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USMNT Stock Watch: Gio Renya, Antonee Robinson return from injury
By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Editor's Note: "Plane to Qatar" is FOX Sports' weekly feature tracking the progress of players hoping to crack the United States Men's National Team's 26-player roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Let's begin with the good news.
Five World Cup-bound Americans returned from injury in recent days, including teenage attacker Gio Reyna, who came on for the final 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 healthy again, too. Christian Pulisic made his first start for Chelsea under new manager Graham Potter and scored his first of the Premier League season. There were more goals by strikers Ricardo Pepi and Josh Sargent.
There were not-so-good developments involving key contributors, too — including Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie and yes, Pulisic. With USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter set to announce his final squad in less than a month, get caught up on the latest below.
First class
F/M Brenden Aaronson (Leeds): Aaronson continues to impress in his first season in the Prem. His relentless work helped create Leeds' lone goal Sunday in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace:
M Tyler Adams (Leeds): The tireless defensive midfielder has played every minute for Leeds and has been the club's most consistent performer through nine games. Both Berhalter and U.S. supporters have to be praying that Adams stays healthy despite that workload.
D Sergiño Dest (AC Milan): The USMNT's starting right back has been slow to settle in Italy. Dest has started just one of eight games across all competitions for Milan, although he came off the bench Tuesday in the first half of the Rossoneri's 2-0 Champions League loss to Chelsea.
F Jesús Ferreira (Dallas): The diminutive striker finished the MLS regular season with 18 goals, tied with Cincinnati's Brandon Vazquez for the most among U.S. players. Ferreira had an assist FCD's Decision Day victory over Sporting Kansas City.
M Weston McKennie (Juventus): Three days after entering at halftime of Juve's 1-0 loss Milan, McKennie was removed midway through Tuesday's shocking 2-0 loss at Maccabi Haifa — a defeat that all but eliminated them from the Champions League.
M Yunus Musah (Valencia): The teenage midfielder couldn't return soon enough from the groin injury that kept him from participating in last month's friendlies after the Americans struggled so desperately without him. Musah played the final 28 minutes of last Friday's 2-1 win over Osasuna, his first action since Sept. 10.
F Christian Pulisic (Chelsea): Pulisic's season of fits and starts continues. After scoring his well-taken goal on Saturday, he didn't play at all in Milan.
F/M Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund): The 19-year-old is back after missing three games for BVB with the groin strain he suffered versus Saudi Arabia on Sept. 27.
D Antonee Robinson (Fulham): Out since early September with a high ankle sprain, Jedi made his first appearance in more than a month Sunday, playing all 90 minutes at left back as the Cottagers lost 3-1 at London rival West Ham.
F Tim Weah (Lille): After missing the first 10 games of the Ligue 1 campaign, the winger played the final 16 minutes of Lille 1-0 victory Sunday versus Lens.
D Walker Zimmerman (Nashville): The starting U.S. center back was in playoff form against the Supporters Shield winners on Decision Day, helping keep 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 games during the regular season, starting 28 – including Sunday's loss to Zimmerman & Co. Following their first round bye, LAFC will face either Nashville or the rival Galaxy in the Western Conference semifinal.
M Paul Arriola (Dallas): Arriola had a goal and an assist in FCD's victory over SKC. The veteran winger's goal 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 keep RB Leipzig off the scoresheet for 75 minutes before the Germans scored twice to knock Celtic out of the Champions League.
*D Reggie Cannon (Boavista): The right back/right center back missed his second straight club games because of the groin injury he suffered Sept. 23 against Japan.
M Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo): Playmaker De la Torre didn't feature in Sunday's loss to Barcelona. It was the fourth time in eight La Liga games that he didn't get off the bench. The 24-year-old has logged just 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 round one of the playoffs.
D Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls): In his first action since playing 58 minutes for the U.S. against the Saudis, Long went the distance for the Red Bulls in Saturday's 2-0 win over Charlotte.
M Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders): The physical winger was subbed halfway through the Sounders' 2022-ending 1-1 draw against San Jose for "precautionary" reasons, per Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer. "He's fine," Schmetzer said of the 27-year-old. Morris will next report to the USMNT's to-be-announced October training camp.
F Ricardo Pepi (Groningen): The Texan's confidence has to be scoring after scoring twice last Friday. Pepi, 19, now has four goals and an assist in four games since arriving in the Netherlands on loan from German Bundesliga side Augsburg.
*D Chris Richards (Crystal Palace): The 22-year-old center back hasn't played since August and remains out with an undisclosed injury. The door is closing fast.
F Josh Sargent (Norwich City): Sargent netted his seventh goal in his last 10 games for the Canaries in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Preston.
D Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach): ‘Gladbach manager Daniel Farke stuck with the teenage right back after last week's embarrassing 5-1 loss to Werder Bremen. Scally — who has started every game this season — rewarded Farke with a bounce-back performance against Cologne in a 5-2 derby win.
G Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough): Steffen has been better in Boro's last two games. He recorded his first win of the season Oct. 5, making two key saves and keeping a clean sheet against Birmingham City. He had five stops in the subsequent 2-0 loss at Millwall.
G Matt Turner (Arsenal): The Gunners' No. 2 earned his first shutout for Arsenal in last week's in 3-0 home win over Bodø/Glimt in the Europa League. Turner is expected to start Thursday's rematch in Norway.
D DeAndre Yedlin (Miami): The 32-year-old right back played in all 34 games for Miami, making 33 starts. He'll surpass the 3,000-minute mark in next week's playoff opener.
Standby list
M Johnny Cardoso (Internacional): The Brazil-based No. 8 remains a dark horse roster possibility if another 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 last weekend.
D Mark McKenzie (Genk): The center back has made nine consecutive starts for Belgium's second-best team. He's the most likely replacement if Richards' can't go.
D Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes): Palmer-Brown had a rough Sunday. The central defender was beaten on Nice's opener, then conceded a penalty before being pulled at halftime of the 3-2 loss.
F Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin): Replaced after 65 minutes, the center forward put in his second-shortest shift of the Bundesliga season in Sunday's win over Stuttgart. Following his hot start, Pefok has one goal in his last five outings.
M Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders): Roldan went the distance in the Sounders finale. He'll join club teammate Morris at the October camp, and should be in contention for a World Cup trip until the end.
M Malik Tillman (Rangers): When Liverpool visits Glasgow Wednesday in the Champions League, the 20-year-old's compete level will be closely watched by the U.S. staff — if he plays.
D Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp): As the only natural left-footed fullback option after Robinson, Vines — who remains in fine form for the Belgian leader – still has a shot.
F Haji Wright (Antalyaspor): Wright hasn't scored in four Turkish Süper Lig games now; the striker's most recent goal came on Aug. 26.
*Injured
