Last week it was announced that Colorado Rapids Homegrown midfielder Dillon Serna had been called to play for his country yet again as United States Under-23 Men’s National Team head coach Andi Herzog tabbed him to compete in the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship from October 1-13.
With a looming match against Houston, whom Colorado is battling for last place in the Western Conference, on Saturday, Sept. 26, the call-up called into question Serna’s status for the match.
Serna, it appears, will play on Saturday, despite the game’s close proximity to the Olympic Qualifying Championship. The U.S. opens play on Thursday, Oct. 1 against Canada at Sporting Park in Kansas City.
Serna spoke with the team website Thursday and gave no indication that he’ll be held out against the Dynamo. In fact, Serna was all business in his short conversation with the team media.
“They’ve got some guys who are big and physical up front,” said Serna, suggesting that he’s fully prepared to play Saturday. “We can’t give them too many opportunities in front of the goal.”
Serna and the U.S. will be in group play through Oct. 6, meaning he’ll miss at least the home match against Salt Lake on Oct. 4. The knockout stage and the finals will be played on Oct. 10 and 13, respectively (both at Rio Tinto Stadium, coincidentally), so Serna could possibly miss the Oct. 10 home tilt with Montreal as well.
The final five game stretch is important for Colorado as they cling to playoff hope. Serna knows they need to win all five games to have a chance.
“We’ve [gone] on a three-game run a couple times actually this season,” he reminds fans, “so a five-game run is possible, and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
Serna knows that it’s a tough task, but says the team has “nothing to lose.”
The one thing they will lose, unfortunately, is one of their most talented players in Serna – for what appears to be one of those games, possibly two. But if his comments on Thursday are any indication, they’ll at least have him Saturday to hopefully start a run.
