Dest is out of the USA to close the qualifying rounds

Chicago (AFP) – Serginio Dest will miss the US team’s last three World Cup qualifiers after straining his left thigh.

On Friday, the right-back was replaced in the squad by George Bello, who plays on the left flank.

Dest was injured Thursday during the European League match that Barcelona won against Galatasaray.

His injuries have left DeAndre Yedlin and Reggie Cannon as first choices to start at right-back during next Thursday’s game, a visit to Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.

On March 27, the United States will host Panama, and three days later the match will conclude in Costa Rica.

Bello, who moved in January from Atlanta to Germany’s Armenia Bielefeld, made his debut on February 7 and started his first game on Sunday. He could be a replacement for Anthony Robinson, who plays for Fulham and is likely to be a key player at left-back.

Dest was expected to replace Robinson.

“We also see that Klein Acosta might be able to play at left-back, but since he had minutes in midfield, he might not be perfect,” USA coach Greg Berhalter said.

Bello played six caps, including the start against Mexico in last year’s Gold Cup. Berhalter said Thursday that he was also looking at Joe Scully, Chuck Moore and Sam Vines.

The United States is looking to return to the World Cup after missing out on 2018. Training begins Monday in Houston.

Canada leads the last eight round of qualifiers in CONCACAF, with 25 points, and the United States is in second place with 21 points, ahead of Mexico, with a goal difference, which currently has the third and final ticket directly to Qatar.

Panama is fourth with 17 units and the provisional right to play an intercontinental playoff.

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest, England), Shawn Johnson (New York City) and Zach Stephen (Manchester City, England).

Defenders: Georges Bello (Armenia Bielefeld, Germany), Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Eric Palmer-Brown (Troys, France), Anthony Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (Atlanta.) , James Sands (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Deandre Yadlin (Miami) and Walker Zimmerman (Nashville).

Midfielders: Klein Acosta (Los Angeles), Tyler Adams (Leipzig, Germany), Gianluca Posio (Venice, Italy), Luca de la Torre (Heracles, Netherlands), Younes Moussa (Valencia, Spain) and Christian Roldan (Seattle).

Forwards: Brenden Aronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Paul Areola (Dallas), Jesus Ferreira (Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle), Jordan Pevok (Young Boys, Switzerland), Ricardo Pepe (Augsburg, Germany), Christian Pulisic ( Chelsea, England), Gio Reina (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Tim Weh (Lille, France)