Weston McKennie has been forced off the U.S. national team’s latest roster due to an adductor injury, U.S. Soccer announced on Sunday, with Toronto FC midfielder Marky Delgado called up as his replacement.
It’s an unfortunate development at the conclusion of an otherwise great week for the FC Dallas academy product, who scored his first goals in both UEFA Champions League and German Bundesliga for his club, Schalke 04. It also marks the third prominent injury-prompted withdrawal from this month's camp, following the loss of Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic.
McKennie's injury opens up opportunities for others in coach Dave Sarachan’s squad, with McKennie having been expected to continue in a starting central-midfield role for the USMNT in this month’s friendlies vs. Colombia and Peru.
Delgado was on last month’s U.S. roster and appeared in their 1-0 win over Mexico in Nashville on Sept. 11. The California native and Chivas USA Homegrown product made his national-team debut in March vs. Paraguay.
The USMNT are gathering in Tampa, Florida starting Sunday ahead of their friendly vs. Colombia at Raymond James Stadium on Thursday (7:30 pm ET | FS1, UniMás, UDN), a game for which the federation said that more than 27,000 tickets have already been sold. The U.S. then move on to East Hartford, Connecticut to meet Peru at Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 16 (7:30 pm ET | ESPN 2, UniMás, UDN).
Updated USMNT Roster
(Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC; 58/0), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 5/0)
DEFENDERS (8): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 34/3), Reggie Cannon (FC Dallas; 0/0), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Swansea City/WAL; 5/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 0/0), Matt Miazga (Nantes/FRA; 9/1), Antonee Robinson (Wigan Athletic/ENG; 4/0), Ben Sweat (New York City FC; 0/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 54/0)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 19/1), Jonathan Amon (Nordsjælland/DEN; 0/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 140/17), Marky Delgado (Toronto FC/CAN; 3/0), Julian Green (Greuther Fürth/GER; 12/4), Fafa Picault (Philadelphia Union; 1/0), Kenny Saief (Anderlecht/BEL; 2/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 8/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 5/1)
FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Fortuna Sittard/NED; 2/0), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 3/1), Bobby Wood (Hannover 96/GER; 41/12)
