Wondolowski called into U.S. camp for vital World Cup qualifiers
Bruce Arena has added the San Jose Earthquakes veteran Chris Wondolowski to his 26-man squad before the United States' crucial tests against Honduras and Panama.
The experienced manager has been hit by various absences to his squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, including the enforced exits Brad Guzan and Fabian Johnson, so he's brought in the familiar face of 34-year-old Wondolowski, a figure who perhaps attracts undue criticism due to his commendable USMNT strike rate of 11 goals in 35 caps.
Wondolowski played the full 90 minutes of Saturday's 2-1 MLS defeat at Sporting Kansas City, but scored a goal and nabbed two assists in his previous league outings against the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The U.S. pits itself against Honduras on Friday in California, and then travels to Panama four days later. Arena will oversee his first competitive matches since returning as national team boss, and is looking to address a bottom-placed standing in "the Hex" after damaging losses to Mexico and Costa Rica under his predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann.
Here is the updated U.S. squad in full:
Goalkeepers: David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin) Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)