COLUMBUS (Ohio) — Gyasi Zardes, Columbus Crew forward, will likely be out for up to four weeks due to a left knee injury. This could mean that Zardes misses the United States’ World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Jamaica next month.
Crew coach Caleb Porter announced Friday that Zardes, a 30-year-old, suffered a Grade 2 MCL strain late in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw in Nashville. Zardes was substituted at the beginning of the second period.
This season Zardes scored nine goals in 21 games. In 65 international games, he has scored 14 goals.
The Crew has remaining regular-season league matches against Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Orlando, and New York Red Bulls. The MLS playoffs begin Nov. 20.
The U.S. hosts Mexico in Cincinnati on Nov. 12, and then plays at Kingston, Jamaica four days later.
The U.S. may also be without Christian Pulisic (Chelsea attacker) who has not played since Sept. 8 when he injured his left ankle in a qualifying match at Honduras. Dortmund midfielder Gio Rena has been out since Sept. 2 after sustaining a right hamstring injury in the first qualifier at El Salvador.
