Skip to content

Dempsey to miss World Cup qualifiers with irregular heartbeat

Reuters

Seattle Sounders forward and U.S. men's national team captain Clint Dempsey will miss his club's match Sunday against the Portland Timbers, and his country's upcoming World Cup qualifiers as he undergoes tests for an irregular heartbeat.

A statement from the Sounders didn't disclose the extent of the problem.

A USMNT spokesman told ESPN FC's Jeffrey Carlisle that Dempsey will not be called up for the Sept. 2 and Sept. 6 qualifiers against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively. Whether it's precautionary or a more drastic measure is not clear.

Sounders GM Garth Lagerwey did, however, reveal the irregular heartbeat is something the team has been monitoring all season.

"We have Clint's best interests at heart," he said.

Dempsey's absence could prove costly for a Sounders side that only recently began to find its feet. The 33-year-old scored five goals and added an assist as Seattle put together a five-game winning streak in MLS.

Sunday's tilt at Providence Park has playoff implications, as Seattle is chasing Portland for the sixth and final postseason berth in the Western Conference. It's also the sixth contest in this year's Cascadia Cup series.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox