USMNT defender Timothy Chandler left Saturday’s Nurnberg - Bayern Munich match after just ten minutes. Reports suggest the 23 year old suffered a hamstring injury. Chandler was stretchered off and was seen on the sidelines with tears in his eyes, evidently in a lot of pain. He left Nurnberg’s Grundig-Stadion on crutches and went directly to the hospital.
Chandler, born in Germany but capped for the United States in 2011, has spent his entire career in Germany, joining up with current club Nurnberg in 2011. He’s been a regular this season, starting all but two matches for the side, and even scoring in Nurnberg’s surprise 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim a couple weeks back - their first win of the season. After playing nearly every minute this Bundesliga season, such an injury must come as an even greater blow for Chandler.
The defender has not featured recently for the United States, his last game coming a year ago against Honduras. He was not called up for last year’s Gold Cup or the most recent round of World Cup qualification. Still, you have to think Chandler had still hoped to make it to Brazil, and this injury might be a big blow for those dreams.