CALIFORNIA — Sergino Dest appears likely to miss the United States’ pre-World Cup friendlies against Belgium and Portugal this month because a leg injury.
Dest was hurt during PSV Eindhoven’s Dutch league match against AZ Alkmaar, falling and grabbing at his left hamstring.
The 25-year-old defender needed assistance to leave the field.
“PSV will not have Sergino Dest at their disposal for the coming period, a medical examination revealed,” the team said in a statement according to AP, describing the ailment as an upper leg injury.
“Exactly how long Dest will be sidelined is difficult to predict at this time.”
The US hosts Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on April 1 at Atlanta in World Cup warmup matches. American coach Mauricio Pochettino plans to announce his roster in late May, before friendlies against Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6.
The 15th-ranked US will start Group D against No. 40 Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, and then play 27th-ranked Australia six days later at Seattle.
The Americans conclude the group stage on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium against the winner of playoffs among Turkey (25), Slovakia (44), Romania (49) and Kosovo (79).
PSV said Dest “is focused on a return toward the final stages of the season, with next summer´s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as an important goal in addition.”
