GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Club Tijuana left back Edgar Castillo was a welcome sight in the team's Friday training session, 20 days after suffering various facial fractures in a Liga MX game against Atlas.
The 26-year-old Xolos player didn’t complete the full session, but received a special mask on Saturday that will allow him to fully participate in training and games moving forward.
“I’m a little sad because I haven’t been able to play,” Castillo told the club’s website. “I hope to return next week against Toluca.”
With the left back spot for the US national team an ongoing headache for coach Jurgen Klinsmann and predecessor Bob Bradley, Castillo also revealed that there was contact with U.S. Soccer for him to join up with the squad, but that he didn’t quite recover in time.
“They spoke to the club, Martin Vasquez called and asked if I could go, but they didn’t let me,” Castillo told La Afición.
Fellow Mexico-based player Jose “Gringo” Torres has also revealed that he was to be part of the squad for the current qualifiers, but that his minor hamstring injury suffered last Saturday against Chivas was enough to keep him out.
“The call-up came and after the game I spoke with Martin Vasquez, told him what had happened and that I wanted to be there but that my health came first,” Torres is quoted as saying in MedioTiempo.com.
Torres added that he should be fit to feature for Tigres UANL in their game next Sunday against DaMarcus Beasley’s Puebla.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
