Mckennie to start vs. Jamaica
U.S. without Pulisic, Reyna; Jamaica missing Antonio
Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna are missing from the U.S. lineup because of injuries but Weston Mckennie will start following his disciplinary flap last month. Jamaica is without top forward Michail Antonio for reasons that remain unclear.
The Americans host Jamaica on Thursday night after getting five points in their first three matches of CONCACAF’S brutal, 14game, seven-month final round of World Cup qualifying. The Reggae Boyz have one point as they seek to return to soccer’s showcase for the first time since 1998.
“After three games I don’t think it’s panic mode for anyone in the table,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said Wednesday. “This is about just hanging in there and every round chipping away at it until you get to that number where you’re qualified.”
Reyna hasn’t played since a hamstring injury in the Sept. 2 opener at El Salvador, and Pulisic hasn’t recovered from a sprained ankle sustained six days later at Honduras.
Jamaica learned Tuesday that Antonio, the Premier League’s August player of the month for West Ham, failed to travel. Reggae Boyz coach Theodore Whitmore wouldn’t confirm or refute a report Antonio was angry he couldn’t bring along a physiotherapist.
“I can’t comment whether it’s commitment,” Whitmore said. “It’s a sticky situation. There’s not much I can say. … I don’t want to point any fingers. I don’t know who is at fault, All I can say is the player was selected.”
Jamaica will have only 20 players dress — including three goalkeepers — from the 23 selected, three shy of the total allowed to suit up. Whitmore said it was too late to ask clubs for releases.
“Personally, I wanted to
take more than 23 players,” he said.
Berhalter has 26 in camp. Midfielder Yunus Musah was uncertain after an inconclusive COVID test and trained on his own Wednesday. The U.S. team was awaiting a PCR test.
NWSL: Players stopped on the field in the sixth minute of Wednesday night’s National Women’s Soccer League games and linked arms in a circle to demonstrate solidarity with two former players who came forward with allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against a prominent
coach. The actions came during games between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit in Philadelphia and between the North Carolina Courage and Racing Louisville in Cary, North Carolina. “Tonight, we reclaim our place on the field, because we will not let our joy be taken from us,” the NWSL Players’ Association said in a statement released Wednesday night. “But this is not business as usual.” The league had just returned to the field after calling off last weekend’s games while it came to terms with the allegations leveled last week against former Courage coach Paul Riley, who was subsequently fired.