American defender Sergino Dest returned from a hamstring injury on Saturday by coming on as a substitute in PSV Eindhoven’s 2-2 draw against Ajax.
Dest came into the match around the hour mark, when the score was 1-1, for his first appearance since injuring his left hamstring against AZ Alkmaar on March 7.
He missed two recent pre-World Cup friendlies for the US – and had to watch from the sidelines as PSV clinched the Dutch league title with five games to go – but his return should boost his chances of playing in the tournament in North America in June and July.
Eindhoven took the lead in the 77th minute through fellow substitute Myron Boadu, but Mika Godts equalized for Ajax in injury time.
Dest scored two goals in 37 international appearances and started all four U.S. matches at the 2022 World Cup.
American striker Ricardo Pepi scored about 30 seconds in for Eindhoven, his fourteenth league goal this season and fourth in three games. The 23-year-old has scored 17 goals in all competitions for PSV this season.
The U.S. opens Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, and plays Australia a week later in Seattle. The Americans close the group stage on June 25 in the SoFi Stadium against Turkey.
Published on May 3, 2026
