US men leaves several starters off Gold Cup roster for last competitive games before World Cup

By RONALD BLUM NEW YORK AP Christian Pulisic is among a slew of regular starters who will be missing when the United States plays in next month s CONCACAF Gold Cup another blow for a company coming off dismal performances at the Copa America and CONCACAF Nations League Given the absences coach Mauricio Pochettino wants players who will convince worried fans a turnaround is ahead It s our responsibility to send a few signal to them he reported Thursday during a Zoom news conference after announcing his -man roster I think our fans need to see our club fighting and playing and performing and playing well yes but fighting for the flag and being unfailingly in every single match to match the aggressivity of the opponent Pulisic the top American athlete inquired to be left off the roster for the last competitive matches before the World Cup in order to rest after playing about games for club and country over two seasons Yunus Musah also demanded out Antonee Robinson was dropped because he has been playing with an injury and Weston McKennie Tim Weah and Gio Reyna were blocked because FIFA gave the expanded Club World Cup priority over national teams Josh Sargent Joe Scally Cameron Carter-Vickers and Tanner Tessmann were omitted in what Pochettino called football decisions U S Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker revealed Pulisic and his advisers inquired for the possibility to be left off because of the amount of games he has played in the last two years Multiple people can say it s really central for us to be all together for the last time before the World Cup Pochettino announced We decided the best for him the best of the group the best for the national club is the decision that we made Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter after the group s first-round elimination at the Copa America last summer After the Gold Cup he will have just four brief training windows on FIFA international dates before players analysis ahead of the World Cup In the gang s first major test under Pochettino the Americans lost to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March Without saying players had been complacent Pochettino explained we learned a lot in the last limited camps for sure in March and it s about to be maybe use a different way to approach these opportunities Sixteen of the players picked are from Major League Soccer the majority of in a FIFA window since the U S sent a B gang to the Gold Cup If you arrive to the camp and you want to spend nice time play golf go for a dinner visit my family visit my friend that is the society that we want to create Pochettino urged out loud No no no no no What we want do is to go to the national club arrive and be focused and spend all my focus and power in the national crew If we want be good in one year time we need to think that in the present day is the the bulk key day Outside back Sergi o Dest returns to the national gang for the first time since March after recovering from a torn ACL Forward Folarin Balogun is with the group for the first time since last September following his recuperation from shoulder surgery Pochettino s roster included Alex Freeman a son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Antonio Freeman The -year-old right back made his Major League Soccer debut for Orlando in April his only league match that season He had two MLS appearances last year and has become a regular this season Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter a -year-old son of the former coach also was picked for the first time along with -year-old forward Damion Downs and -year-old defender Quinn Sullivan Downs has played on youth teams of Germany and the U S and helped Cologne gain promotion to the Bundesliga for - after a one-season absence Goalkeeper Matt Freese who has attended national unit camp previously but not played in a challenge also was selected Players will start reporting June for training in Chicago and the -man Gold Cup roster is due June The U S plays Turkey on June at East Hartford Connecticut and Switzerland three days later at Nashville Tennessee then meets Trinidad and Tobago Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the first round of the Gold Cup The roster Goalkeepers Matt Freese New York City Patrick Schulte Columbus Zack Steffen Colorado Matt Turner Crystal Palace Defenders Max Arfsten Columbus Sergi o Dest PSV Eindhoven Alex Freeman Orlando DeJuan Jones San Jose Mark McKenzie Toulouse Tim Ream Charlotte Chris Richards Crystal Palace Miles Robinson Cincinnati Midfielders Brenden Aaronson Leeds Tyler Adams Bournemouth Sebastian Berhalter Vancouver Johnny Cardoso Real Betis Luca de la Torre San Diego Diego Luna Salt Lake Jack McGlynn Houston Quinn Sullivan Philadelphia Malik Tillman PSV Eindhoven Sean Zawadzki Columbus Forwards Patrick Agyemang Charlotte Folarin Balogun Monaco Damion Downs Cologne Brian White Vancouver Haji Wright Coventry