Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans left off USMNT’s World Cup qualifier roster

“The players realize it’s going to be a long marathon toward Russian Federation 2018, but we have to start it on the right foot”.

Jones has been called in to the U.S. National Team for the upcoming CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers against St. Vincent and The Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. Nagbe, 25, was born in Liberia and settled in the United States when he was 11. Nagbe having recently finalized his citizenship and Miazga a key member of the Red Bulls Supporter’s Shield campaign and the US Olympic team.

Although the hiatus in the MLS playoffs mean that none of these players will miss matches, they will be away from their teams during a critical stretch (assuming their teams advance), and risking injury, two reasons that the Sounders will be pleased that their regular United States internationals have been left off.

Klinsmann’s forwards on the 23-man roster are veteran Jozy Altidore, emerging prospects Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood, MLS journeyman Alan Gordon, 34, and Stanford University junior Jordan Morris.

Fabian Johnson is back with the squad in his first appearance since being sent home by Klinsmann after the CONCACAF Cup loss to Mexico last month. The dustup drew major headlines for Klinsmann calling out the effort and commitment of one of his best players amid a horrid run of form for the USMNT.

The MNT was drawn into Group C for the Semifinal Round of Qualifying along with St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala.

Surprisingly not on that list is Seattle Sounders FC Forward Clint Dempsey as he will get to take a break from worldwide play. With St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have a team that is an unknown, but we watch their previous games and make ourselves familiar with their players. Nagbe, who became a USA citizen just two months ago, has 23 goals and 20 assists in five seasons with the Timbers. Zardes has played in 17 games for the US this season, tied for the team high, while Gordon’s most recent appearance came in the second half of a Gold Cup game against Jamaica in July.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines travel to Busch Stadium in St. Louis on November 13, with the World Cup qualifier scheduled to kick off at 7:10 p.m. ET (12:10 a.m. GMT, Sunday, Nov. 14).