United States national team manager Gregg Berhalter was pleased with the performance of Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers after his first international start in a year.
Carter-Vickers had previously won two caps for his country in 2023 but both of them were off the bench. He missed out on opportunities to play during the summer months when he was recovering from knee surgery.
His last start for the USA came way back during the Qatar World Cup against Iran, when he helped keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Iran.
Consistent Celtic form upon his return from injury earned him a call-up for the two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against Trinidad & Tobago. Carter-Vickers, alongside defensive partner Tim Ream, provided the foundation for a resounding 3-0 win.
Cameron Carter-Vickers boosts his USA chances
Berhalter said after the match [Daily Record]: “I thought he was solid. That was the same back four we played against Iran in the World Cup. They were all solid, they really were. We knew Trinidad were going to be direct, I thought he dealt with the balls really well.
“The ground was covered really well, our third goal came from him stepping into midfield and winning the ball off their big striker. I think he played an excellent game, really calm and composed on the ball, solid performance.”
Media outlet ESPN concurred with that analysis and gave him a 7/10 rating, stating: “Few complaints about the central defender that worked well with Tim Ream while providing crucial defensive interventions.”
Carter-Vickers had 78 touches in the match overall, with 90% accuracy in his distribution including nine passes into the opposition’s third. His two attempted long balls were accurate.
He also won two of his three tackles, made two interceptions and recovered the ball on 10 occasions. He won 61% of his 13 duels on the night, four on the ground and four in the air, also drawing two fouls.
The Celtic hero will be hoping for another start and to finish the quarter-final job in the second leg in the early hours of Tuesday morning before returning fully fit for more tests at home and abroad with the Bhoys.
In other news, Celtic’s Liam Scales now nominated for national award alongside two top Premier League talents.
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