U.S. national team boss Gregg Berhalter says his side will "move on" without Tyler Adams as the team prepares for the Gold Cup.
Adams, who was widely expected to be a key member of Berhalter's first competitive team when the Gold Cup kicks off next week, was a late scratch.
It's another blow to the USA, with defenders DeAndre Yedlin and John Brooks having already been ruled out of the tournament.
The Gold Cup marks a return to competitive action for the USA for the first time since the 2017 loss to Trinidad and Tobago which saw the side miss out on the 2018 World Cup. It's also the first extended period of time new coach Berhalter will have to spend with his full team as he prepares for the next World Cup qualifying cycle.
And while the former Columbus Crew boss said he would like to have Adams, he also knows the loss of another key component was beyond his control.
“It’s one of those things that you can’t control,” Berhalter said in quotes published by MLSsoccer.com. “We bring Reggie Cannon into camp and we move on. Obviously, [Adams] is a strong player, he’s a great talent. We’d love to have him, but we don’t.”
U.S. Soccer listed Adams as out with "acute on chronic groin issues" and Berhalter says the national team was looking out for the best interest of the player in the long term.
“He has a club to play for as well,” Berhalter said, stressing the long-term. “That’s something we just had to balance. We were making final decisions and speaking to the player. It’s a risk we knew was there.”
The U.S. comes into the Gold Cup on the back of a pair of losses in friendly tune-ups, though several players who are still expected to play big roles in the summer tournament took no part in either match.
The USA will kick off their Gold Cup on Tuesday against Guyana, with the side also set to face Trinidad and Tobago and Panama in Group D play.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)