Rapids’ Kellyn Acosta on U.S. roster for Nations League semifinal in Denver – The Denver Post

NEW YORK — Defender DeAndre Yedlin and forward Jordan Siebatcheu earned spots on the 23-man U.S. roster for the CONCACAF National League semifinal against Honduras at Denver on June 3.

Midfielder Cristian Roldan and forwards Daryl Dike and Gyasi Zardes were among the cuts announced Monday by U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter from the 40-man preliminary roster of May 10.

Midfielder Tyler Adams, who was returning to the U.S. from RB Leipzig last week for treatment of a back injury, also was on the roster. He last played on April 25.

“We felt that he was that important to the team that we want to put him on the roster,” Berhalter said. “We know we can always replace him if he’s injured. We have enough players in camp to do so. So it was a risk worth taking.”

David Ochoa, whose blunder helped eliminate the U.S. under-24 team from Olympic qualifying in March, beat out Sean Johnson and Matt Turner for a backup goalkeeper slot with Ethan Horvath. Zack Steffen is the starter.

Berhalter listed Christian Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson among six forwards rather than in midfield. Berhalter included six midfielders and eight defenders.

Cuts included defenders Aaron Long, Bryan Reynolds, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Sam Vines and Walker Zimmerman, midfielders Luca de la Torre and Owen Otasowie, and forwards Paul Arriola, Tyler Boyd, Konrad de la Fuente and Nicholas Gioacchini.

Long tore his right Achilles tendon while playing for the New York Red Bulls on May 16, Arriola was sidelined between Feb. 27 and May 13 by a quadriceps injury sustained while on loan to Swansea and Richards injured a thigh late in Hoffenheim’s season.

Substitutions can be made for injured players up until 24 hours before kickoff and replacements must be from the preliminary roster.

Yedlin, the senior player with 62 international appearances, has not played for the U.S. since November 2019. Yedlin and defender John Brooks are the only players remaining from the 2014 World Cup roster.

Yedlin, Pulisic and midfielder Kellyn Acosta are the only holdovers from the players on the field in the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago that eliminated the U.S. from World Cup qualifying.

After playing little for Newcastle last fall, Yedlin transferred to Galatasaray and became a regular starter.

“He certainly brings experience,” Berhalter said. “And what we’ve liked from him is him going to Turkey, taking no time to adapt to a new league.”

The roster averages 17 international appearances and as of June 3 will average 23 years, 336 days. Thirteen players will be 23 or younger.

Four players each are based in England, Germany and the U.S., three in Belgium, two in Spain, and one each in Austria, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey.

Pulisic and Steffen will miss Sunday’s exhibition against Switzerland in St. Gallen to be at the European Champions League final at Porto, Portugal, on Saturday. Pulisic is a regular with Chelsea and Steffen is the backup on Manchester City, which meet in the final.

The U.S. match against Honduras is the first game of a doubleheader that ends with Mexico-Costa Rica. The championship and third-place game are June 6 in Denver, and the U.S. then plays an exhibition against Costa Rica on June 9 at Sandy, Utah.

The four matches in an 11-day span are designed to simulate the compacted World Cup qualifying schedule. when active players can be changed for each match.

Dike is on the roster for this Swiss friendly, part of a group that also includes Matthew Hoppe and Julian Green. Berhalter said Dike will be among 25 players remaining with the team after this weekend and is likely to play against Costa Rica.

“Darryl has a long future with us, and this is just a temporary setback for this tournament,” Berhalter said.

These figure to be the last prep matches for the full U.S. player pool ahead of the delayed start of World Cup qualifying. Europe-based regulars will bypass the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the Americans open against Canada on July 11, then finish the group stage against Martinique four days later and Canada on July 18.

“When in doubt we leaned on the Europeans because we knew that they’re going to need rest and then (be) preparing for a preseason,” Berhalter said.

After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Americans open qualifying for the 2022 tournament in Qatar on Sept. 2, likely at either Trinidad and Tobago or El Salvador. They are home Sept. 5, probably against Canada or Haiti, then play Sept. 8 at Honduras.

The following month has the U.S. home against Jamaica on Oct. 7, at Panama or Guatemala three days later and at home against Costa Rica on Oct. 13.

The U.S. hosts Mexico on Nov. 12 and is at Jamaica four days later to complete the 2021 portion of its qualifying schedule.

The roster

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge, Belgium), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Zack Steffen (Manchester City)

Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg, Germany), Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray, Turkey)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, Germany), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Jackson Yueill (San Jose)

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen, Germany), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys, Switzerland), Tim Weah (Lille, France)

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