With several potential United States men's national team forwards out of comission for the near future, Coventry City's Haji Wright was arguably the highest-profile, healthy attacking option left off Mauricio Pochettino roster for next week's Concacaf Nations League finals series.
Pochettino's resistance to call in Wright was understandable, given the 26-year-old had only just returned from a nearly four-month layoff with a serious ankle injury. And the omission gives him a chance to regain a rhythm at the club level with a Coventry side that has roared up the table after winning 10 of its last 12 since mid-January.
But Wright still has considerably more international experience and arguably a better club pedigree than the two MLS selections included in Pochettino's March striking contingent, Vancouver's Brian White and Charlotte's Patrick Agyemang. And that experience could've proved particularly important during a window when Folarion Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are unavailable.
On Saturday, Haji made sure to let his national team manager aware of what he could be missing, pouncing for a hat trick to take Coventry to fifth in the EFL Championship in a 3-0 home win over fourth-place Sunderland on Saturday.
His first was this exceptional, left-footed strike from about 25 yards out:
HAJI WRIGHT IS BACK IN THE GOALS FOR COVENTRY 🇺🇸⚽
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 15, 2025
After spending three months out with injury, the USMNT striker bags his first goal since Nov. 9 👏 pic.twitter.com/fteAxtFJsJ
He added a second from the penalty spot eight minutes later. Then he sealed his sensational afternoon with a classy chip of the goalkeeper on a 73rd-minute breakaway, taking his season total to 10 in just 19 appearances:
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GOAL FOR HAJI WRIGHT TO GET HIS HAT TRICK 😱🇺🇸
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 15, 2025
Despite missing 19 EFL Championship games this season, Wright has just scored his 10th goal of the campaign 💪 pic.twitter.com/gVi72eF7JZ
The tallies were his first since Nov. 9, when he also scored against Sunderland in a 2-2 away draw.
Wright's goals helped Coventry move two points in front of West Bromwich Albion as The Sky Blues continue their push for a top-six finish and promotion playoff spot, and close their gap with Sunderland to 10 points with 10 matches to play.
After winning 10 of 12 in the league, Coventry resumes league play on March 28 at a Sheffield United side involved in a three-way scrap with Leeds United and Burnley for the league title and the top two automatic Premier League promotion spots.
Wright will have his next chance to earn a USMNT call-up in June, when the Americans play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland and then compete in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.