CHICAGO — U.S. men’s national soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann dropped defenders John Brooks and Omar Gonzalez and midfielder Mix Diskerud from the Americans’ roster for Saturday’s playoff against Mexico for a berth in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Brooks has been sidelined by an ankle injury and hasn’t played in a match since the Americans’ exhibition win over Peru on Sept. 4. Gonzalez and Diskerud were dropped based on form.
Others from the 35-man preliminary roster who were dropped were goalkeeper Bill Hamid; defender Greg Garza; midfielders Joe Corona, Alfredo Morales and Lee Nguyen; and forwards Alan Gordon, Aron Johannsson, Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood.
Garza and Johannsson also are injured. Morris is with the U.S. Under-23 team at Olympic qualifying.
Defenders Fabian Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley have returned from injuries that caused them to miss two September exhibitions and could start at outside back. Timmy Chandler, another outside back, was left off the 35-man roster because of an injury.
Klinsmann hinted some of the veterans on the roster for the game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., might not be around for the Confederations Cup. Among the players 32 or older are Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman and Chris Wondolowski.
U.S. SQUAD FOR CONCACAF CUP
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Ventura Alvarado (Club America), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Danny Williams (Reading), DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland), Graham Zusi (Sporting KC)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (L.A. Galaxy)
Thumbnail photo via Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports Images
