LOS ANGELES — The U.S. men’s national team will be without Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso, Fulham defender Antonee Robinson and Celtic center back Auston Trusty for the Concacaf Nations League finals.
The USMNT announced Tuesday that the trio will be replaced on the roster by Columbus Crew defender Max Arfsten, Chicago Fire midfielder Brian Gutiérrez and Houston Dynamo midfielder Jack McGlynn.
Cardoso was suspended for last weekend’s 3-2 win over Leganes, but he also missed Betis’ Europa Conference League match against Vitoria SC because of a muscle injury.
Robinson will miss out because of an undisclosed ailment, this despite going the full 90 minutes last weekend against Tottenham Hotspur. Trusty has been dealing with a calf injury that kept him out of last weekend’s 3-2 loss to Rangers.
The USMNT will face Panama in Thursday’s first semifinal of the Nations League, with Canada and Mexico squaring off in the second semi.
Robinson will be especially difficult to replace, given that he is tied for second in the Premier League with 10 assists on the season.
His absence poses some difficult questions for U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino as it relates to his backline. The Argentine could opt to play three in the back, or he could go with a back four with Arfsten, Tim Ream or Joe Scally filling in for Robinson.
All three of the new arrivals took part in the USMNT training camp in January, with Arfsten and Gutiérrez earning their first two caps in matches against Venezuela and Costa Rica. McGlynn scored the opening goal against Venezuela in a 3-1 victory.
