NEW YORK (AP) — Jordan Morris, Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest and Gyasi Zardes returned from injuries to make the U.S. roster ahead of the next three World Cup qualifiers, while Gio Reyna, Gianluca Busio and Aaron Long missed out.
U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter announced a 28-man group that will report to Columbus, Ohio, ahead of the Jan. 27 match against El Salvador, including 13 who have been training in Phoenix. The Americans play Canada on Jan. 30 at Hamilton, Ontario, and host Honduras three days later at St. Paul, Minnesota, a tight schedule in frigid weather that is likely to cause Berhalter to make significant rotation in his lineup.
Twenty-three players were on the roster for November’s home win over Mexico and road draw at Jamaica.
Dest returned from a back injury and a positive COVID-19 test. He entered in the sixth minute of extra time of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey match against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, his first match appearance since Dec. 8.
Zardes is back from a sprained left knee that caused him to miss the November games.
Defender Reggie Cannon, who was with team in November but didn’t get in, remained on the roster and could make his qualifying debut along with Brooks Lennon, picked for a qualifying roster for the first time.
Gabriel Slonina was selected as a fourth goalkeeper.
Morris started and played until the 78th minute in the 1-0 exhibition win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec. 18, his first international appearance since tearing his left ACL on Feb. 20.
Weah recovered from a quadriceps injury to enter in the 68th minute for Lille on Tuesday in his first action since Dec. 1.
Players will average 24 years, 294 days when training starts Monday.
Defender DeAndre Yedlin played his first match for Galatasaray since Dec. 18 on Wednesday. RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, in the midst of the Austrian Bundesliga’s two-month winter break, hasn’t played a competitive match since Dec. 11.
But for Reyna, the games are too soon. The Borussia Dortmund winger has been sidelined since injuring his right hamstring during the Americans’ opening qualifier at El Salvador on Sept. 2.
Cut from the group that had been training in Phoenix were defenders George Bello, DeJuan Jones and Auston Trusty along with Long, and midfielders Djordje Mihailovic and Jackson Yueill.
Long is regaining fitness after tearing his right Achilles tendon on May 15.
Defenders Joe Scally and Sam Vines, and Busio were dropped after being with the group in November.
Midfielder Tyler Adams, Yedlin and goalkeeper Zack Steffen enter with yellow cards and would be suspended if assessed another yellow.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Sean Johnson (New York City), Gabriel Slonina (Chicago), Zack Steffen (Manchester City, England), Matt Turner (New England)
Defenders: Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Brooks Lennon (Atlanta), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Chris Richards (Hoffenheim, Germany), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray, Turkey), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig,. Germany), Luca de la Torre (Heracles, Netherlands), Sebastian Lletget (New England), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Cristian Roldan (Seattle)
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Paul Arriola (D.C.), Jesús Ferreira (Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle), Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg. Germany), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Tim Weah (Lille, France), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus)
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