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The injury bug strikes again. After losing Fabian Johnson for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, the U.S. men’s national team will be without Bobby Wood as well.
The Hamburg striker has been dropped from the roster after picking up a back injury, and Matt Besler and Sacha Kljestan have been added, U.S. Soccer announced.
Kljestan has been added as an injury replacement for Bobby Wood (back), while Besler joins camp to bolster the #USMNT defense.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 19, 2017
That’s a tough blow for the USMNT, who only scored one goal in its first two matches of the hexagonal stage. Currently sitting in last place in qualifying, the team has to get points, starting with Friday’s battle against Honduras in San Jose. Not having Wood is going to make that a bit tougher.
With Wood out, the U.S. has three strikers -- Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris. Wood, who has nine goals so far this season in Germany, was a contender to start under Bruce Arena. With him out, Altidore likely gets the start, and Dempsey may start as well depending on the formation Arena goes with.
Johnson, who Arena said would play midfield, was supposed to contribute on the wings, a place where he has looked great this season for Borussia Monchengladbach. But with the injuries to Wood and Johnson, the team is down two important pieces with plenty on the line.
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