HARRISON, N.J. (August 29, 2016) – New York Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan has been added to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster ahead of a pair of World Cup Qualifiers in the Semifinal Round.
Kljestan will join the team for training in Jacksonville ahead of the first match against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sept. 2 (3:30 p.m. ET - beIN SPORT). Four days later, the team closes out Group C action against Trinidad & Tobago (8 p.m. ET – FS1, UniMas)
The Huntington Beach native continues to be a force in MLS, leading the league with 15 assists this season and adding five goals. Per Opta, Kljestan leads MLS in chances created (88) with the most chances created from both open play (53) and set play (35).
The 15 assists also set a new single-season franchise record for New York.
Kljestan, also a 2016 MLS All Star, has 46 caps for the United States and has scored four goals. Kljestan has represented the United States at the 2009 Confederations Cup and made the preliminary 2010 World Cup roster. He scored a hat trick in his first senior appearance, a 3-2 win over Sweden in January of 2009, in front of a hometown crowd in Carson, California.
Kljestan is the second Red Bull to be named to a U.S. roster this year, after goalkeeper Luis Robles represented the team in January camp. Dax McCarty, Connor Lade and Sal Zizzo have also earned previous call ups to the senior USMNT.
USMNT Qualifying Scenarios (Per U.S. Soccer)
Heading into the last two matches, the United States sits in second place in the group on seven points, three behind T&T and one ahead of Guatemala. The MNT has its destiny in its own hands, since two wins would guarantee a spot in the Hexagonal. However, the only way the U.S. can qualify on Matchday 5 is beating St. Vincent AND Trinidad winning at home against Guatemala. Any other combination means that the matches on Sept. 6 will determine which two teams advance out of the group.
