USMNT gets glimpse of Gio Reyna's potential as midfielder scores and sets up decisive goal against Paraguay.
In a promising turn of events for the US men's national team, Gio Reyna marked his return from injury with a goal in their 2-1 win over Paraguay on Saturday. The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder has been plagued by controversy and injury issues since the 2022 World Cup, but Pochettino believes he is finally on the mend.
Reyna's fourth-minute strike came via a rare header, rising to meet a cross from Max Arfsten with a cushioned effort that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and over the line. The goal was a much-needed boost for the US team, which has been searching for options amidst its World Cup preparations.
Pochettino called up Reyna in this window as one of the last chances to assess his fit with the team before the March 2026 international window. And it appears he is starting to find his form again. Reyna's performance was a positive one, and his partnership with Folarin Balogun seemed promising.
However, concerns remain about the US team's overall defensive strategy. The three-man backline look has been the most successful for the team so far this year, but it also left them vulnerable to Paraguay's equalizer.
The US team will face Uruguay again on Tuesday in Tampa, Florida, with Reyna set to start once more. If he is happy, healthy, and comfortable in his role, head coach Pochettino has a very intriguing attacking option at his disposal that could raise the US team's ceiling next year.
Reyna's performance was just the beginning of what could be an exciting chapter for the midfielder and the USMNT.
In a promising turn of events for the US men's national team, Gio Reyna marked his return from injury with a goal in their 2-1 win over Paraguay on Saturday. The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder has been plagued by controversy and injury issues since the 2022 World Cup, but Pochettino believes he is finally on the mend.
Reyna's fourth-minute strike came via a rare header, rising to meet a cross from Max Arfsten with a cushioned effort that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and over the line. The goal was a much-needed boost for the US team, which has been searching for options amidst its World Cup preparations.
Pochettino called up Reyna in this window as one of the last chances to assess his fit with the team before the March 2026 international window. And it appears he is starting to find his form again. Reyna's performance was a positive one, and his partnership with Folarin Balogun seemed promising.
However, concerns remain about the US team's overall defensive strategy. The three-man backline look has been the most successful for the team so far this year, but it also left them vulnerable to Paraguay's equalizer.
The US team will face Uruguay again on Tuesday in Tampa, Florida, with Reyna set to start once more. If he is happy, healthy, and comfortable in his role, head coach Pochettino has a very intriguing attacking option at his disposal that could raise the US team's ceiling next year.
Reyna's performance was just the beginning of what could be an exciting chapter for the midfielder and the USMNT.
he finally scored a goal and set up another decisive one, it's like he never left 
! I'm so hyped for him, he's been through so much since the 2022 World Cup but it seems like he's finally on track now. Pochettino must be stoked with his performance too 
. Now let's see how he'll do against Uruguay next... fingers crossed for a win! 
HE'S BEEN THROUGH SOME TURBULENCE IN THE PAST WITH INJURIES AND CONTROVERSY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE POCHETTINO IS GETTING HIM BACK ON TRACK 
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING SOME PROMISING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN REYNA AND FOLARIN BALOGUN ON THE FIELD - COULD THIS BE THE START OF SOMETHING BIG FOR USMNT?! 
. The question is, can he stay injury-free for the rest of the year? 
If he can do that, we might see some serious fireworks on the pitch, especially against Uruguay next week 
. With Reyna on form, I think we could be looking at an exciting new chapter for the USMNT 
. I'm loving how Pochettino has been playing him in this window, it's clear he wants to assess his fit with the team before the World Cup 
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. The three-man backline has been working well so far, but it's clear that they need to work on their defensive strategy 
. It's crazy to think about all the hype around him since 2022 and how it seemed like his career was derailed by injuries. But now, with some solid form behind him, I think Pochettino's made a smart call bringing him back into the mix 
. I mean, we've seen this before - the coach says he's finally found his form, but what about all the injuries and controversies surrounding him since the 2022 World Cup? it's just too convenient... or is there something more going on here? 
. That goal against Paraguay was pure magic 
, I'm talking clutch strike vibes! Pochettino made a great call by giving him another chance, and it looks like it paid off big time 
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for the USMNT!
! It was like he's finally getting his confidence back after all those injuries. The US team needs players like Reyna who can make a difference, and Folarin Balogun seems like a great partner for him too 
. Bring on Uruguay next week! 
He's been through so much since the 2022 World Cup, but now he seems like he's on a roll 
. I mean, that header was pure magic! 
The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder is still got some work to do, but seeing him play with Folarin Balogun looks promising 
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Just saw Gio Reyna's goal against Paraguay... feels like a pipe dream. We all know the 2022 World Cup drama he got himself into... 
. Problem is, they still gotta figure out how to defend properly 
. Don't wanna jinx it but if Reyna can stay healthy and find his rhythm, it's definitely a promising turn... but you know how it goes 
. I'm loving the three-man backline look so far, but we need to work on our defense when they drop deep 
. The three-man backline look is kinda the way to go, it's solid & we don't see many teams exploiting that weakness easily 
. And as for Pochettino calling up Gio in this window, I think he was just trying to stir up drama 
. The US team should be focusing on getting more wins and building that momentum before the March 2026 window 
! I'm super happy for him, especially after all the setbacks he's faced. It's awesome that Pochettino is giving him another chance to shine 
. Pochettino seems to have finally gotten the best out of him and now we need to see it translate to the big stage. The 3-man backline might be working but our defense as a whole needs some serious fine-tuning