USMNT put on a show vs. Ghana; Lionel Messi and Neymar grab very different headlines in CONMEBOL qualifying

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Happy Wednesday! The international break wrapped up in entertaining fashion yesterday, and I'm Pardeep Cattry to fill you in on the details.

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📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Wednesday, Oct. 18
🇪🇺 UWCL: PSG vs. Manchester United, 2 p.m. ➡️ DAZN
🇺🇸 MLS: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte, 8 p.m. ➡️ Apple TV+

Thursday, Oct. 19
🇦🇷 Primera Division: Colon vs. River Plate, 5:30 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇧🇷 Brasileirao: Cruzeiro vs. RB Bragantino ➡️ Paramount+

🌑Don't miss Kickin' It and the second part of Carli Lloyd's interview on CBS Sports Golazo Network, Wednesday at 8 p.m.

⚽ The Forward Line

🇺🇸 Gio Reyna's big night against Ghana

The U.S. men's national team ended the international break on a high with a commanding 4-0 win over Ghana last night, thanks in large part to Gio Reyna. He scored twice during his 45 minute appearance and was a major contributor in attack, which comes off the back of a promising performance during the USMNT's 3-1 loss to Germany on Saturday. As Chuck Booth notes, Reyna put on the kind of display against Ghana that could help set the squad's midfield balance.

Booth: "Playing as an attacking midfielder, Reyna completed 30 of his 31 passes in the match and was effective defensively. Like Yunus Musah, Reyna is a player who can act as a safety valve in midfield, excelling with the ball at his feet, making things happen no matter where he receives the ball. As [head coach Gregg] Berhalter looks to adjust the team moving forward, it may come down to Reyna and Adams rotating depending on the opposition."

The brace also feels like a fresh start for Reyna and Berhalter following the much-publicized family feud between Reyna's parents, Claudio and Danielle, and Berhalter and his wife Rosalind. The coach was intent on repairing the professional relationship upon his return to the USMNT last month, and was full of praise for Reyna following the match.

Berhalter: "I've seen from training session number one in this camp was an extreme amount of focus and ability, so when he plays like that, like he did this entire camp, he's certainly a guy that can help this group and it's really good to see him respond like that."

The Berhalter-Reyna reset comes at an opportune time. The team will begin Concacaf Nations League play next month against Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 16 with eyes on domestic glory and a spot at next year's Copa America on the line, and as the 2026 World Cup on home soil looms large over the team's mission.

🔗 Midfield Link Play

🌍 Celebrations and commiserations in CONMEBOL

Lionel Messi with a record setting brace

Lionel Messi made his long-awaited return to the starting lineup last night in Argentina's 2-0 win over Peru, and added another record to his illustrious career along the way. He became the all-time leading scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying with 31 goals, surpassing Uruguay's Luis Suarez to do so.

Messi marked his return in style with a first-half brace and was a presence in front of goal all night with seven shots during his 90 minute shift. He was able to shake off concerns over his fitness that have persisted since he skipped Argentina's win at Bolivia on Sept. 12, and helped Argentina maintain their perfect start to 2026 World Cup qualifying in the process.

Neymar with yet another injury

It was not all good news for South American stars, though. Earlier in the day, Neymar was carted off before halftime of Brazil's 2-0 loss to Uruguay with a severe knee twist. Few specifics on Neymar's conditions are public at this time, but some fear he could have suffered ligament damage that could only add to the injury-plagued forward's woes.

Coupled with Brazil's failure to win both of their World Cup qualifiers this month, a lengthy spell on the sidelines for Neymar would be ill-timed for the Selecao -- they face Colombia and Argentina in crucial qualifiers a month from now.

🔗 Top Stories

🇺🇸 USMNT's dominance: There's much to discuss about the USMNT's win, from the positives to the negatives of such a lopsided result to Folarin Balogun's strong showing and what this means for Ghana.

🇮🇹 Italy investigation: Nicolo Fagioli will serve a seven-month ban for betting in the first -- but not the last -- verdict in the ongoing investigation. The scandal is impacting the national team, which lost 3-1 to England yesterday.

👏 Bradley retires: Former USMNT captain Michael Bradley will retire following the conclusion of Toronto FC's season. He amassed more than 150 caps for his national team -- and some memorable moments along the way.

🇺🇸 USWNT return: It's a mix of old faces and new names for the Unites States women's national team with Becky Sauerbrunn returning from injury and 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie getting her first senior appearance on the roster.

🌍 International rewind: England booked a spot at the Euros as Gareth Southgate provided another example of his steady leadership, while Kylian Mbappe excelled for France and Messi did the same for Argentina. Plus, Neymar's injury is not the only bad news for Brazil.

🌊 Wave's win: Casey Stoney stopped by Attacking Third to chat about the San Diego Wave's NWSL Shield victory -- and her preference to sit on a cooler. The A3 crew, meanwhile, discussed the Wave's rising star, 18-year-old Jaedyn Shaw.

🏆 Playoff push: After a thrilling NWSL decision day, focus quickly pivots to the playoffs -- and the league's brand-new trophies for the championship winners and the MVP.

💰 United sale: As Manchester United execs weigh Sir Jim Ratcliffe's bid to buy a minority stake in the club, here's an explainer as the process reaches its final stages.

🔚 Parsons out: The Washington Spirit fired Mark Parsons after the team failed to make the playoffs for a second consecutive year -- which means there's an exciting new vacancy in the NWSL.

🦩 Messi mania: Luis Suarez could become the latest high-profile player to join Messi at Inter Miami, which would add to the positive impact the star has had on MLS -- just ask Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

💰 The Back Line

💵 Best bets

MLS: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte, Wednesday, 8 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Enzo Copetti to score (+275) -- With a playoff spot on the line for Charlotte, expect the visitors to be on the hunt for some much-needed points. Copetti, the team's second-leading goalscorer, will be counted on as they look to defeat a Miami team that's already eliminated from playoff contention.
MLS: MLS Cup champion

💰 THE PICK: St. Louis City to win (+800) -- While relative newcomers like Miami and Charlotte struggle to make the postseason, the newest expansion team in St. Louis has already booked a playoff berth and are the best in the West. It may be unlikely that they go all the way, but if anyone can pull of the fairytale, it might just be them.

📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network

☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.

📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.

3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 4 p.m.): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Watch Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4 p.m. this week as our analysts break down the best highlights and analysis and share insider information for all things women's soccer.

👟 Kickin' It (Wednesday, 8 p.m.): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered interview show returns Wednesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch. You won't wan to miss Carli Lloyd sitting down for part two of her blockbuster interview.

🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.

📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.