CARSON, Calif. – D.C. United center back Steve Birnbaum has been “dealing with a minor knee injury for the past couple of days” and won't be available for Sunday's US men's national team friendly against Panama, US Soccer revealed on the eve of the match.
Birnbaum, an MLS Rookie of the Year finalist who made his international debut in last week's loss in Chile, was expected to play a major role on the US backline.
“It changes our approach, how we're going to play with the backline,” US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said during Saturday's news conference at StubHub Center. “But you've got to be patient for another day to have [what we're going to do] in front of you.”
The US have four other central defenders available: New England's Jermaine Jones, Sporting Kansas City's Matt Besler, FC Dallas' Matt Hedges and Colorado's Shane O'Neill.
“We have a big group here,” Jones said. “Of course, it's not good for him, but someone will come and step in, and so we will play with 11 players, and we hope everyone can play 100 percent and that we can win it.”
Birnbaum, 24, who grew up in nearby Irvine, received his first US call-up after a splendid opening season with D.C. United. He stepped in for an injured Jeff Parke at midseason and started the final 21 games plus two playoff contests as United won the Eastern Conference regular-season title.
He played the full 90 minutes in the USMNT's 3-2 loss to Chile.
“I think Steven did very well in Chile, but the whole camp, he's been sharp from the first day on and he understood the opportunity that came across,” Klinsmann said. “It's a bummer [the injury] keeps him out of this one game, but more importantly is that he's going to be healthy in the next couple of days and continue preseason, basically, with D.C. United, so definitely a very positive experience for Steven.”
