FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Forwards Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun and midfielder Weston McKennie are back with the U.S. national team for its CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino’s 25-man roster announced Wednesday included 19 of the players who were with the team for friendlies in September and October and half of the 26 players he took to this year’s World Cup.
Pulisic missed those exhibitions while
working his way back from a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula sustained in the 4-1 loss to Belgium at the World Cup's round of 16.
Balogun, whose red card-suspension at the World Cup was controversially suspended after a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA head Gianni Infantino, was omitted for those friendlies when he didn't play in Monaco's first four Ligue 1 matches this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through.
Nashville defender Reed Baker-Whiting and Paderborn midfielder Santiago Castañeda could make their national team debuts. Defender Bryan Reynolds returns to the team for the first time since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Pochettino included striker Cavan Sullivan, who made his national team debut in September two days before his 17th birthday and became the youngest American goal scorer a week later against Mexico.
Bypassed players include goalkeeper Matt Turner, defenders Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally, and winger Tim Weah.
After training in Georgia, the No. 16 U.S. faces 84th-ranked Haiti on Nov. 14 in Miami and Nov. 17 in Cincinnati in a total-goals series for a berth in the Nations League semifinals to be played from March 22-30 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Dropped players who were on the September roster include goalkeeper Chris Brady, defenders Miles Robinson and Frankie Westfield, midfielders Zavier Gozo and Yunus Musah, and forwards Cole Campbell and Damion Downs.
Some players not selected will be with the under-23 team preparing for the 2028 Olympics. Its training camp roster will be announced Thursday.
Defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Johnny Cardoso and forwards Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas were ruled out because of injuries. Striker Ricardo Pepi was left off following a leg muscle injury that sidelined him between Sept. 20 and last Saturday.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville).
Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia), Bryan Reynolds (Rennes), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic).
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia).
___
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
