Wright’s Injury Announcement
In a significant setback for the U.S. Men’s National Team, striker Haji Wright will miss the remainder of the Concacaf Gold Cup due to an Achilles injury, as confirmed by U.S. Soccer on Saturday. The federation indicated that Wright is set to return to his club, Coventry City, where he will undergo further assessment and treatment for his injury.
Impact on the Team
According to Gold Cup regulations, the 27-year-old forward cannot be replaced on the roster, thus leaving the national team without his services for the remainder of the tournament. Wright had demonstrated promise at the beginning of the Gold Cup, coming off the bench to score in the U.S. team’s 5-0 victory against Trinidad and Tobago. However, he was unable to participate in training prior to the next match against Saudi Arabia and did not feature in that game’s squad.
Coaching Comments and Training Restrictions
Updates regarding Wright’s condition will be forthcoming.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino commented after the Saudi Arabia match. While Wright was seen arriving with teammates for a training session on Saturday, he was restricted to conditioning work in the gym, as reported by a team representative.
Wright’s Performance Before Injury
This injury is particularly disappointing for Wright, who recently completed a successful season with Coventry City in the EFL Championship, netting 12 goals across 31 matches in various competitions. He had aimed to make a strong impact in the tournament, especially with competition from notable forwards not included in the final Gold Cup squad, such as Folarin Balogun of AS Monaco, Ricardo Pepi from PSV Eindhoven, and Norwich City’s Josh Sargent.
