By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Editor’s Note: “Plane to Qatar” is FOX Sports’ weekly characteristic monitoring the progress of gamers hoping to crack the United States Men’s National Team’s 26-player roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Let’s start with the excellent news.
Five World Cup-bound Americans returned from injury in current days, together with teenage attacker Gio Reyna, who got here on for the ultimate 19 minutes of Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League tie with Sevilla on Tuesday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah are all wholesome once more, too. Christian Pulisic made his first begin for Chelsea below new supervisor Graham Potter and scored his first of the Premier League season. There had been extra objectives by strikers Ricardo Pepi and Josh Sargent.
There had been not-so-good developments involving key contributors, too — together with Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie and sure, Pulisic. With USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter set to announce his closing squad in lower than a month, get caught up on the most recent under.
First class
F/M Brenden Aaronson (Leeds): Aaronson continues to impress in his first season within the Prem. His relentless work helped create Leeds’ lone objective Sunday in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace:
M Tyler Adams (Leeds): The tireless defensive midfielder has performed each minute for Leeds and has been the membership’s most constant performer by 9 video games. Both Berhalter and U.S. supporters need to be praying that Adams stays wholesome regardless of that workload.
D Sergiño Dest (AC Milan): The USMNT’s beginning proper again has been sluggish to settle in Italy. Dest has began simply one among eight video games throughout all competitions for Milan, though he got here off the bench Tuesday within the first half of the Rossoneri’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Chelsea.
F Jesús Ferreira (Dallas): The diminutive striker completed the MLS common season with 18 objectives, tied with Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez for essentially the most amongst U.S. gamers. Ferreira had an help FCD’s Decision Day victory over Sporting Kansas City.
M Weston McKennie (Juventus): Three days after getting into at halftime of Juve’s 1-0 loss Milan, McKennie was eliminated halfway by Tuesday’s stunning 2-0 loss at Maccabi Haifa — a defeat that every one however eradicated them from the Champions League.
M Yunus Musah (Valencia): The teenage midfielder could not return quickly sufficient from the groin injury that saved him from collaborating in final month’s friendlies after the Americans struggled so desperately with out him. Musah performed the ultimate 28 minutes of final Friday’s 2-1 win over Osasuna, his first motion since Sept. 10.
F Christian Pulisic (Chelsea): Pulisic’s season of suits and begins continues. After scoring his well-taken goal on Saturday, he did not play in any respect in Milan.
F/M Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund): The 19-year-old is again after lacking three video games for BVB with the groin pressure he suffered versus Saudi Arabia on Sept. 27.
D Antonee Robinson (Fulham): Out since early September with a excessive ankle sprain, Jedi made his first look in additional than a month Sunday, taking part in all 90 minutes at left again because the Cottagers misplaced 3-1 at London rival West Ham.
F Tim Weah (Lille): After lacking the primary 10 video games of the Ligue 1 marketing campaign, the winger performed the ultimate 16 minutes of Lille 1-0 victory Sunday versus Lens.
D Walker Zimmerman (Nashville): The beginning U.S. middle again was in playoff type in opposition to the Supporters Shield winners on Decision Day, serving to maintain LAFC scoreless. Nashville meets the LA Galaxy in a win-or-go-home match this weekend.
Comfort Plus
M Kellyn Acosta (LAFC): Adams’ understudy appeared in 32 of 34 video games through the common season, beginning 28 – together with Sunday’s loss to Zimmerman & Co. Following their first spherical bye, LAFC will face both Nashville or the rival Galaxy within the Western Conference semifinal.
M Paul Arriola (Dallas): Arriola had a objective and an help in FCD’s victory over SKC. The veteran winger’s objective ended up the game-winner:
D Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic): On Saturday, Carter-Vickers returned from injury to captain the Bhoys to a Scottish Premiership win over St. Johnstone. On Tuesday, he helped maintain RB Leipzig off the scoresheet for 75 minutes earlier than the Germans scored twice to knock Celtic out of the Champions League.
*D Reggie Cannon (Boavista): The proper again/proper middle again missed his second straight membership video games due to the groin injury he suffered Sept. 23 in opposition to Japan.
M Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo): Playmaker De la Torre did not characteristic in Sunday’s loss to Barcelona. It was the fourth time in eight La Liga video games that he did not get off the bench. The 24-year-old has logged simply 38 minutes in 2022-23.
G Sean Johnson (New York City): The 33-year-old backstopped the pigeons to a season ending 2-1 win over Atlanta United on Sunday. NYCFC hosts Miami Oct. 17 (7 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX Sports app) in spherical one of many playoffs.
D Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls): In his first motion since taking part in 58 minutes for the U.S. in opposition to the Saudis, Long went the gap for the Red Bulls in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Charlotte.
M Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders): The bodily winger was subbed midway by the Sounders’ 2022-ending 1-1 draw in opposition to San Jose for “precautionary” causes, per Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer. “He’s fine,” Schmetzer mentioned of the 27-year-old. Morris will subsequent report back to the USMNT’s to-be-announced October coaching camp.
F Ricardo Pepi (Groningen): The Texan’s confidence must be scoring after scoring twice final Friday. Pepi, 19, now has 4 objectives and an help in 4 video games since arriving within the Netherlands on mortgage from German Bundesliga aspect Augsburg.
*D Chris Richards (Crystal Palace): The 22-year-old middle again hasn’t performed since August and stays out with an undisclosed injury. The door is closing quick.
F Josh Sargent (Norwich City): Sargent netted his seventh objective in his final 10 video games for the Canaries in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Preston.
D Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach): ‘Gladbach supervisor Daniel Farke caught with the teenage proper again after final week’s embarrassing 5-1 loss to Werder Bremen. Scally — who has began each recreation this season — rewarded Farke with a bounce-back efficiency in opposition to Cologne in a 5-2 derby win.
G Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough): Steffen has been higher in Boro’s final two video games. He recorded his first win of the season Oct. 5, making two key saves and preserving a clear sheet in opposition to Birmingham City. He had 5 stops within the subsequent 2-0 loss at Millwall.
G Matt Turner (Arsenal): The Gunners’ No. 2 earned his first shutout for Arsenal in final week’s in 3-0 residence win over Bodø/Glimt within the Europa League. Turner is anticipated to begin Thursday’s rematch in Norway.
D DeAndre Yedlin (Miami): The 32-year-old proper again performed in all 34 video games for Miami, making 33 begins. He’ll surpass the three,000-minute mark in subsequent week’s playoff opener.
Standby checklist
M Johnny Cardoso (Internacional): The Brazil-based No. 8 stays a darkish horse roster risk if one other central midfielder goes down.
G Ethan Horvath (Luton Town): Still vying to be the third keeper on the USMNT’s squad for Qatar, Horvath pitched his fifth shutout this season final weekend.
D Mark McKenzie (Genk): The middle again has made 9 consecutive begins for Belgium’s second-best workforce. He’s the almost definitely substitute if Richards’ cannot go.
D Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes): Palmer-Brown had a tough Sunday. The central defender was overwhelmed on Nice’s opener, then conceded a penalty earlier than being pulled at halftime of the 3-2 loss.
F Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin): Replaced after 65 minutes, the middle ahead put in his second-shortest shift of the Bundesliga season in Sunday’s win over Stuttgart. Following his scorching begin, Pefok has one objective in his final 5 outings.
M Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders): Roldan went the gap within the Sounders finale. He’ll be part of membership teammate Morris on the October camp, and needs to be in competition for a World Cup journey till the tip.
M Malik Tillman (Rangers): When Liverpool visits Glasgow Wednesday within the Champions League, the 20-year-old’s compete degree will likely be intently watched by the U.S. employees — if he performs.
D Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp): As the one pure left-footed fullback possibility after Robinson, Vines — who stays in advantageous type for the Belgian chief – nonetheless has a shot.
F Haji Wright (Antalyaspor): Wright hasn’t scored in 4 Turkish Süper Lig video games now; the striker’s most up-to-date objective got here on Aug. 26.
*Injured
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