LOS ANGELES — Forward Gio Reyna returns to the young U.S. roster, called up Thursday for this month's final three World Cup qualifiers, which will determine whether the U.S. returns to in this fall's tournament in Qatar.
The U.S., second behind Canada in the eight-team CONCACAF qualifying standings, must finish in the top three to earn an automatic berth in the World Cup, and its three remaining matches are against its three closest pursuers. The Americans will open against Mexico — which trails the U.S. on goal differential — March 24 in Mexico City, before facing fourth-place Panama, four points back of the U.S., in Orlando, Fla., on March 27.
Coach Gregg Berhalter's team then closes qualifying March 30 in Costa Rica. Five points from the three games would guarantee a World Cup berth, meaning the U.S., which has never won a qualifier in Mexico or Costa Rica, can't afford to lose both.
Reyna, 19, is one of four teenagers on the USMNT roster, which averages 24 years of age and has just 12 appearances in competitive matches. Reyna hasn't played for the U.S. since injuring a hamstring in the opening qualifier in September in El Salvador, but he proved his fitness in a 21-minute effort Wednesday, setting up the only goal in Dortmund's Bundesliga win over Mainz.
Also returning are center backs Aaron Long and Erik Palmer-Brown and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. Long has been out since rupturing an Achilles tendon last May, Palmer-Brown's last national team camp came in 2018 while Horvath is back for the first time since qualifying began in September.
They will join a core centered around Chelsea attacker Christian Pulisic, who has collected three goals and an assist in his last six appearances across all competitions for his club team. He also scored a 2-0 U.S. win over Mexico in Cincinnati in November.
LAFC's Kellyn Acosta, who has played in 10 of the 11 qualifiers this cycle, is also on the team.
But the U.S. is missing some big pieces as well. Goalkeeper Matt Turner of the New England Revolution, who hasn't played for club or country since February's qualifying win over Honduras in subzero temperatures in Minnesota, was not called up. He'll be replaced in the starting lineup by Manchester City's Zack Steffen, who missed the first three qualifiers this season to injury.
And though outside back Sergiño Dest was summoned, just hours before the roster was released, in the 56th minute of Barcelona's Europa League game with Galatasaray, he limped off the field with an apparent hamstring problem. A spokesman for U.S. Soccer said the team is awaiting an update on Dest's condition.
Also among those left off the roster is former Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget, who played in the first four qualifiers, starting twice and scoring a goal. But Lletget, now with New England, hasn't played since October's loss in Panama.
The roster
— Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Zack Steffen (Manchester City).
— Defenders: Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (Rangers), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
— Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (LAFC), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Luca de la Torre (Heracles), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
— Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Pefok (Young Boys), Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Tim Weah (Lille)
