US forward Weah to miss Canada game due to vaccine issue

TORONTO (AP) — United States ahead Tim Weah was unable to journey to Canada for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier as a result of he didn't meet the vaccination necessities to cross the Canadian border, coach Gregg Berhalter stated Saturday.

Weah, who was concerned within the play that led to the profitable aim in Thursday’s 1-0 victory over El Salvador, has obtained one vaccine dose and was contaminated with COVID-19 earlier than he might obtain his second shot, Berhalter stated.

Weah meets the vaccination requirements in France, the place he performs professionally with Lille, however is unable to enter Canada, Berhalter stated.

“That is one thing we will’t management, the nuances of the COVID protocol, and we simply should cope with it,” Berhalter stated. “Will probably be concerning the subsequent man stepping up and doing their job.”

Berhalter stated the group grew to become conscious of Weah’s state of affairs “a few days in the past” and had hoped it could possibly be resolved earlier than Sunday’s 3 p.m. recreation in Hamilton, Ontario.

“This was a nuanced technicality that we have been hoping was going to get pushed via and, sadly, it didn’t,” Berhalter stated.

Berhalter additionally stated that full again Brooks Lennon has returned to his MLS membership, Atlanta United, to be “evaluated for a slight ankle damage” with an replace anticipated “within the subsequent couple of days.”

Weah’s absence means he'll miss the chance to face off towards Canadian ahead Jonathan David, his teammate with defending French league champions Lille. David scored Canada’s second aim in Thursday’s 2-0 win in Honduras.

“That’s my man,” Weah stated of David after Thursday’s recreation in Columbus, Ohio. “We all the time go at it. Most significantly, I really like watching him succeed. Nice man, one in every of my finest mates on the group. I want nothing however success for him. Seeing what he’s been doing has actually been nice, and it’s pushed me to work even more durable. Having that brotherhood, we actually prefer to compete quite a bit. We’ve been ready for this recreation the entire yr, we’ve been speaking about it, we’ve been joking about who’s going to win, who’s going to attain.”

Weah didn't play for Lille between Dec. 1 and Jan. 19 due to a quadriceps damage. He missed a 1-1 draw towards Canada final September due to a thigh damage that sidelined him between Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.

Canada is undefeated via 9 video games and leads the group, one level forward of the U.S. in second and two factors forward of Mexico in third. Panama is in fourth place, 5 factors behind Canada.

“They’ve definitely improved quite a bit over the previous couple of years,” U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman stated of Canada Saturday. “I believe there’s been a shift of their mentality and so they play with a chip on their shoulder, they play with one thing to show, and so they play with an depth that may be very excessive.”

Canadian coach John Herdman likened Sunday’s encounter to a “derby match” between native rivals.

“It’s a combat for the highest of the desk,” he stated. “That’s all I have to say when it comes to what this implies to us now. It’s World Cup qualifying, large recreation. It’s not a pleasant recreation. I imply, you’re enjoying your largest rival, USA.”

Canada and Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is unavailable for this three-match window as a result of proof of coronary heart muscle irritation found after Davies was contaminated with coronavirus. Even with out the speedy Davies, Berhalter stated Canada’s roster presents loads of attacking expertise.

“They nonetheless have some nice gamers,” Berhalter stated. “When you concentrate on the pace of Tajon Buchanan, he can do this. When you concentrate on Jonathan David, he’s acquired the standard. He’s one in every of Europe’s prime strikers proper now. Cyle Larin has all the time been an excellent striker. They've weapons.”

That is the primary journey north of the border for the U.S. males’s group since a 2-0 loss in Toronto within the CONCACAF Nations League in October, 2019.

“That first Canada away recreation within the Nations League is the place we actually fell flat from a aggressive standpoint,” Berhalter stated. “That’s the emphasis on this recreation. We all know that they’re going to be fired up. We all know they’re enjoying in entrance of their dwelling followers and we all know they’re going to be assured. It’s going to be a aggressive recreation. If we will embrace that, we’ll be OK. It’s a very good alternative for us to maneuver up within the standings.”

The 29-degree temperature in Columbus on Thursday tied the file low for a house American qualifier. Defenders Walker Zimmerman and Chris Richards have been the one starters for both group to put on quick sleeves.

“I simply didn’t assume it was fairly chilly sufficient,” Zimmerman stated. “It felt fairly good. I’d relatively be a bit bit chilly than getting too sizzling.“

The forecast temperature at kickoff Sunday is 23 levels with a mixture of solar and cloud. With the wind chill, it's going to really feel like 14 levels on the substitute turf floor.

“It’s going to be a tough subject,” Canadian coach John Herdman stated after his group skilled late Saturday afternoon. “It’s a kind of fields the place at 4 o’clock, the ice kind of set in and it ended up rock arduous.”

Zimmerman stated he’d determine on his apparel after Saturday’s coaching and Sunday’s pre-match warm-up.

“I do know these subsequent video games will probably be colder,” he stated.

The U.S. concludes the present qualifying window on Wednesday when it hosts Honduras at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Canada started the window enjoying on grass within the heat of Honduras, and can see extra of the identical in El Salvador subsequent Wednesday. Herdman’s group performed two video games in frigid circumstances in Edmonton final November, wins over Costa Rica and Mexico.

“I undoubtedly didn’t have sufficient layers on,” Herdman stated. “I used to be freezing.”

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