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USMNT vs. Saudi Arabia result: Final pre-World Cup friendly ends in scoreless draw

Coming off what head coach Gregg Berhalter described as a "very bad" performance against Japan on Friday, the U.S. men's national team concluded its 2022 World Cup prep Tuesday against Saudi Arabia. The game — the USMNT's last before its World Cup opener — ended 0-0 and provided more questions than answers.

That's because Gio Reyna, America's promising young star, took himself out of the match at the 30-minute mark after experiencing some muscle tightness, according to U.S. Soccer.

Christian Pulisic returned from his minor injury to start and looked good, but Ricardo Pepi failed to shine any may not have staked his claim to a World Cup roster spot.

How the USMNT-Saudi Arabia friendly unfolded

What's next for the USMNT?

After the match against Saudi Arabia, the U.S. players will return to their clubs. They won't gather again as a full group until Nov. 14 in Qatar, a week before their Nov. 21 World Cup opener against Wales.

In the meantime, some MLS players whose teams don't advance deep into the playoffs will convene for a stateside training camp. Youth national teamers will join them to make up numbers.

Berhalter will announce his 26-man World Cup roster on Nov. 9 at an event in New York City. Soon thereafter, he, his staff, and the MLS players will jet off to Qatar, and settle into their luxurious hotel on The Pearl. The European-based players will join them after one last round of club games on the weekend of Nov. 12.

United States' Gio Reyna, bottom, duels for the ball with Saudi Arabia's Saud Abdullah Abdulhamid during the international friendly soccer match between Saudi Arabia and United States in Murcia, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
United States' Gio Reyna, bottom, duels for the ball with Saudi Arabia's Saud Abdullah Abdulhamid during the international friendly soccer match between Saudi Arabia and United States in Murcia, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Breton) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)