Adams, Wright and Luna will miss US friendlies vs. Belgium and Portugal while Reyna makes roster

Gio Reyna remains welcome on the U.S. national team despite a lack of club playing time and Noahkai Banks is still undecided whether to commit to the Americans or Germany.

Reyna was among 27 players picked Tuesday by Mauricio Pochettino for friendlies against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal three days later, the last national team games before the coach announces his 26-man World Cup roster on May 26. Banks, a talented 19-year-old defender, ruled himself out of consideration for the matches in Atlanta.

A son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, Gio scored in the November friendly Paraguay in his first international start in 16 months to surpass his father in international goals, but the midfielder again has had trouble getting playing time with his club. He has just 403 Bundesliga minutes this season for Borussia Mönchengladbach , none since Jan. 17, and has been slowed by an unspecified muscle injury.

“Gio was fantastic in November with us," Pochettino said during an online news conference. “We really know that he’s a very special talent and very special player and I think to give the possibility, even if he’s not playing too much in his club, he can be very useful for us.”

Banks made his Bundesliga debut with Augsburg in January 2025 and trained with the U.S. last September but did not get into a match. Pochettino and his assistants have spoken by Zoom and FaceTime with the German-American, who was born in Hawaii and played for U.S. youth national teams.

“He’s thinking and still didn’t make the decision,” Pochettino said. “In a difficult situation and hope for USA that the decision will be for our side.”

While midfielder Tyler Adams (quadriceps), defender Sergiño Dest (hamstring) and forward Haji Wright (groin) will miss the matches, Pochettino was hopeful they will recover in time for World Cup consideration.

Adams, the U.S. captain at the 2022 World Cup, missed Bournemouth’s match against Burnley on Saturday and Pochettino expects the midfielder to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Dest, the top American right back, injured his left leg playing for PSV Eindhoven on March 7 and Wright, second in England's second-tier League Championship with 16 goals, left Coventry’s game against Southampton in the 61st minute on Saturday.

Diego Luna, a 22-year-old midfielder who became a national team regular last year, made his season debut for Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake last weekend as a second-half substitute after missing three matches because of a knee injury.

In addition, defender/midfielder James Sands had ankle surgery Friday and is expected to miss the rest of St. Pauli’s season.

Forward Patrick Agyemang, who has 10 goals for second-tier Derby, was selected along with midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who has gotten regular playing time with Atletico Madrid.

Left back Antonee Robinson returns and could make his first appearance since November 2024 after recovering from a knee injury. He is among 10 additions along with several other players who missed November friendlies because of injuries or fitness issues, a group that includes defender Chris Richards, Cardoso and fellow midfielder Malik Tillman, and forwards Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah.

Pulisic missed the November games to regain fitness following a hamstring injury. While he scored 10 goals in his first 15 appearances for AC Milan this season, he has none in his last 11 games.

“It’s not only to score goals,” Pochettino said. “I am happy with him in the way that he is performing.”

Weston McKennie is back after being left off in November to remain at Juventus just after coach Luciano Spalletti was hired by the club.

Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Chris Brady are on the roster while keepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Patrick Schulte were dropped along with defender John Tolkin and midfielder Timothy Tillman.

Players start reporting Sunday, 18 from Europe and nine from MLS teams. After Pochettino picks his World Cup roster, the Americans have friendlies against Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6, then open the tournament vs. Paraguay on June 12.

“Everyone is saying that maybe it’s the last opportunity, but it’s not close,” Pochettino said. “It’s open. It’s still open.”

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago), Roman Celentano (Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution).

Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Glasgow Celtic).

Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver), Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon); Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds); Patrick Agyemang (Derby), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille).

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - United States' Gio Reyna (7) celebrates his goal during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against Paraguay, Nov. 15, 2025, in Chester, Pa. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File)

Brentford's Nathan Collins, left, and Bournemouth's Tyler Adams battle for the ball during an English Premier League soccer match in Bournemouth, England, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — The Republic of Congo ’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso has been reelected for a fifth consecutive term, according to provisional results announced Tuesday by the authorities.

Sassou N’Guesso won 94,82% of the vote, Interior Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou announced on state television.

Six other candidates challenged the 82-year-old for the top job in the Central African country that boasts one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — Ballot counting began Sunday after polls closed in The Republic of Congo, where President Denis Sassou N’Guesso is seeking a fifth consecutive term. Results are expected within two weeks.

The elections were marked by a low turnout, as locals said they did not believe the election would result in a change in leadership from Sassou N’Guesso, who has ruled for 42 years. Opposition parties called for a boycott of the election.

Six other candidates challenged the 82-year-old for the top job in the Central African country that boasts one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa. But analysts say none of them can mount a significant challenge against the incumbent.

The internet was shut down across the country as usual during the presidential election and traffic was restricted across the capital.

“Everyone knows that, faced with his six inexperienced opponents, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso will be reelected with a high score as usual. Since the election is not a big issue, we shouldn’t cut off communication,” Clarisse Massamba, a teacher who voted at the Lycée Javoueh in Brazzaville, told The Associated Press.

The campaign period showed a vast mismatch between Sassou N’Guesso and his opponents, with the incumbent being the only candidate to travel around the country to canvass for votes. Roads in the capital city, Brazzaville, were paved with Sassou N’Guesso's effigies.

Two other major parties boycotted the elections over allegations of unfair electoral practices.

Sassou N’Guesso, running for the Congolese Party of Labor, first came to power in 1979 and ruled until 1992 when he organized the country's first multi-party elections. He returned to power as a militia leader following a four-month civil war in 1997.

A constitutional referendum in 2015 removed presidential age and term limits, allowing him to run again.

The country is struggling with high international debt, which stands at 94.5% of its gross domestic product, according to the World Bank, and skyrocketing unemployment rates for young people. More than half the country’s 5.7 million population lives in poverty and 47% of the country’s population is under 18.

The election is the latest in a trend of octogenarian African leaders clinging to power. Sassou N’Guesso is the third-longest-serving African president, only behind Cameroon ’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea ’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

This story has been corrected to spell Sassou N'Guesso's first name as Denis, not Dennis.

Voters check for their names at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

A voter cast his ballot at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

An election official check for the name of a voter in a register at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou N'Guesso casts his ballot at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

FILE - President of Congo Denis Sassou N'Guesso looks on during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 23, 2025. Thomas Samson/ Pool Photo via AP, FILE)