Tag: Jordan Morris

Schmetzer threatens to keep Morris and Roldan off USMNT Gold Cup roster

“If [Roldan and Morris] have a choice, I’m sure they’re going to go. I’m not so sure they have a choice”

Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has threatened to not release U.S. national team duo Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris for the upcoming Gold Cup.

The pair was named to B.J. Callaghan’s 23-man squad for the tournament that kicks off later this month. With MLS opting not to pause for the Gold Cup, Roldan and Morris could miss as many as six Sounders games.

While club coaches are usually happy to see their players recognized with international call-ups, Schmetzer’s issues are twofold: First, both players are coming off injuries and second, Callaghan’s interim status means that neither player is guaranteed a spot under the USMNT’s permanent boss no matter how well they perform.

“It’s because of the injuries, yes, first and foremost,” Schmetzer told the media on Wednesday in quotes published in the Seattle Times. “But it’s a funny time in U.S. Soccer. Who’s really in charge? Maybe the new coach, whoever that may be, maybe they like Cristian, maybe they don’t. Maybe they like Jordan, maybe they don’t. Who are they playing for now?”

“If [Roldan and Morris] have a choice, I’m sure they’re going to go,” Schmetzer added. “I’m not so sure they have a choice.”

Roldan has only recently returned after missing two months due to a concussion, while Morris came back last weekend after missing two games with an adductor strain.

“U.S. Soccer should take into consideration fixture congestion and other factors, but I can’t tell you if that’s really going to make a difference,” Schmetzer said. “They’re aware of Cristian’s concussion and him having to come out of the [Charlotte game Saturday] with cramps. Jordan coming back half injured, we’ve told them that.”

Still, Schmetzer admitted that with the pair eyeing a potential place on the 2026 World Cup roster, he’d likely release them if they are healthy.

“At the end of the day, I still go back to what keeps me grounded is those guys as individuals,” the coach said. “If they’re going to potentially be involved in 2026, then you’ve got to let them go.”

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USMNT ’embraced the challenge’ in Nations League draw with El Salvador

Berhalter: “This is what builds teams”

It wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, but the U.S. men’s national team saw positives amid the acrimony and the muck at Estadio Cuscátlan after Tuesday night’s 1-1 CONCACAF Nations League draw with El Salvador.

“As we watch the weather come in yesterday, and the rain start pouring down, we knew it was gonna be a challenging game,” said USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter in the post-game press conference. “Really proud of the guys, the way they embraced that. They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t complain. They didn’t complain yesterday in training, they didn’t complain today in the game. They just went about their business.”

Berhalter’s side fell behind on a goal that was equal parts stunning (Alexander Larín’s shot came from seemingly nowhere) and potentially morale-sapping, given that it involved a clear misread from goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.

The situation grew worse when Paul Arriola was sent off just minutes after entering the game, a play that drew protests from USMNT players and nearly sparked a scuffle between the teams.

However, they fought back with a stoppage-time equalizer from Jordan Morris, ending the June camp without a loss. For Berhalter, getting something out of the circumstances was a big deal.

“The group grows with moments like this,” explained Berhalter. “After the game, Jordan Morris walks into the locker room, and everyone starts to cheer, and everyone’s uniform is a dark brown color. You know, the shoes are a mess, the staff is all dirty. This is what builds teams.”

Morris, who hadn’t scored for the USMNT since a brace against Cuba in November 2019, agreed. “It was a tough game, obviously. Tough conditions, tough environment, playing against a good team. I thought the fight in the team was really, really good.”

Berhalter, while noting a halftime formation change to a more familiar 4-3-3 after starting the match in a 4-4-2 that the Fox Sports 1 broadcast said the USMNT planned in case the conditions deteriorated, credited the team with upping the intensity of their play as the main reason they came back.

“It’s not a normal game where you come from behind,” said Berhalter. “We had some some referee decisions that were questionable, I think. You had the weather conditions whether it be pouring rain, or the field conditions, the mud that we’re dealing with, some gamesmanship by the opponent.”

We talked before the game about embracing the battle, embracing what this game was going to be like, and the guys did an excellent job of doing that.”

Morris went one step past simply embracing the conditions, going so far as to call the downpour and the mud “fun.”

“These are kind of some of the fields I used to play on as a kid, being from Seattle. Obviously not the mud, but the rain, I love playing in the rain,” said Morris. “I was just embracing that moment. I think the team as a group just embraced the challenge.”

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