Gio Reyna is officially out of the U.S. national team’s upcoming training camp and CONCACAF Nations League matches, and it all went down moments after he scored for French club Strasbourg on Friday. This is a brutal blow, especially after he was such a pivotal figure in the U.S. sweep of four friendlies earlier this fall.
Reyna’s Exit and the Midfield Challenge
Reyna bagged his third league goal in 10 matches for Strasbourg in the 67th minute during their 3-1 loss at Toulouse. But just three minutes later, disaster struck, and he departed with a thigh injury. He was absolutely figured to play a major role in central midfield for the Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti. With camp opening Monday near Atlanta, and the first leg next Saturday in Miami, that’s a massive hole to fill. Now, greater responsibility transfers straight to Malik Tillman and Sebastian Berhalter.
Jack McGlynn’s Red-Hot Return to the USMNT
Stepping into that void, and for the first time in 14 months, is Jack McGlynn. This guy is having a terrific start to Stoke City’s season in the second-flight England Championship. The 23-year-old is a fixture on the right wing for Stoke City, which is tied with Birmingham City and Middlesbrough on points (29) atop the league with a sick 9-4-2 record. You want to talk about being on a roll? McGlynn scored for the third consecutive match as Stoke won 2-1 at Portsmouth just before the U.S. announced his call-up. He’s dropped five goals and two assists in his past nine games, with those five goals just one short of his career high set with the Houston Dynamo back in 2025. He moved to Stoke in September after almost two seasons in Houston and four with the Philadelphia Union. The Queens native already has two goals and two assists in 13 U.S. senior appearances, and even featured on the under-23 team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This call-up is seriously well-deserved.
Another Defensive Switch-Up for the Squad
McGlynn’s call-up wasn’t the only change either. Just a day before, Toulouse center back Mark McKenzie got summoned to replace George Campbell, the West Brom captain who’s battling a groin injury. McKenzie, who is 27, was part of the World Cup squad this past summer but wasn’t in on those four friendlies in September and October. U.S. Coach Mauricio Pochettino called him up hours before McKenzie himself scored his first goal for club or country since way back in February 2025. Talk about good timing!
The USMNT camp kicks off Monday in Atlanta, with the first leg of those Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti next Saturday in Miami. The decider is November 17 in Cincinnati. This team is going to need McGlynn to keep bringing that Stoke City fire to the pitch if they want to advance. What a wild week for the national squad!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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