Malik Tillman's Gold Cup success, Gio Reyna's limited play at Club World Cup create USMNT sliding doors moment

The contrasting form of Tillman and Reyna this summer has created a new sense of competition in the USMNT's midfield a year before the World Cup

With 12 minutes and stoppage time left to play in Borussia Dortmund's final group stage match of the Club World Cup on Wednesday, manager Niko Kovac clearly signaled that the task was complete. They had a 1-0 lead over South Korea's Ulsan HD that was not vanishing anytime soon, as the final shot count of 28-3 would indicate, meaning top spot in Group F was essentially a guarantee. Out came a few of Dortmund's starters, who ensured Dortmund would go unbeaten in the opening stage of the competition and would now receive a small break before their round of 16 match against Mexico's Monterrey on Tuesday. In came fresh legs – or, namely, Carney Chukwuemeka and Gio Ryena.

For Reyna, those 12 minutes were not only his first at the Club World Cup but also his longest shift in a Dortmund shirt since a 26-minute appearance on April 15 as they chased the game against Barcelona in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie they went on to lose 5-3. It was a cameo that provided Reyna with little time to impress, something Kovac quickly explained in his post-match remarks.

"Gio and also Juju [Julien Duranville] played their first couple of minutes during this Club World Cup," Kovac said. "We try to give minutes to every single player, of course. We want to win, and the first half of the match, we put in a top-level performance, so I was ready to bring on new players. In the midfield, we have a high competition. There is [a] great set of players and Gio is one of them. He does have good qualities, but if you look at the other players, I think they are a little bit more ahead."