Controversy Lures for USMNT as 20-Year-Old Starlet Gio Reyna’s Health Was Lied Upon by Head Coach – Claims Soccer Analyst

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter raised the eyebrows of American soccer fans when he announced starting eleven for their opening game against Wales. The trend continued in the match against England too.

Gio Reyna, arguably the most creative player in the squad, was left out of the lineup against Wales and England. Berhalter told Reyna’s absence was due to some tightness which was denied by the player saying I am 100 percent. Former USMNT player Eric Wynalda was not happy with his exclusion from the lineup.

Eric Wynalda criticized Berhalter over Gio Reyna

In a Twitter space hosted by the Los Angeles Times before the match against England, Wynalda discussed various issues USMNT needs to solve. He wants the USMNT manager to keep the interest of the team above all.

Wynalda said, “Gio Reyna out of the line-up is a massive controversy within the team. It seems to be some internal strike with manager Gregg Berhalter. He was fit to play. Berhalter did lie to the media and said there was an injury. Asked the player to go along with that story which caused the rift between the two and now the player is on the bench. The situation should have been handled differently.”

Reyna was brought on in the 83rd minute by Berhalter to replace Weah. It was too late to make an impact on the game. USMNT did manage to get a crucial point from the match.

Will the situation change for Gio Reyna in the decider against Iran?

USMNT will face Iran in what will be the decider to reach the round of 16. As can be seen from the standings of Group B, a win for either of the teams will guarantee a spot in the round of 16. Thankfully, USMNT won’t depend on the result of the Wales-England game.

Undoubtedly, Berhalter will need to field his best lineup against Iran, who surprisingly beat Wales deep into added time. He will have to keep the rift between him and Reyna and get him into the team.

Read More: Croatian Supermodel, Who Called FIFA World Cup a ‘Disaster’, at the Risk of Being Arrested After Controversial Photoshoot in Qatar

Gio Reyna is motivated to prove his fitness in the most important game for USMNT, provided he starts. Reyna is in good form for Borussia Dortmund this season. Although he has made the majority of substitute appearances for Dortmund this season, he has contributed to the team with his creative play.

USMNT has a real chance of qualifying for the knockout stage and making up for their absence from the 2018 edition. US soccer fans will undoubtedly be the happiest if the team qualifies for the knockouts.

Watch This Story: Charles Leclerc Spotted with French Soccer Bombshell Paul Pogba

USMNT has its fate in its own hands. Nothing less than a win will seal their progress. The current FIFA World Cup is full of shocking results. Do you think USMNT will beat Iran to grab a knockout spot? Let us know your predictions in the comment box.