SEATTLE – Clint Dempsey returned to training from international duty with the U.S. national team on Thursday, insisting he’ll be ready to go when the Seattle Sounders return to action this weekend.
Dempsey put in two straight 90-minute shifts for the USMNT against Guatemala and scored the first goal of the team’s 4-0 win on Tuesday night, easing concerns that the U.S. might struggle to reach the CONACAF Hexagonal or, even worse, the World Cup in 2018.
“The only thing I said before the game was, ‘No tomorrow, it’s all about today,” said Dempsey, who hit a right-footed blast to open the scoring in the 12th minute. “It’s not worrying about the other games you play with the States, it’s about tonight. Because if you don’t perform tonight and don’t do well, we weren’t going to be in a position to qualify for the World Cup.
“And if you’re not doing that then you’re not progressing the game in the States, and that’s what it’s about.”
The result keeps the Americans hopes for the 2018 World Cup alive and the goal made Dempsey the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. in World Cup qualifiers, with 14. When asked what the achievement meant for him, however, Dempsey implied that he didn’t think about it too much.
“The most important thing from the game is that we won,” said Dempsey. “We got ourselves a better situation moving in to the last two games. Most importantly, we continue to progress the game in the States, and put ourselves in a position to qualify for the World Cup. That’s the kind of stuff that means the most to me.”
Dempsey said he felt good and will be “ready to go” when the Sounders take on the Impact on Saturday (7 p.m. PT; Q13 FOX/Univision Seattle/ROOT Sports (outside Seattle)/KIRO 97.3 FM/El Rey 1360 AM) as he looks for his first goal in MLS play this season.
The USMNT begin competition in the Copa América Centenario on June 3 before returning to World Cup qualifiers on Sept. 2.
