GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Are US national team left back DaMarcus Beasley's World Cup hopes in jeopardy? Unknown at this point, but the Puebla star was forced off the field in the first half of La Franja's 2-1 victory at Pachuca on Saturday, with an anxious wait now ensuing to find out the extent of the injury.
Beasley struggled as early as the eighth minute and was taken off in the 40th, with Puebla leading 1-0. The former Chicago Fire star featured at left wing back for the visitors when he was on the field, with Michael Orozco Fiscal missing out due to his own injury turmoil.
The World Cup starts in a little more than 50 days.
It was also a disappointing night for Jose Torres and Tigres UANL, with the Monterrey club falling 3-0 at León. The American went the full 90 minutes in defeat but couldn’t wrestle control of the midfield away from La Fiera. Torres could only shoot into the hands of Christian Martínez when handed a half-chance in the 55th minute.
The result leaves Tigres outside of the playoffs and with no realistic possibility of making the postseason.
On Friday, Michael Farfan was an unused substitute for Cruz Azul in their 5-1 loss to Morelia in Estadio Morelos.
It was altogether more positive news in Mexico’s Ascenso MX playoffs, with Sonny Guadarrama netting and Ventura Alvarado going the full 90 minutes as Necaxa overcame Delfines del Carmen 4-1 in Aguascalientes to seal a place in the semifinals.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him attom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
