James Dielhenn Sep 21, 2026, 02:59 AM ET Ricardo Pepi has been replaced on the United States men's national team by Damion Downs. Pepi, 23, was originally named to Mauricio Pochettino's 28-man squad for four matches during the international break but was injured Sunday while playing for PSV Eindhoven. His spot on the U.S. team has now been handed to St. Louis City striker Downs, who will head to Georgia's Arthur M.

Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center on Monday. Downs, 22, has already played six times for the Americans. He most recently featured in June 2025 against Switzerland and most notably scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Costa Rica in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Downs could play at his home stadium when the national team faces Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis on Sept. 29. The Americans also play Peru on Sept. 26 in Florida, Mexico on Oct. 3 in Arizona and Canada on Oct. 6 in Minnesota. Pochettino's side is now missing its three key forwards from the World Cup -- Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic and Pepi.

Balogun made his first appearance of the season for Monaco as a substitute over the weekend, while Pulisic scored for Milan against Lecce after returning from an absence. Pepi was injured after eight minutes of PSV's match against FC Twente. Cavan Sullivan, 16, is another notable inclusion in the USMNT's forward line.