Ballard (hamstring) was inactive through the remainder of the international window after suffering an injury during a Sept. 25 win over Georgia, returning to his club to continue his recovery.
Analysis:Ballard's availability is still a major worry in the absence of an official diagnosis of the hamstring problem. With the regular center-back questionable for upcoming action, Omar Alderete and Kevin Danso may step into greater roles for the time being. Prior to the issue, Ballard was averaging 6.2 clearances and 2.0 tackles per game in Premier League play, ranking among the top three players on the squad in each of those categories.
