Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore will be sidelined up to two months with another hamstring injury – and it appears he will miss the Copa America tournament, too.
Altidore strained his hamstring in the 35th minute of Toronto’s 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday on a penalty kick attempt that was saved. On Monday, TFC announced Altidore’s hamstring strain will keep him out six to eight weeks.
The US national team’s Copa America Centenario campaign kicks off in less than four weeks on June 3 and coach Jurgen Klinsmann must name his 23-man roster by Friday.
“Our medical staff reached out to Toronto as soon as the injury took place Saturday night, and they have been receiving updates on his diagnosis,” a US Soccer spokesman said in an email. “Those discussions continue.”
This wouldn't be the first time a hamstring injury has kept Altidore from competing in major tournaments for the Americans. Most notably, he suffered a hamstring pull in the USA’s opening match of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, ruling him out for the rest of the tournament.
In his long history of hamstring problems, the 26-year-old striker also missed matches during 2011 and 2015 Gold Cups. He was absent from Toronto’s two opening matches this season due to the same injury.
Jurgen Klinsmann's options to replace Altidore include the Sounders starting forward tandem of Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris or even LA's Gyasi Zardes, who has excelled when playing as a striker for the Galaxy. There will also be high expectations for Germany-based Bobby Wood after his breakout 17-goal season in the German second division, which earned him a move to Hamburg in the Bundesliga.
