Soccer Roundup: Cameron Out, Howard Back in U.S. Goal

Chicago — Defender Geoff Cameron, midfielder Kyle Beckerman and forward Chris Wondolowski will miss the United States’ World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Costa Rica because of injuries, and Tim Howard has regained the No. 1 goalkeeper’s job.

Howard, now 37, took a year off from the national team following the World Cup, then late in 2015 and alternated with Brad Guzan.

Guzan started at this year’s Copa America, and while Howard has been a regular since leaving Everton to join Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids this summer, the 32-year-old Guzan has not appeared with Middlesbrough in England’s Premier League since Aug. 28.

“He thought he would be No. 1 there. He is not,” Klinsmann said during Facebook Live interview, adding that Howard “is back to No. 1.”

Cameron was paired with John Brooks in central defense during this year’s Copa America but has missed Stoke City’s last two Premier League games after hyperextending a knee against Hull on Oct. 22.

Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, Steve Birnbaum and Michael Orozco are the candidates to replace Cameron at central defender.

Beckerman and Wondolowski play for Major League Soccer teams whose seasons are over, and the nature of their injuries was not clear. Klinsmann went to Colorado on Sunday to personally watch Jermaine Jones and selected the 35-year-old Rapids midfielder, who was sidelined from July 4 until Oct. 23 because of a knee injury.

Twenty-six players will be at a training camp ahead of Friday’s game against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, the Americans’ opener in the 10-match final round of qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region. Among them is 18-year-old defender Cameron-Carter Vickers, who could make his U.S. debut. He played his first game for Tottenham in the League Cup on Sept. 21.

Also on the roster are 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic; 20-year-old Sunderland midfielder Lynden Gooch, who made his national team debut in an exhibition against New Zealand last month; a 21-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder Julian Green, who has been limited to just two club appearances this season, both in the German Cup.

MLS PlayoffsToronto FC 5, NYCFC 0

New York — Sebastian Giovinco had the fourth hat trick in MLS playoff history and Toronto FC routed New York City FC to reach the Eastern Conference finals.

With a 7-0 aggregate victory, Toronto set an MLS record for the largest margin of victory in a two-legged series since the league started using the playoff format in 2003.

Impact 2, Red Bulls 1

Harrison, n.j. — Ignacio Piatti scored his second goal of the game in the 85th minute and Montreal beat New York to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time.

Montreal won the two-game, total-goals series 3-1 after taking the opener 1-0 at home last week.

Piatti opened the scoring in the 51st minute, powering a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Luis Robles. Eight minutes after New York tied it, Piatti iced it with his right foot.

Rapids 1, Galaxy 0

Commerce City, Colo. — Tim Howard made two saves in the penalty shootout and Colorado beat Los Angeles, 3-1 on penalties, following a 1-0 match victory to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Colorado tied the two-game, total-goals series, 1-1, and forced the tiebreaker. Los Angeles won, 1-0, at home last Sunday.

Colorado reached its first conference finals since winning the MLS Cup in 2010.

Shkelzen Gashi scored in the 36th minute.

In the shootout, Steven Gerrard put Los Angeles in front, but the Galaxy missed their next three attempts. Dos Santos sent it over the crossbar, Howard denied Ashley Cole after a slow approach and Howard sealed it by diving to his right to block Jeff Larentowicz’s roller. Kevin Doyle, Sebastien Le Toux and Marco Pappa converted PKs for Colorado.