Nine months ahead the World Cup, the USMNT has yet to settle on a center forward — and the depth chart for this key position remains cloudy.
In camp for the September friendlies are Josh Sargent, Damion Downs and Folarin Balogun. Sargent has been the hottest American scorer — opening his Norwich City season with six goals in five games — but the 25-year-old hasn’t scored for the USA since 2019.
“I’d probably be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Sargent said of his scoreless streak in his last 16 USMNT appearances. “Of course I know it’s been a while. I’m doing so well at the club level at the moment, I just keep reminding myself how well I’m doing there.”
Injuries have complicated Pochettino’s quest to settle in a center forward.
Fitness issues:
• Josh Sargent (28 caps, 5 goals) has scored 17 Norwich goals since November groin surgery.
• Folarin Balogun (17 caps/5 goals) is attending his first Pochettino camp since shoulder surgery.
• Damion Downs (5 caps/0 goals) Gold Cup playing time was limited by illness and injury.
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• Patrick Agyemang (12 caps/5 goals) scored two Gold Cup goals but doesn’t get a test against stronger foes because of hernia surgery.
• Ricardo Pepi (33 caps/13 goals) is working his back from knee surgery and hasn’t been in camp since he scored twice in November.
• Brian White (8 caps/1goal) has a hamstring injury.
• Haji Wright (17 caps, 5 goals) was sidelined with achilles’ tendon problems after the Gold Cup opener, but has since scored five goals for Coventry.
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