US winger Gio Reyna has said that he’s ‘100 percent’ healthy despite not yet making his World Cup debut after only featuring as an unused substitute in the team’s 1-1 draw against Wales in its opening Group B match.
Reyna’s battled injuries for most of the first half of the season with his German club, Borussia Dortmund, but has played a pivotal role in the Star and Stripes’ qualifiers to get to Qatar. He’s also well up to match fitness, featuring in Dortmund’s last three Bundesliga fixtures prior to the international break.
‘I feel really good. I feel great,’ the 20-year-old, who is also the son of ex-US captain, Claudio Reyna, said. ‘I feel fine. [Coach Gregg Berhalter] doesn’t have to tell me why he didn’t put me in or why he does.’
US winger Gio Reyna, 20, was not brought on from the bench in the team’s 1-1 draw with Wales
Berhalter opted to bring on midfielder Brenden Aaronson, striker Haji Wright, right-back DeAndre Yedlin and midfielder Kellyn Acosta in the second half of Monday’s draw, with the US leading 1-0 at the time. He was going to use center-back Aaron Long as his fifth and final substitute for either Tim Ream or Walter Zimmerman before the later fouled LAFC’s winger Gareth Bale in the penalty box in the 82nd minute.
However, after the Welsh drew level with eight minutes of regular time left on the clock, Berhalter refrained from bringing on Long and subbed-in striker Jordan Morris for US goal scorer Timothy Weah in the 88th minute.
‘It was trying to get him up to speed. I think there was a little bit of tightness that we were guarding him against in Al-Gharafa in the training exercise as a precaution,’ the 49-year-old, ex-Columbus Crew coach said.
‘But we’ve been building him up and think he can play a big role in this tournament. The question is when. Hopefully Friday, he’ll be another step ahead.’
The Borussia Dortmund star has had a start-stop season with his club due to recurring injuries
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said Reyna was suffering from ‘tightness’ in training recently
Reyna was omnipresent in the USMNT’s starting lineup in qualifiers leading to Qatar last year
Alexi Lalas questioned why USA Berhalter didn’t bring the Borussia Dortmund star on. ‘Everybody is asking, “Where was Gio Reyna? Why didn’t he come on the field?”,’ Lalas wondered on air after the match.
The US barely has 72 hours to recover in time for a crucial game against group-leaders England on Friday. The Three Lions started their World Cup campaign in Qatar with a roar, alienating Iran 6-2, with Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham getting on the scoresheet.
US captain Tyler Adam, however, isn’t fazed by the abundance of English talent ahead of Friday’s clash, as he knows the US can compete with their own gems in the mold of Reyna.
‘We know the impact he can make when he comes into games and when he has the opportunity,’ said the Leeds United midfielder. ‘So, when he gets his chance, he’ll take it.’
Gio Reyna is the son of ex-US captain Claudio Reyna (No. 10), who played with Berhalter (No. 3)
Despite only coming away with a point in its first World Cup game since 2014, several American players were satisfied with the team’s overall performance.
‘Things change really quickly in football,’ Adams said. ‘Obviously, you have to change gears, recover as quickly as possible for a big next game. We know how much quality England’s going to have. But again, we think that we match up well against them.
‘We have an athletic team. We think that against the ball we’re really dominant at times. You saw that tonight with our counter-pressing and how we’re able to create a lot of transition moments.’
Asked whether his team needed a longer recovery time in between games, Berhalter said playing one of the favorites to lift the trophy on December 18 was all of the motivation that the US would need to regain energy.
‘You’re getting to play England, that’s the recovery right there, you get to play one of the teams that we think is a favorite of the tournament,’ Berhalter said. ‘Road ahead is next game. It’s a pretty short road.’
The US will last play Iran in its final Group B match next Tuesday.
