USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter compares Gio Reyna to Diego Maradona
The Borussia Dortmund ace made his first appearance with the national team since September 2021 and created several opportunities for the USMNT.
The United States men’s national team had two clear opportunities to defeat Mexico at Estadio Azteca for the first time in the history of World Cup qualifiers, but they had to settle with a 0-0 draw. The result was positive for both sides because they are four points away from securing a spot in the upcoming World Cup with two fixtures left in the round-robin campaign.
Gio Reyna, impressive on his return
One of the big highlights of the night was the return of Gio Reyna with the United States men’s national team since suffering a hamstring injury in qualifiers back in September 2021. The Borussia Dortmund ace replaced Tim Weah in the 60th minute and quickly made a difference in the game.
Reyna cushioned the ball for Jordan Pefok inside the six-yard line, but the USMNT striker’s shot went wide. A few minutes later, the Borussia Dortmund ace made a fantastic solo play and dribbled past several Mexican players. Reyna had a positive impact in the 30 minutes he played and he was praised by the USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter after the match.
“Mexico was the host of the ‘86 World Cup where Maradona scored his wonderful goal, and I had visions of that while Gio was dribbling,” said Berhalter. ““Unfortunately he didn’t finish it off or get an opportunity to finish it off, but again, I thought he made a solid impact and showed what type of playmaking and attacking quality he has. It’s exciting when we look at our young players. You think about the prospect of these guys getting even better, it’s really exciting.”