Wright scored for the USA in group game victory over Trinidad and Tobago but missed clash with Saudi Arabia
Mystery surrounds the fitness of Coventry City striker Haji Wright, currently on Concacaf Gold Cup duty with the USA men’s team.
The man who scored 12 Championship goals in 27 appearances for the Sky Blues last season was on the mark for the US team in their opening Gold Cup game against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose last Sunday.
However, he was missing from the squad who then beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Austin, Texas, on Thursday to progress to the quarter-finals of the tournament amid suggestions he has sustained an Achilles injury.
The 27-year-old missed more than three months and 19 games of last season with an ankle ligament injury, but it is not clear whether the two problems are related.
All USA men’s team boss Mauricio Pochettino would say was: “We will communicate something on his injury in the next few days.”
Wright came off the bench to score the final goal of the USA’s 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, entering play after 73 minutes with his team already 3-0 up.
The US now play their third and final Group D game, against Haiti, on Sunday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington with their progress to the knockout stages already assured.
Journalist Kyle Bonn reported Pochettino’s comment on Wright, describing it as “extremely worrying”, although a response to his tweet claimed the player had been spotted at the Saudi Arabia game and was “moving around okay”.
Frank Lampard’s players are due to return to Ryton for pre-season training on July 1 ahead of a schedule of friendlies leading into the new season that kicks off over the weekend of August 8, 9 and 10.
However, Wright’s participation was always likely to be delayed with the Concacaf Gold Cup final not due to take place until July 6, should the USA progress that far.
