CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy striker Gyasi Zardes found the back of the net for the first time in 2016 last Saturday for his club, and now he'll look to take his scoring touch to the U.S. National Team.
The 24-year-old Hawthorne product was called into Jurgen Klinsmann's 23-man squad for a pair of 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Guatemala on Sunday. The U.S. will face Guatemala in Guatemala City on Friday, before returning Stateside to host the Central American nation in Columbus, Ohio on March 29.
Zardes has been a fixture for the U.S. since breaking into the national team picture last year and is, once again, aiming for another successful stint with the USMNT.
"I'm ready. I see it as an opportunity to keep working hard and keep learning," Zardes said after scoring two goals on Saturday to help the Galaxy beat the San Jose Earthquakes. "I feel like every time that I go with the national team; I learn so much from the coaching staff or the players who play in different leagues like the Bundesliga or the EPL. Playing alongside those guys helps me progress as a player and keep going."
The USMNT will likely need two strong performances from Zardes in the two matches against the Central American nation as two wins could help the U.S. earn passage to the fifth and final round of World Cup qualifying.
"They are huge games against Guatemala," Zardes said. "It's the primary focus before the [Copa America] this summer. The primary goal is to get the win both home and away."
