USA ahead Timothy Weah was unable to journey to Canada for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier as a result of he didn't meet the vaccination necessities to cross the Canadian border, coach Gregg Berhalter mentioned Saturday.
Weah, who was concerned within the play that led to the one aim in Thursday’s 1-0 victory over El Salvador, has obtained one vaccine dose and was contaminated with Covid-19 earlier than he might obtain his second shot, Berhalter mentioned.
Weah meets the vaccination requirements in France, the place he performs professionally, however is unable to enter Canada, Berhalter mentioned.
“That is one thing we will’t management, the nuances of the Covid protocol, and we simply must take care of it,” Berhalter mentioned. “It will likely be concerning the subsequent man stepping up and doing their job.”
Berhalter mentioned the workforce grew to become conscious of Weah’s scenario “a few days in the past” and had hoped it may very well be resolved earlier than Sunday’s sport.
“This was a nuanced technicality that we have been hoping was going to get pushed via and, sadly, it didn’t,” Berhalter mentioned.
Berhalter additionally mentioned fullback Brooks Lennon has returned to his MLS membership, Atlanta United, to be “evaluated for a slight ankle harm”.
Weah’s absence means he'll miss the chance to face off towards Canadian ahead Jonathan David, his teammate with Lille OSC in France. David scored Canada’s second aim in Thursday’s 2-0 win in Honduras.
“That’s my man,” Weah mentioned after Thursday’s sport in Columbus, Ohio. “We at all times go at it. Most significantly, I like watching him succeed. Nice man, certainly one of my finest buddies on the workforce. I want nothing however success for him. Seeing what he’s been doing has actually been nice, and it’s pushed me to work even tougher. Having that brotherhood, we actually wish to compete rather a lot. We’ve been ready for this sport the entire 12 months, we’ve been speaking about it, we’ve been joking about who’s going to win, who’s going to attain.”
Weah didn't play for Lille between 1 December and 19 January due to a quadriceps harm. He missed a 1-1 draw towards Canada final September due to a thigh harm.
Canada are undefeated via 9 video games and lead the group, one level forward of the US in second and two factors forward of Mexico in third. Panama are in fourth place, 5 factors behind Canada.
“They’ve definitely improved rather a lot over the previous couple of years,” US defender Walker Zimmerman mentioned of Canada. “I feel there’s been a shift of their mentality and so they play with a chip on their shoulder, they play with one thing to show, and so they play with an depth that could be very excessive.”
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is unavailable for Canada for this three-match window as a consequence of proof of coronary heart muscle irritation found after Davies was contaminated with the coronavirus. Even with out the speedy Davies, Berhalter mentioned Canada’s roster gives loads of attacking expertise.
“They nonetheless have some nice gamers,” Berhalter mentioned. “When you concentrate on the pace of Tajon Buchanan, he can do this. When you concentrate on Jonathan David, he’s acquired the standard. He’s certainly one of Europe’s high strikers proper now. Cyle Larin has at all times been an excellent striker. They've weapons.”
That is the primary journey north of the border for the US males’s workforce since a 2-0 loss in Toronto within the Concacaf Nations League in October 2019.
“That first Canada away sport within the Nations League is the place we actually fell flat from a aggressive standpoint,” Berhalter mentioned. “That’s the emphasis on this sport. We all know that they’re going to be fired up. We all know they’re taking part in in entrance of their dwelling followers and we all know they’re going to be assured. It’s going to be a aggressive sport. If we will embrace, we’ll be OK. It’s a great alternative for us to maneuver up within the standings.”
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