U.S. Loses Gibbs for Cup
The U.S. World Cup team lost its second player in only three weeks Thursday when defender Cory Gibbs was ruled out of next month’s tournament because of a knee injury and replaced by veteran Gregg Berhalter.
Gibbs, 26, played the entire game in a 1-0 loss to Morocco at Nashville on Tuesday night, with no apparent ill effects. His right knee showed severe swelling Wednesday, however, and tests revealed unspecified damage that team officials Thursday said would take several weeks to heal.
Gibbs, along with Carlos Bocanegra and Chris Albright, was an option at left back if projected starter Eddie Lewis became unavailable. He was also an option in central defense. The June 9-July 9 tournament in Germany would have been his first World Cup.
“Naturally, we are very sorry for Cory,” U.S Coach Bruce Arena said. “I believe strongly in him as a player. We are going to miss him.”
Gibbs played for ADO Den Haag in the Dutch league last season, on loan from Feyenoord of Rotterdam, which had acquired him from FC Dallas of Major League Soccer in 2005. He is in the middle of a likely transfer to Charlton Athletic of the English Premier League if he can secure a work permit.
Gibbs has played 19 times for the U.S. His speed and athleticism were his strengths, although Berhalter is arguably better in the air defensively.
Berhalter, 32, was a starter at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan and has appeared in 44 matches for the national team.
As captain, he helped Energie Cottbus win promotion from the second division to the German Bundesliga’s top flight in the season that just ended. After a poor performance in a 4-1 loss to Germany in March, he was named one of seven alternates when Arena announced his 23-man World Cup roster May 2.
One day later, defender Frankie Hejduk was diagnosed with a torn knee ligament and replaced by the Galaxy’s Albright.
Berhalter will join the U.S. team for tonight’s World Cup tune-up match against Venezuela at Cleveland. The U.S. also plays Latvia on Sunday at East Hartford, Conn., then leaves for Germany on June 1.
Both matches are at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.
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U.S. schedule
The U.S. national soccer team’s schedule (all times Pacific):
* Today -- vs. Venezuela at Cleveland Browns Stadium, 4 p.m. (ESPN2).
* Sunday -- vs. Latvia at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn., 4 p.m., ESPN2
WORLD CUP IN GERMANY
* June 12 -- vs. Czech Republic at FIFA World Cup Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, 9 a.m., ESPN2, Channel 34
* June 17 -- vs. Italy at Fritz Walter Stadion, Kaiserslautern, 11:30 a.m., Channels 7, 34.
* June 22 -- vs. Ghana at Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, 7 a.m., ESPN, Channel 34.
