coach Mauricio Pochettino calls in players for his pre-World Cup training camp, while Gio Reyna is back on the roster for the first time since March.
Midfielder Weston McKennie and goalkeeper Matt Turner were among the notable omissions from the 25-man roster announced Thursday.
Forward Ricardo Pepi, midfielder Tyler Adams and defenders Joe Scally, John Tolkin and Auston Trusty are back with the 16th-ranked U.S. for the games against No. 39 Paraguay on Nov. 15 at Chester, Pennsylvania, and 15th-ranked Uruguay three days later at Tampa, Florida.
Pulisic injured a hamstring in an Oct. 14 friendly against Australia but AC Milan said he likely will be available for Saturday's Serie A match at Parma. The attacking midfielder is the top American player and drew criticism for skipping the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer to rest his body ahead of the European season and the World Cup.
Reyna, a son of former captain Claudio Reyna, has played for the U.S. team just once since the 2024 Copa America, appearing as a 69th-minutre sub in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place match loss to Canada. Slowed by a thigh injury following his transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach, he has been limited to one start and four substitute appearances in the Bundesliga.
Pepi and Trusty are back with the team for the first time since Pochettino's second camp in November. Scally, like Reyna, has not been with the group since the Nations League final four. Adams missed the October games because his wife was due to give birth.
In addition to Pulisic, others missing the matches because they are hurt or recovering from injuries include defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) and Antonee Robinson (knee), winger Tim Weah (thigh), midfielders Malik Tillman (thigh) and Johnny Cardoso (ankle), and goalkeeper Chris Brady (lower body).
McKennie has a new coach at Juventus, while Turner hasn't played since New England's Major League Soccer season finale on Oct. 18. Pochettino did pick a pair of MLS players whose teams were eliminated from the playoffs on Oct. 22, defender Alex Freeman and midfielder Diego Luna.
Defender Chris Richards was left off, though he has played 90 minutes in all 10 of Crystal Palace's Premier League matches. Also dropped were midfielder James Sands and forwards Patrick Agyemang and Alejandro Zendejas.
Others on the roster after missing the October games include goalkeepers Roman Celentano and Jonathan Klinsmann, right back Sergino Dest, and midfielder Sean Zawadzki. Celentano and Klinsmann are the only two players on the roster who have not made U.S. debuts.
Pochettino's team will play a pair of March friendlies, then report in late May ahead of its World Cup opener on June 12.
USMNT roster
Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano (Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena), Patrick Schulte (Columbus)
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus)
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Haji Wright (Coventry)
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