America’ World Cup preparations have suffered a serious setback after striker Patrick Agyemang suffered a worrying damage on Monday afternoon.
Agyemang, 25, was enjoying for his home facet, Derby County, when the damage occurred, ensuing within the striker leaving the sphere in tears on a stretcher.
The Derby star landed awkwardly after leaping for the ball throughout their sport towards Stoke Metropolis – which they received 2-0 – earlier than being handled by medical employees.
The damage has sparked main concern for the USMNT, with many fearing that he has suffered an Achilles tendon damage – which might finish his World Cup desires.
Derby County head coach John Eustace stated: ‘He is gone off for a scan. We’ll wait and see the outcomes of that. Hopefully it isn’t as unhealthy as what it is likely to be.’
In the meantime, one local outlet wrote that Agyemang’s damage initially seemed to be an ‘innocuous incident’ earlier than later revealing fears of an Achilles damage.
Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup preparations have taken successful after a star suffered an damage
USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang suffered a regarding damage whereas enjoying for Derby County
The 25-year-old had been a number one contender to earn a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for this summer time’s event after impressing in current weeks.
The Derby County striker has discovered the again of the online on six events throughout his 14 appearances for the nationwide facet – together with throughout their current 5-2 loss to Belgium.
Agyemang would seemingly compete with the likes of Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright for the back-up striker function in Pochettino’s squad, with Folarin Balogun anticipated to start out.
Only in the near past, the USMNT head coach claimed that as many as 40 hopefuls have a shot of constructing his 26-man USMNT roster for the World Cup.
‘It will be painful as a result of that course of… goes to be tough to select solely 26 from 35, 40,’ he stated. ‘Who might be there may be going to be comfortable, who is just not on the roster goes to be unhappy.’
He added: ‘[This] was the tip of our cycle… for preparation for the World Cup.
‘I feel that is the tip as a result of the subsequent roster goes to be the roster that’s going to be concerned. I feel it is too many issues that we have to assess and to see within the subsequent few weeks.’
Pochettino has experimented since taking on in August 2024 and he made six adjustments for final week’s loss towards Portugal in Atlanta, which got here simply 4 days after a 5-2 humiliation towards Belgium.
The 25-year-old had been a number one contender to earn a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad
USMNT coach Pochettino faces the duty of whittling down an enormous pool of gamers to simply 26
The previous Tottenham and Chelsea coach now faces the daunting process of whittling down an enormous pool of gamers to simply 26 forward of the USMNT’s World Cup opener towards Paraguay on June 12.
Pochettino additionally instructed on Tuesday, final week, that he had not addressed the upcoming choice dilemma along with his gamers.
‘I feel now they know that it will be a contest,’ the coach stated.
‘They know that we’re going to see each single week, each single sport, and we’re going to assess one yr and a half or extra, and we’re going to make the choice.’
