One man’s loss – or in this case, injury – is another man’s gain.
On Monday, striker Edson Buddle was announced as the replacement for former LA Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan on the US national team roster for the upcoming friendlies against Honduras and Ecuador.
Donovan, who stands in third on the MLS scoring chart this season, was withdrawn from the US roster after suffering a strained right quadriceps muscle in the Galaxy’s 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday. The midfielder/forward will also miss the Galaxy’s marquee match vs. the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday (8 pm ET, ESPN2).
Buddle, who left LA to join 2.Bundesliga side Ingolstadt at the end of the 2010 MLS season, currently has five goals through 10 games for the 15th-place team. He last represented the US in August, starting and going 59 minutes in a 1-1 tie against arch rivals Mexico.
The US will host CONCACAF rivals Honduras in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium on Oct. 8 (6 pm ET; FOX Soccer, Univisión). Klinsmann’s men will then head to Harrison, N.J., where they will play at Red Bull Arena for the first time ever when they take on Ecuador (7 pm ET; ESPN2, Univisión).
U.S. ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)
FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City)
