Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos dropped from Mexico roster due to muscle strain

Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos has been dropped from the Mexican roster for Saturday’s CONCACAF Cup playoff game at the Rose Bowl after a muscle strain.

Mexico will be playing the U.S. in the soldout game with the winner earning the region’s berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup, an important tune-up event for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Dos Santos scored a memorable goal in Mexico’s 4-2 win in the 2011 Gold Cup final, the last time the U.S. and Mexico met at the Rose Bowl. But after playing 87 minutes in the Galaxy’s 1-1 draw on the artificial turf in Seattle, Dos Santos woke Monday with a strain.

He will remain with the Major League Soccer club to rehab the injury for the next two weeks.

“The situation with Gio is he left the game with a muscle problem and he can’t be with us,” Mexico Coach Ricardo Ferretti said Monday.

Ferretti did not immediately announce a replacement.