USMNT star Reyna explains why he is on penalty duty at Borussia Dortmund while delivering fitness update

• American midfielder stepping up from 12 yards
• Has shown great composure from the spot
• Feeling good and ready for World Cup finals

WHAT HAPPENED? The 19-year-old United States international was among the goals in his latest outing for the Bundesliga heavyweights, with his nerve held from 12 yards during a 3-0 victory over Bochum. Reyna was able to convince Dortmund skipper Jude Bellingham that he was the man for the job once a spot-kick had been awarded, and the talented teenager made no mistake as he calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

WHAT THEY SAID: Quizzed by Dortmund’s matchday magazine about why he stepped up, Reyna said: “I’ve taken lots of penalties in training, and the goalkeeper said I’m very good at them. I had a good feeling in the game, so I said to Jude: ‘Give me the ball’. I waited a bit for the goalkeeper. If the keeper goes one way, I go the other way.”

He added on not striking his effort particularly hard: “Yeah, but that was because I knew he had gone left – so I went to his right. Simple!”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Reyna was restricted to just 13 appearances in all competitions last season, but is already up to 14 in the current campaign and believes his much-publicised injury issues are now a thing of the past. The USMNT star added: “I’m almost at 100% – I’d say something like 95% or 98%. I was out injured for about a season or something. It was a bit different. It was my first injury – I hadn’t had anything like it before – so it was tough, but I learned a lot of new things about my mind and my mentality.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

Getty

Getty

Getty

WHAT NEXT FOR REYNA? Having returned to form and fitness at club level, the highly-rated youngster is now counting down the days to a World Cup appearance with the USA at Qatar 2022 – where Gregg Berhalter’s side will face England, Wales and Iran in Group B.