Josh Sargent’s lengthy wait to get back on the field for the U.S. men’s national team will unfortunately continue.
Sargent has been ruled out of the USMNT’s home friendly vs. Colombia on Saturday due to a foot injury, head coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed to reporters Friday. The American forward has not featured for the USMNT since the 1-0 group stage win over Iran at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“We’ve been training with Josh in the gym and on the field and he’s not going to be fit to play in the Colombia match,” Berhalter said Friday in his pre-match press conference. “We’ll have to see if he makes it for the Brazil match and then we have a decision to make in regard to the Copa America roster.
“He has a nagging foot injury that we’ve been unloading him, then giving him some more and testing him to see where he is at,” Berhalter added. “For us it’s about how do we get him ready and prepared in a good way and then make a decision if he is available.”
Sargent, 24, is coming off a career-best year with Norwich City, totaling 16 goals in 30 appearances. The Missouri native missed three months during the first half of the season due to an ankle injury, but enjoyed a productive second half in David Wagner’s squad.
13 of Sargent’s 16 goals came this year, helping Norwich City finish in the top six of the EFL Championship. However, even Sargent couldn’t help the Canaries avoid a 4-0 aggregate loss to Leeds United in the promotion playoffs, which eventually saw Wagner released as club manager.
Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright will all fight for opportunities in Saturday’s match at Commanders Field, while Berhalter also hinted at the possibility of potentially adding another attacker to the mix if needed.
“Right now we have 27 guys in camp, so there’s also the likelihood that we just stick with the 26 if Josh can’t go,” Berhalter said. “The other option would be to look outside this player group and look for someone on the preliminary roster to replace Josh and that is a bridge we will cross when we get to it.”
The USMNT faces Colombia on Saturday before hosting Brazil on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. Berhalter’s squad will open their Copa America schedule on June 23 against Bolivia before also taking on Panama and Uruguay in Group C play.
Source link : https://sbisoccer.com/2024/06/josh-sargent-ruled-out-for-usmnt-colombia-status-undetermined-for-copa-america?amp=1
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Publish date : 2024-06-07 15:20:18
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