The U.S. men’s national team could be without midfielder Weston McKennie for its upcoming World Cup qualifying matches.
According to multiple reports, McKennie suffered fractures in the second and third metatarsals in his left foot while playing a game for Juventus on Tuesday and is expected to be out eight to 12 weeks.
Playing in a Champions League match for the Italian club, McKennie was helped off the pitch in the 80th minute after being tackled hard by Villarreal’s Pervis Estupinan.
McKennie’s injury is unfortunate news for the U.S. national team, which resumes qualifying for this year’s World Cup in Qatar on March 24. The Americans have three games left in qualifying, beginning with a match against rival Mexico at the typically rowdy Estadio Azteca. The U.S. will then face Panama on March 27 and Costa Rica on March 30.
The U.S. is currently second in CONCACAF standings. The top three teams in the table will advance to the World Cup, which begins in November.
McKennie, 23, has started and played more than 80 minutes in seven of the U.S.’s last 11 World Cup qualifying matches. He’s scored twice, in wins over Mexico and Honduras. Without McKennie in the lineup, the Americans are 1-1-2 in World Cup qualifiers.
–Field Level Media