Sergiño Dest will leave U.S. men's national team camp on Friday and return to PSV Eindhoven, U.S. Soccer announced Thursday, making him the third player to drop out of Mauricio Pochettino's original November roster. Unlike the first two, he won't be replaced: the federation confirmed the USMNT will go into the two-leg Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti with 24 players.
A precaution, not a long layoff
"Dest entered camp with a minor injury and following medical evaluation will be kept out of the upcoming matches as a precaution," U.S. Soccer said. The federation did not specify the injury. PSV said he started feeling discomfort in its last game before the break, against SC Cambuur on Sunday.
The roster has been shrinking since it was named on November 4. West Brom's George Campbell was forced off with a groin injury against Southampton and was replaced by Mark McKenzie on November 6, and Jack McGlynn took Gio Reyna's spot a day later. With the window this far along, there's no plan to bring anyone else in.
Who plays right back
Dest started at right back for the U.S. at two World Cups, but he barely featured in the four friendly wins in September and October. That leaves Pochettino with Villarreal's Alex Freeman, Rennes' Bryan Reynolds and Nashville's Reed Baker-Whiting as right-sided options, with Antonee Robinson on the left.
Further up the right side, 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan, the youngest goalscorer in U.S. history, could earn a fourth cap, and McGlynn can also play there.
The first leg is Saturday, November 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET at Nu Stadium in Miami, Haiti's home game in the series, and the second is Tuesday, November 17 at 7 p.m. ET at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. Haiti have their own late absence, with Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde out with a minor injury, and won't know untill kickoff whether they'll face Pochettino on the U.S. bench amid the Manchester United reports.
