U.S. Soccer is reporting that United States center-back Omar Gonzalez has been ruled out of the World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica and Panama with a hip injury.
Gonzalez will be replaced by Puebla’s Michael Orozco.
Orozco will join U.S. Men’s National Team camp on Tuesday afternoon in Kansas City after Gonzalez was forced to withdraw with a left hip strain, presumably suffered in the first half of the LA Galaxy’s 5-0 win against Chivas USA on Sunday.
The loss of Gonzalez means that Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler and Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron are the most likely central defensive pairing for Friday’s World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica.
The addition of Orozco allows Klinsmann the option of playing Cameron at right-back where he plays for Stoke. In the past, however, Klinsmann has been opposed to such a move, believing that Cameron’s best place on the field is in the center of defense or as a holding midfielder.
Orozco has played five times for the USMNT in 2013, including four appearances in this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup title run. Overall, Orozco has reached 10 caps for the Yanks.
