USMNT and Antalyaspor striker Haji Wright scored twice and got an assist during Saturday’s Turkish Süper Lig game vs. Kayserispor where his side won 4-0.
Wright missed all of February and most of January with a thigh injury and made his return to the field on March 6. He rediscovered his goal scoring form Saturday netting his fourth brace of the season.
Haji Wright goals vs. Kayserispor
Wright scored the game’s opening goal in the 33rd minute when he was in the right place at the right time. His teammate’s shot hit the post and fell perfectly to Wright’s feet. The U.S. international put away the chance to make it 1-0 for Antalyaspor.
¡GOL DEL ANTALYASPOR!
Haji Wright abre el marcador para los localesDisfruta el Antalyaspor vs. Kayserispor en vivo por beIN SPORTS CONNECT.#Superlig #ANTvKYS pic.twitter.com/i8WmKgzJR8
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) March 11, 2023
His second goal came in the 68th minute with a powerful header. Wright was open near the top of the box and beat the Kayserispor goalkeeper with a low effort.
¡GOLEA EL ANTALYASPOR!
Haji Wright anota su segundo del encuentroDisfruta el Antalyaspor vs. Kayserispor en vivo por beIN SPORTS CONNECT.#Superlig #ANTvKYS pic.twitter.com/NkXG25ShaE
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) March 11, 2023
This was Wright’s 13th goal of the 2022-23 campaign in 19 appearances. He also got his second assist of the season for Antalyaspor’s second goal.
¡OTRO DEL ANTALYASPOR!
Haji Wright asiste y Fredy aumenta la ventaja de los escorpionesDisfruta el Antalyaspor vs. Kayserispor en vivo por beIN SPORTS CONNECT.#Superlig #ANTvKYS pic.twitter.com/qSQ8ivOzVp
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) March 11, 2023
Performances like this are exactly what Wright will need as the March international break approaches. The USMNT has two Concacaf Nations League games on the schedule with a trip to Grenada on March 24 and a game vs. El Salvador in Orlando, Florida, on March 27.
Anthony Hudson is still in charge as interim head coach, and he will have a touch choice to make for which strikers to call up.
Wright scored the lone U.S. goal against the Netherlands at the World Cup during the 3-1 Round of 16 defeat. Will Hudson have Wright on the USMNT roster again?
Other choices include Josh Sargent, Jesús Ferreira, Ricardo Pepi, Daryl Dike and Jordan Pefok. Decisions, decisions.
Up next for Wright and 10th place Antalyaspor is a league game against fourth place Adana Demirspor. The Turkish Süper Lig is continuing its season after February’s devastating earthquakes that killed over 50,000 people including Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu.
Hatayspor (the club Atsu played for) and Gaziantep had to withdraw from the 2022-23 season but won’t be relegated.
