The notion was solidified by Mauricio Pochettino’s omission of the 30-year-old from the October camp roster and international friendlies on Thursday. One friendly is scheduled against Australia at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, where Steffen and the Rapids play home games, on Oct. 14.

Instead, the four goalkeepers called up were longtime No. 1 Matt Turner, breakout star Matt Freese, up-and-comer Patrick Schulte and uncapped Chris Brady. All four hail from within the MLS, a growing trend within the entire USMNT player pool since Pochettino’s appointment.

At this stage, camp rosters will increasingly mirror what the actual World Cup roster will look like, as there are only so many camps and matches left for the group (and their newly tenured coach) to gel. That����ap why perennial U.S. stars like Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson, among others, will join for October camp after missing the Concacaf Gold Cup back in June.

Pochettino snapped back at reporters asking why certain players were omitted from camp during a media availability discussing the roster. Most notably, he said he “never gives explanations” to players included on or excluded from the roster because, “deep down, (they) know why.”

Digging deeper into Steffen’s omission, it����ap hard to find an obvious answer.

He, like any goaltender, is not immune to making mistakes, like a first-half mishandling against FC Dallas a couple of weeks ago that slipped through his hands for a goal. Steffen made up for it in that game alone with a pair of spectacular saves in the second half. Moreover, he routinely makes eye-popping stops.

He’s also got the volume to stack up to any MLS goalkeeper, let alone the ones called up for October camp. Despite missing 11 games this season, he’s still in the top 10 for total saves in the league. Per game, he’s averaging just more than four saves. The closest of the call-ups is Brady, with 3.5 per contest.

Over the course of the season, Steffen has evolved his game to more closely match what Pochettino’s staff wants. That has included largely doing away with a sweeper-keeper role and becoming more comfortable with staying glued at the penalty spot or closer to the goal, and helping build possession with his feet.

That said, the Pennsylvania native has had painful luck when other call-ups have come around. Back in March, a bad mistake by Turner in the semifinal, which led to a Panama victory and a U.S. relegation to the third-place game, had Steffen firmly in line to start against Canada to prove himself worthy of the No. 1 role. He had been playing some of the best soccer of his career at that moment, but fell ill and couldn’t play in that game.

The other opportunity ground to a halt due to a right meniscus injury that required surgery in June. It was early on in the camp, and his performance in MLS play regressed a bit, so a starting role wasn’t certain for the Gold Cup. But an injury like that could not have come at a worse time.

It����ap likely his name is first up if a goalkeeper has to depart, but Steffen’s next opportunity for a call-up will be in November for the final international window of the calendar year.

After 90-plus minutes, the first feeling after the full-time whistle sounded: a stinger. World Cup tension is back. And for better or worse, it was sorely missed.

Leading 1-0 at halftime against Wales Monday at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar, the U.S. conceded a late penalty kick as Welsh talisman Gareth Bale thumped home an emphatic penalty kick and the match finished level at 1-1.

For U.S. fans, it will feel like two points dropped, particularly after the team played well in the first 45 minutes. However, in the second half, Wales’ direct passing proved tough for the U.S. and it controlled the last half hour of the game. Here are three takeaways.

Midfield unable to keep pace

In the first half, the Americans dominated the center of the field and on the wings. With Wales hunkering down, the U.S. was able to build on its attack. Forward Josh Sargent hit the side netting in the ninth minute. The lone American goal scored by Tim Weah in the 35th, came as a result of Yunus Musah finding pockets of space as he started the attack. Christian Pulisic played an inch-perfect pass to Tim Weah, who cut inside from the right wing, took one touch and coolly buried it.

With Weston McKennie and Segiño Dest picking up early yellow cards, the U.S. was never able to maintain being the aggressor. McKennie, in particular, is the invaluable engine for the U.S. on set pieces and his physicality.

That space disappeared in the final 45 minutes as Wales, which was playing in its first World Cup game since 1958, pushed its midfield forward and won the physicality battle. Kieffer Moore, a second-half sub, changed the game as he was able to run at the Americans and helped his teammates remain dangerous on the ball.

With the tables turned, one mistake cost the U.S., as central defender Walker Zimmerman took down Bale with 10 minutes to go on a clear penalty decision. The young Americans looked emotionally and physically drained at full time.

Attack looks dangerous

While the midfield play wilted due to Wales’ pressure, the American attack was consistent all night. They played without fear. The U.S. started on the front foot and players like Weah and Sargent came out firing with aggressive runs off the ball. While Giovanni Reyna could have been a key substitute on the wing, Weah more than held his own. Plus, Christian Pulisic looked ready for the moment as he was a huge catalyst for the U.S. attack and came through with the assist.

While they looked dangerous, from here on it will be about being able to convert chances.

For the optimists

While it feels like two points dropped, history is favorable for the U.S. even with a draw. When the Americans have taken at least a point in the opening group-stage game, they have advanced to the knockout round on four occasions (1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014), and have never advanced when losing their first game (1990, 1998 and 2006).

Starting goalkeeper Matt Turner made a few clutch saves, while the defense looked stout for most of the night. But will 2022 be the same? Up next, the U.S. faces England, which beat Iran 6-2 in its first game Monday. The Americans have never lost to the English in a World Cup, with a tie in 2010 and a famed win in 1950.

Kickoff on Black Friday at noon will be on FOX.

The standings will leave a lot to ponder at the end of the first matchday in Group B, and the pressure is on.

+1 after one.

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT)

Denied a berth in the 2018 World Cup by a 2-1 defeat to an already-eliminated opponent, U.S. players try not to think about the fact they will qualify for this year’s tournament as long as they don’t lose to Costa Rica by six goals or more in Wednesday night����ap qualifying finale.

“The guys have told us, that have been here and through this path before, that we thought we qualified last World Cup,” midfielder Tyler Adams said Tuesday. “The fans thought we did, as well. But we hadn’t when we realized our game was finished and we lost.”

Just four players remain from the American roster that left tears on the field on Couva: Christian Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola.

“I know this and Christian, too, better than anyone: It����ap not over until it����ap over. We can’t be too complacent. We can’t be too relaxed. We’ve still got a job to do,” Yedlin said. “Obviously, we’re in a good situation and we know that. but I think going into the Trinidad game, we thought we were in a good situation, as well.”

Canada (28 points) has clinched one of the three automatic berths from North and Central America and the Caribbean, the U.S. (25) is second ahead of Mexico on goal difference and Costa Rica (22) is fourth. Because the Americans have a plus-13 goal difference and Costa Rica is at plus-three, the U.S. could be denied only by a defeat of at least six goals.

“The media has classified us as the golden generation and the generation that����ap going to qualify for the next World Cup,” 22-year-old winger Tim Weah said. “We do carry a lot of that weight on our shoulders, and qualifying for the World Cup, it����ap not only for us, it����ap for the group before, it����ap for the Clints (Dempsey), it����ap for DeAndres, for Jozy (Altidore), all the guys that didn’t get to do it again.”

The last time the U.S. lost a competitive match by six goals was in 1957.

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” coach Gregg Berhalter said. “We’re coming here to be aggressive in the game and to win the soccer game. That����ap our intention. We’re not going to be cautious. We’re not going to sit back. We’re not going to play for a tie.”

The U.S. has nine losses and one draw in qualifiers at San Jose, and one victory, two defeats and three draws in road qualifiers in this cycle. Using one of the youngest rosters in international soccer, the Americans began last September with a 0-0 draw at El Salvador and a 1-1 draw at home against Canada, then gained strength over the five qualifying windows.

“It was really lack of experience,” Berhalter said. “We got kicked in the teeth that first round, and that����ap what it was. We were potentially overconfident, not understanding what qualifying was about, and we learned that lesson quickly.”

Pulisic has five of the Americans’ 21 goals, including his first international hat trick in Sunday’s 5-1 home rout of Panama.

“Him growing up as sort of that golden child in the U.S. soccer generation, people put expectations on him. And to be quite frank with you, he’s dealt with them better than anybody would really deal with that,” Adams said. “In every single situation, he’s expected to do things that people like (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo are supposed to do.”

Right back Reggie Cannon rejoined the team after recovering from COVID-19. Gio Reyna is still not 90-minute ready while he is among 30 players and staff recovering from a stomach bug that started among the group last week in Mexico. Berhalter also revealed the hamstring injury that sidelined Reyna from September until February included nerve issues that were solved.

If the U.S. qualifies, Berhalter has little time to prepare for Friday’s draw, where the Americans would be in pot two. The match ends about 9 p.m. local time, and he and staff have plans to catch an 11:54 p.m. flight to New York and a connection to Doha, Qatar. Coaches and players usually try not to think ahead of a game but Berhalter was forced to.

“I got over that weeks ago, because I know that����ap a necessary evil of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Berhalter said. “They want us there at the draw, so it����ap going to be important that if we qualify, we’re there. So we have to make these arrangements.”

Twenty-seven of the 44 players on U.S. qualifying rosters are with the team. and Berhalter planned to contact those not in Costa Rica to congratulate them.

Players prepared to celebrate at National Stadium, at least in one respect. They have a new JBL Boombox 2, a waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker purchased by team administrator Sam Zapatka. Weah is the DJ.

“Since I’ve been with the national team, we’ve had this tiny little Bose speaker, and every camp we talk about we need to get a new speaker, we need to get new speakers,” Yedlin said. “I don’t know why it took eight years or however long it took, but finally, we got a nice speaker that we can play, so we’re pretty excited about it.”

Notes: Costa Rica is guaranteed no worse than a June playoff against the Oceania champion, likely New Zealand, and nine Ticos carry yellow cards: Bryan Ruiz, Celso Borges, Joel Campbell, Francisco Calvo, Bryan Oviedo, Johan Venegas, Keysher Fuller, Jewison Bennette and Alonso Martínez. Coach Luis Fernando Suárez said Sunday he may not risk some of them getting suspended for a playoff. … Canada’s Drew Fischer will be the referee.

Christian Pulisic had the best U.S. chances but was twice denied by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

Zack Steffen got the start over Ethan Hovath and came away with his second shutout against Mexico in qualifying. El Tri fans booed the home team at the final whistle.

The draw, the third straight in qualifying for the U.S. in the thin air of 7,200-foot elevation Azteca, was costly. Defender DeAndre Yedlin and winger Tim Weah both were given their second yellow cards of qualifying and are suspended for the game Sunday game against Panama at Orlando, Florida, the next-to-last of the region’s final round.

The U.S. maintained second place in North and Central America and the Caribbean with 22 points, four behind Canada, and ahead of Mexico on goal difference.

With a victory Sunday, the U.S. would ensure that fourth-place Costa Rica could only pull even by winning its final two games. The U.S. has a plus-nine goal difference, the first tiebreaker, and the Ticos are plus-two following a 1-0 win over Canada.

The U.S. closes on March 30 at Costa Rica, where the Americans have never won in qualifying. The top three nations qualify, and the No. 4 team advances to a playoff, likely against New Zealand.

Panama has 17 points after being held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Honduras

After FIFA ordered Mexico to play a pair of home qualifiers without fans as punishment for homophobic chants during October qualifiers against Honduras and Canada, the Mexican Football Federation limited the crowd to about 30,000 to 40,000 in the 87,000-seat stadium and mandated spectators present a QR Code and identification for entry.

For much of the first half, two sections of American Outlaws in the upper deck were louder than Mexico’s supporters.

Yedlin received his second yellow for an unecessary slide tackle in midfield in the 26th minute, leaving the U.S. short at right back for Sunday. Sergiño Dest is out with a hamstring injury and Reggie Cannon tested positive for COVID-19.

Weah got his yellow card in the 39th,

Pulisic was alone in front in the 36th minute after Weah got around two defenders from a cross. Sprinting toward goal with a defender giving chase, Pulisic redirected the ball with his left foot from 7 yards only for Ochoa to react quickly enough to block the shot off his ribcage

Pulisic had another close call with an angled left-foot shot that Ochoa parried in the 49th for a corner kick.

Raúl Jiménez unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty kick from Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar late in the second half after falling over a leg of defender Walker Zimmerman.

Jordan Pefok sent an open shot wide from a Gio Reyna pass, just after both entered the game. Reyna then dribbled half the length of the field in the 77th, evading four tackles before the ball was knocked away.

As the game opened up, Hirving Lozano sent a shot just over the crossbar.

Aaron Long and Erik Palmer-Brown entered in the 80th minute, the 37th and 38th American players used in qualifying. Palmer-Brown became the 114th player used in the World Cup cycle, the 88th since Berhalter became coach in December 2018.

These young Americans stumbled on the road again in qualifying, wasting an early lead in a choppy 1-1 draw against Jamaica on Tuesday night. After a disjointed, physical game at The Office, as Independence Stadium is known, they fell into second place in North and Central America and the Caribbean with 15 points, one behind Canada and two ahead of Mexico and Panama.

Home games remain against El Salvador (Jan. 27), Honduras (Feb. 2) and Panama (March 27), and road matches are at Canada (Jan. 30), Mexico (March 24) and Costa Rica (March 30). The U.S. has a superior goal difference (+7) to Mexico (+4) and Panama (+2), on track to claim one of the region’s three berths.

“Obviously, we’ve grown by experiences and playing together and then getting the time, getting the games,” goalkeeper Zack Steffen said. “Our depth has shown and we’ve got to continue to strive for bigger goals.”

Christian Pulisic hasn’t started a match since spraining his left ankle on Sept. 8. Gio Reyna hasn’t played since injuring his right hamstring in the Sept. 2 opener, Sergiño Dest missed both November qualifiers with a bad back and Weston McKennie was dropped for two qualifiers for breaking team COVID-19 rules and missed the match at Jamaica for yellow-card accumulation.

Still, the U.S. trails only a Canadian team that has four separate trips to Central America among its final six games.

“I think we’re on the right track. We’re basically having to get the guys experience on the fly,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “It����ap really learning as you go.”

The U.S. has taken 10 of 12 points at home, following a 1-1 draw against Canada with wins against Jamaica, Costa Rica and Mexico. The Americans have gained five of 12 possible points on the road, drawing at El Salvador and Jamaica, winning at Honduras and losing at Panama.

Nine additional points may be enough to get back to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 and 10 points likely would assure a berth.

“The first window was a major learning experience for us in terms of how to mentally prepare for these three games and get through the travel and the whole — everything, we needed that window,” Berhalter said. “And we got five points, went undefeated, but we dipped below two points per game. And then the next two windows we maintained the two points-per-game ratio (1.875), and that����ap pretty good. When you think about the youth of this group, the inexperience of this group in CONCACAF qualifying, we’re on the right track.”

Twenty-six of the 34 Americans to play over the eight matches made qualifying debuts.

Ricardo Pepi has three goals, Brenden Aaronson two and Dest, Pulisic, McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah and Sebastian Lletget one each. Lletget (29) is the oldest scorer, while Robinson is 24, Pulisic and McKennie 23, Aaronson, Dest and Weah 21, and Pepi 18.

Tyler Adams, who has emerged as captain, is just 22.

“When we look at the table, we’re obviously still in a good position,” Adams said. “We have a lot of home games coming up. So in this next window it����ap going to be super-important we continue to win our home games, get points on the road when we can.”

In the 2018 cycle, the U.S. was done in by home losses to Mexico and Costa Rica, not offset sufficiently by road draws at Panama, Mexico and Honduras.

Weah’s 11th-minute goal had put the Americans on track for a road win Tuesday night before Michail Antonio’s stunning 34-yard strike in the 22nd tied the score for the Reggae Boyz.

“We’ve grown a lot, and I think one thing that we’ve really shown is the depth of our team,” Adams said. “Everyone has had now the experience of playing in away games, playing at home games, what the difference is and what it requires that you need. So, yeah, I think that going into now the second half of qualifying, we know exactly what we need to do.”

Jet setters like never before, the No. 20 U.S. plays 13th-ranked Switzerland in an exhibition on Sunday at St. Gallen, then travels about 5,200 miles to face Honduras on Thursday at Denver in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal. The Nations League final against Mexico or Costa Rica follows in Denver on June 6, followed by a friendly against Costa Rica at Sandy, Utah, on June 9.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter designed the schedule to prepare players for the grueling compacted World Cup qualifying schedule that starts in September, which has three matches crammed into FIFA match windows designed for two.

“This should definitely help us out about different situations of all different types of weather and obviously lots of traveling and different time zones,” forward Gio Reyna said Saturday. “So I think we’re all trying to take in as much as we can from the staff here in terms of the tips they have that can help us feel as little jet lag as possible.”

After playing with their clubs on Aug. 28-29, the Europe-based Americans will travel to the U.S. to meet up with their Major League Soccer brethren, then play their opening qualifier Sept. 2, most likely at Trinidad and Tobago. That will be followed by a home game on Sept. 5, probably against Canada, and a road match on Sept. 8 at Honduras.

They’ll be back in Europe for club matches Sept. 11-12, then repeat the trans-Atlantic travel for three qualifiers from Oct. 7-13 and again for two more from Nov. 12-16.

“It����ap really tough,” said forward Brendan Aaronson, coming off his first season in Europe with Red Bull Salzburg. “It����ap hard on the body because you’re traveling, what, eight hours back to the United States over a flight and then you have to get off a flight and get ready for a game in three days.”

Players trained at altitude this week at Crans-Montana in the Alps, elevation 5,000 feet, to get ready for the game in mile-high Denver, their first competitive match in 1 1/2 years and a look-ahead to the qualifier at Mexico City on March 24.

“You don’t have a lot of turnaround time to recover,” said defender DeAndre Yedlin, who is the senior player on the roster with 62 appearances and could play his first international match since December 2019.

Players are being given FlyKitt nutritional supplements to help mitigate the stress of playing eight time zones apart in a short span.

“We give them the proper nutrition We talk to them about the proper rest that they need and hydration that they need,” Berhalter said.

Aaronson was among nine Americans winning 12 trophies in Europe this season, which culminated Saturday when Chelsea midfielder Christian Pulisic became the first American to play in and win a Champions League final. Pulisic’s team beat Manchester City, where U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen is the backup,.

Aaronson won the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup, Steffen became the first American to win a Premier League medal and also won the League Cup.

Sergiño Dest won the Copa del Rey with Barcelona, Weston McKennie the Coppa Italia with Juventus, Gio Reyna the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund, and Mark McKenzie the Belgian Cup with Genk.

Tim Weah was a Ligue 1 champion with Little, Ethan Horvath the Belgian first division with Club Brugge, and Jordan Siebatcheu the Swiss Super League with Young Boys.

“Now, it����ap just pushing onto the Nations League and winning a trophy with this group of guys,” Aaronson said.

Schalke forward Matthew Hoppe and 17-year-old Bayern Munich youth team defender Justin Che are on the roster for Sunday and could make their debuts.

Midfielder Julian Green could make his first appearance since November 2018.

Switzerland is preparing for the European Championship, where it opens the group stage against Wales on June 12 and also has first-round matches against Italy and Turkey.

“We kind of have to manage our expectations,” defender Reggie Cannon said. “At the end of the day, it is a lot of potential in this group, It hasn’t had much time to work together.”

Notes: Yedlin said he joined Landon Donovan in the ownership group of the San Diego Loyal of the second-tier United Soccer League’s USL Championship after seeing the team forfeited a match against the LA Galaxy II over an alleged ethnic slur directed at one of San Diego’s players and another against the Phoenix Rising over an alleged homophobic slur directed at another of the San Diego players. “It really just opened my eyes that, wow, there’s a professional club out here that will give up a spot potentially in the playoffs to kind of bring awareness to these issues that we have that in my opinion are bigger than sport,” Yedlin said. “And I think they set a great example for the rest of the world, not just for the U.S.”

Midfielder Cristian Roldan and forwards Daryl Dike and Gyasi Zardes were among the cuts announced Monday by U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter from the 40-man preliminary roster of May 10.

Midfielder Tyler Adams, who was returning to the U.S. from RB Leipzig last week for treatment of a back injury, also was on the roster. He last played on April 25.

“We felt that he was that important to the team that we want to put him on the roster,” Berhalter said. “We know we can always replace him if he’s injured. We have enough players in camp to do so. So it was a risk worth taking.”

David Ochoa, whose blunder helped eliminate the U.S. under-24 team from Olympic qualifying in March, beat out Sean Johnson and Matt Turner for a backup goalkeeper slot with Ethan Horvath. Zack Steffen is the starter.

Berhalter listed Christian Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson among six forwards rather than in midfield. Berhalter included six midfielders and eight defenders.

Cuts included defenders Aaron Long, Bryan Reynolds, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Sam Vines and Walker Zimmerman, midfielders Luca de la Torre and Owen Otasowie, and forwards Paul Arriola, Tyler Boyd, Konrad de la Fuente and Nicholas Gioacchini.

Long tore his right Achilles tendon while playing for the New York Red Bulls on May 16, Arriola was sidelined between Feb. 27 and May 13 by a quadriceps injury sustained while on loan to Swansea and Richards injured a thigh late in Hoffenheim’s season.

Substitutions can be made for injured players up until 24 hours before kickoff and replacements must be from the preliminary roster.

Yedlin, the senior player with 62 international appearances, has not played for the U.S. since November 2019. Yedlin and defender John Brooks are the only players remaining from the 2014 World Cup roster.

Yedlin, Pulisic and midfielder Kellyn Acosta are the only holdovers from the players on the field in the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago that eliminated the U.S. from World Cup qualifying.

After playing little for Newcastle last fall, Yedlin transferred to Galatasaray and became a regular starter.

“He certainly brings experience,” Berhalter said. “And what we’ve liked from him is him going to Turkey, taking no time to adapt to a new league.”

The roster averages 17 international appearances and as of June 3 will average 23 years, 336 days. Thirteen players will be 23 or younger.

Four players each are based in England, Germany and the U.S., three in Belgium, two in Spain, and one each in Austria, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey.

Pulisic and Steffen will miss Sunday’s exhibition against Switzerland in St. Gallen to be at the European Champions League final at Porto, Portugal, on Saturday. Pulisic is a regular with Chelsea and Steffen is the backup on Manchester City, which meet in the final.

The U.S. match against Honduras is the first game of a doubleheader that ends with Mexico-Costa Rica. The championship and third-place game are June 6 in Denver, and the U.S. then plays an exhibition against Costa Rica on June 9 at Sandy, Utah.

The four matches in an 11-day span are designed to simulate the compacted World Cup qualifying schedule. when active players can be changed for each match.

Dike is on the roster for this Swiss friendly, part of a group that also includes Matthew Hoppe and Julian Green. Berhalter said Dike will be among 25 players remaining with the team after this weekend and is likely to play against Costa Rica.

“Darryl has a long future with us, and this is just a temporary setback for this tournament,” Berhalter said.

These figure to be the last prep matches for the full U.S. player pool ahead of the delayed start of World Cup qualifying. Europe-based regulars will bypass the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the Americans open against Canada on July 11, then finish the group stage against Martinique four days later and Canada on July 18.

“When in doubt we leaned on the Europeans because we knew that they’re going to need rest and then (be) preparing for a preseason,” Berhalter said.

After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Americans open qualifying for the 2022 tournament in Qatar on Sept. 2, likely at either Trinidad and Tobago or El Salvador. They are home Sept. 5, probably against Canada or Haiti, then play Sept. 8 at Honduras.

The following month has the U.S. home against Jamaica on Oct. 7, at Panama or Guatemala three days later and at home against Costa Rica on Oct. 13.

The U.S. hosts Mexico on Nov. 12 and is at Jamaica four days later to complete the 2021 portion of its qualifying schedule.

The roster

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge, Belgium), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Zack Steffen (Manchester City)

Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg, Germany), Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray, Turkey)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, Germany), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Jackson Yueill (San Jose)

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen, Germany), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys, Switzerland), Tim Weah (Lille, France)

Galatasaray defender DeAndre Yedlin, who has not played for the U.S. since November 2019, was picked along with Greuther Fürth midfielder Julian Green, who made his last international appearance in November 2018. Yedlin, who has regained playing time since his transfer from Newcastle in January, is the most experienced player, with 62 appearances.

A pair of goalkeepers with no appearances also were selected: Leicester’s Chituru Odunze and Salt Lake’s David Ochoa.

Hoppe, a 20-year-old from Yorba Linda, California, has six goals in 21 league games this season. On Jan. 9 against Hoffenheim, he became the first American to score a hat trick in the Bundesliga.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter will be evaluating players training at altitude in the Alps for the 23-man roster for the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against 67th-ranked Honduras at Denver on June 3. Two of the players expected to be on that roster will miss the exhibition at 13th-ranked Switzerland: Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic and Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen will be in Porto, Portugal, on May 29 when their clubs meet in the European Champions League final.

Four others on the roster are uncertain for the Switzerland game.

Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams returned to the U.S. for treatment of a back injury and will miss his club’s Bundesliga finale this weekend.

Barnsley forward Daryl Dike would miss the Swiss match if his club overcomes a 1-0 deficit from the first leg and beats Swansea to reach the English promotion playoff final in London on May 29.

Werder Bremen forward Josh Sargent and Green may find themselves in the Bundesliga promotion-relegation playoff over two legs on May 26 and 29.

American players start reporting Saturday for training, which begins Monday. The average age of the roster on Monday will be 23 years, 37 days.

Just four of the players are from Major League Soccer. Seven are based in Germany, four in England, three in Belgium and two each in Italy and Spain.

The 20th-ranked U.S. also plays No. 11 Mexico or No. 50 Costa Rica on June 6 in the CONCACAF Nations League final or third-place game at Denver, then faces Costa Rica in an exhibition on June 9 at Salt Lake City. The travel is designed to be similar to that during a segment of the compacted World Cup qualifying schedule that starts in September.

Switzerland is preparing for the European Championship, where it meets Italy, Turkey and Wales in Group A.

The roster

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge, Belgium), Chituru Odunze (Leicester, England), David Ochoa (Salt Lake)

Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg, Germany), Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Justin Che (Bayern Munich, Germany), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Bryan Reynolds (Roma, Italy), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaraym Turkey)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Tyler Adams (Leipzig, Germany), Julian Green (Greuther Fürth, Germany), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Jackson Yueill (San Jose)

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Daryl Dike (Barnsley, England), Matthew Hoppe (Schalke, Germany), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen, Germany), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys, Switzerland), Tim Weah (Lille, France).

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Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest and Gio Reyna also are on what projects to be a full-strength roster for U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for two matches in Denver. That includes a pair of Rapids in defender Sam Vines and midfielder Kellyn Acosta.

Pulisic, a 22-year-old forward from Hershey, Pennsylvania, figures to miss the Americans’ prep match against Switzerland at St. Gallen on May 30. He will be with Chelsea at the European Champions League final against Manchester City on May 29. That game currently is scheduled for Istanbul but may be moved to London or Portugal due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

Zack Steffen, the top American goalkeeper, also will miss the Switzerland friendly; he is Manchester City’s No. 2 goalkeeper.

Forward Daryl Dike would be unavailable for the Switzerland match if Barnsley beats Swansea on May 17 and 22 in the two-leg semifinal of the English playoff for promotion to the Premier League. The final, against Bournemouth or Brentford, is May 29.

Forward Josh Sargent would miss the Switzerland game if Werder Bremen drops into a playoff to stay in the Bundesliga. Werder Bremen is 15th in the 20-team league with two games left. The last two teams get relegated and the No. 17 team faces the third-place team from the second tier in a two-leg playoff May 26 and 29 for a spot in next season’s Bundesliga.

The U.S. match against Honduras on June 3 is the first game of a doubleheader that ends with Mexico-Costa Rica. The championship and third-place game are June 6 at Empower Field.

The preliminary roster announced by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football gives a look at the expanded American player pool ahead of qualifying. Final 23-man rosters are due May 25, though teams can make substitutions because of injuries until 24 hours before semifinal kickoff.

The Americans also have a June 9 exhibition against Costa Rica in Sandy, Utah, as they try to emulate the rigors of travel in the compacted World Cup qualifying schedule, which starts with matches Sept. 2, 5 and 8.

The preliminary roster

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge, Belgium), Sean Johnson (New York City), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England), DeAndre Yedlin (Besitkas, Turkey)

Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg, Germany), Reggie Cannon (Boavista, Portugal), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Bryan Reynolds (Roma, Italy), Chris Richards (Hoffenheim, Germany), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), Sam Vines (Colorado), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville)

Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, Germany), Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Luca de la Torre (Heracles Almelo, Netherlands), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton, England), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Jackson Yueill (San Jose)

Forwards: Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Tyler Boyd (Besiktas, Turkey), Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona, Spain), Daryl Dike (Barnsley, England), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen, France), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen, Germany), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys, Switzerand), Tim Weah (Lille, France), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus).

The 19-year-old forward was among seven cuts from the national team roster Thursday, another setback that follows limited playing time during the second half of his Bundesliga season with Werder Bremen.

National team coach Gregg Berhalter decided last month to have Sargent train with the national team rather than with the youth group, which has advanced to the Under-20 quarterfinals in Poland behind Sebastian Soto, Tim Weah and Alex Mendez. Sargent failed to convert any chances in Wednesday’s 1-0 exhibition loss to Jamaica and was among seven cuts Thursday.

“When I talked to him and gave him the news, one thing I mentioned was that he is going to be the striker for the national team in the future. We’re sure of that,” Berhalter said. “He wasn’t able to play as much as he could have. And he lacked a little sharpness.”

Berhalter said midfielder Sebastian Lletget’s hamstring injury caused a roster shift that made it difficult to include Sargent as a third striker Berhalter did not regret the decision not to send Sargent to Poland.

“We thought he would he would benefit from the challenge of the full national team and benefit playing a game, fighting to make the squad,” Berhalter said.

For his first competitive matches as U.S. coach, Berhalter also dropped defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Antonee Robinson; Lletget and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic; and forwards Jonathan Amon and Joe Gyau.

Jonathan Lewis was named to the squad. The Rapids forward, who turned 22 Tuesday, has tallied two goals in four games since Colorado acquired him from New York City FC in May.

Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams are on the 23-man roster after being given permission to report late following their European club seasons. Pulisic was to arrive Thursday and Adams is scheduled to report on Tuesday.

Forward Jozy Altidore was included and could make his first international appearance since the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago that ended the Americans’ streak of World Cup appearances at seven. Altidore is among just six holdovers from then-coach Bruce Arena’s roster in Trinidad, including four other starters: Pulisic, defenders Omar Gonzalez, midfielder Michael Bradley and forward Paul Arriola. In addition, defender Tim Ream was on the bench.

“We’re looking for these guys to show some of the younger players the way,” Berhalter said. “Failures are part of a player’s career. I think if you if you ever get afraid to fail, you’re in trouble. And it’s about how you pick yourself up and how you respond. And these guys in particular have done a good job so far.”

The U.S. has another exhibition against Venezuela on Sunday at Cincinnati and opens its Gold Cup title defense against Guyana on June 18 at St. Paul, Minnesota. It will be the Americans’ first competitive match in 20 months. They face Trinidad on June 22 at Cleveland and complete group play against Panama on June 26 at Kansas City, Kansas.

The roster averages 25 years, 150 days, and 24 appearances.

Defenders DeAndre Yedlin and John Brooks are hurt and missing the tournament, and four players have injury concerns.

Defender Aaron Long has been sidelined since injuring his left hamstring playing while for the New York Red Bulls on May 8, and forward Jordan Morris has been out since hurting his right hamstring during Seattle’s match May 15. Midfielder Weston McKennie missed Wednesday’s match with a sprained left ankle and forward Gyasi Zardes with a bruised left foot.

Zack Steffen, 24, is the No. 1 goalkeeper and 30-year-old Sean Johnson his backup. Hired in December, Berhalter chose not to pick 34-year-old Brad Guzan or Bill Hamid, 28. Ethan Horvath is sidelined by a finger injury.

“It doesn’t mean that these guys will never play for the national team again,” Berhalter said.

Two players on the roster have no previous international experience: No. 3 goalkeeper Tyler Miller and forward Tim Boyd, who was given approval last month by FIFA to switch affiliation to the U.S. from New Zealand.

The Denver Post contributed to this report.

The roster

Goalkeepers: Sean Johnson (New York City), Tyler Miller (Los Angeles), Zack Steffen (Columbus).

Defenders: Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, Germany), Omar Gonzalez (Atlas, Mexico), Nick Lima (San Jose), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Daniel Lovitz (Montreal), Matt Miazga (Chelsea, England), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles).

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Toronto), Duane Holmes (Derby, England), Weston McKennie (Schalke, Germany), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Wil Trapp (Columbus).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto), Paul Arriola (D.C.), Tyler Boyd (Vitoria Guimares, Portugal), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado), Jordan Morris (Seattle), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus).