U.S. Striker Wynalda Faces Surgery and Six-Week Layoff

Eric Wynalda, who sat out the United States’ 1-1 tie against El Salvador in a World Cup ’98 qualifying game Sunday, will undergo surgery today to correct a chronic groin injury.

The U.S. national soccer team’s all-time leading scorer will be sidelined six to eight weeks after the procedure at University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester and could miss the U.S. team’s next game, against Costa Rica in Portland on Sept. 7.

Wynalda underwent 3 1/2 days of intensive therapy in Miami last week in an effort to get ready for the El Salvador game after aggravating the injury in a 2-1 victory over Israel on June 17.

The striker, 28, said Friday he was reluctant to undergo surgery because of the long layoff it would entail. He will miss the July 9 Major League Soccer All-Star game at Giants Stadium and at least 10 games for the San Jose Clash.