By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — National team defenders DeAndre Yedlin and Walker Zimmerman praised U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter for bringing the Americans together at the World Cup in Qatar even as he’s currently under investigation by U.S. Soccer for a 1991 incident during which he kicked his future wife in the legs.

Yedlin and Zimmerman said they understand there could be uncertainty about the team’s leadership structure for a while.

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“I think Gregg’s a great head coach, I think he did a great job of kind of banding us all together and really making sure we’re all fighting for the same goal,” Yedlin said Tuesday at MLS media day. “Obviously, we all know certain things are happening and again some of those decisions they’re not up to me. He’s a great coach and I’ve really enjoyed working with him.”

The U.S. Soccer Federation said last week it learned of the allegation against Berhalter on Dec. 11 and hired the law firm Alston &Bird to investigate.

The federation said Berhalter and his wife Rosalind had “spoken openly” about the matter, and Berhalter admitted kicking her during an argument after a night of drinking in 1991 before they were married.

He released a statement last week calling his behavior “a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day” and said he was “looking forward to continuing my conversations with U.S. Soccer about the future.”

Anthony Hudson is serving as the interim coach while Berhalter is under investigation.