USMNT qualifiers: Ricardo Pepi drought may force Gregg Berhalter to use alternative striker options vs. Mexico
United States men's national team striker Ricardo Pepi went from top young prospect in Major League Soccer with FC Dallas to struggling in Europe with Augsburg overnight. The American talent has been at the Bundesliga club now for a couple months, but he's yet to settle in with the team battling for its top-flight lives. The 19-year-old is in the midst of a five-month scoring drought, having not found the back of the net for his new club at all. His last goal came on Oct. 7 in World Cup qualifying for the United States. Frustration has to be bubbling, and understandably so, but in a position where confidence is key, it may just be time for USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter to consider alternative options in what could be the biggest match of the qualifying cycle at Estadio Azteca against Mexico on March 24 (10 p.m. ET | Paramount+). At a club that's only three points ahead of the drop zone and barely averages a goal per game, chances are hard to come by for Pepi. Given that he ...