Four USMNT players sent home as injuries force more tough choices

By Caitlin Murray
Published

Paul Arriola is joining the U.S. men’s national team ahead of its World Cup qualifier in Panama on Tuesday as a slew of players are being sent home.

The Xolos right wingback arrives as the USMNT is releasing the following players due to injuries: midfielder Sebastian Lletget, forward Jordan Morris, defender John Brooks and defender Michael Orozco. Lletget suffered an ankle injury in Friday's USMNT’s 6-0 win over Honduras, Brooks came out after becoming dizzy from an apparent sinus infection, and both Morris and Orozco had been injured before the match.

With the addition of Arriola, coach Bruce Arena has now had to add five new players to his initial roster for this pair of qualifiers after initial selections became unavailable. That has only compounded injuries that happened before the qualifiers began -- starters like DeAndre Yedlin, Fabian Johnson and Bobby Wood were all already out.

Arriola offers some depth in the midfield to replace the likes of Lletget, and he could even fill in at fullback if the Americans are forced into it. It’s doubtful Arriola will start, but he is a capable back-up on a team that had been ravaged with injuries.

The 22-year-old Arriola has been in a run of good form for Tijuana in Liga MX lately, starting regularly and netting two goals this season, including a rather spectacular volley.

Here is the updated roster for the USMNT’s qualifier vs Panama, with World Cup qualifying caps/goals listed:

GOALKEEPERS (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 34/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 33/6), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City; 10/1), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 20/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 13/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 3/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas; 0/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City; 16/3)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 1/0), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana/MEX; 1/1), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 7/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 32/6), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy; 16/0), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls; 18/2), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 4/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 6/3)

FORWARDS (3): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 35/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 37/17), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0)

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