Galaxy’s Robbie Keane, Jaime Penedo called up for World Cup qualifiers

Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo and forward Robbie Keane, the team’s leading scorer, have been called up by their respective national teams for World Cup qualifiers next month.

Penedo, who joined the Galaxy this month after starring for Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, will rejoin the national team after Saturday’s MLS match with San Jose at the StubHub Center.

Penedo, who has 89 caps for Panama, has played in four of his country’s six matches in the final round of World Cup qualifying. Panama plays Jamaica on Sept. 6 before visiting Honduras four days later.

Panama, which has never qualified for the World Cup, is currently fifth in the six-team table. Only the top three earn automatic spots in Brazil.

Keane, whose 10 goals and nine assists are fourth-best in MLS in both departments, is captain of the Irish national team as well as the country’s all-time scoring leader with 59 goals in 127 caps. Ireland is currently tied for second with Austria and Sweden in Group C of the European qualifiers.

Ireland will play Sweden in Dublin on Sept. 6 before traveling to Austria on Sept. 10.

Keane is also scheduled to leave the Galaxy after Saturday’s match.

Forward Landon Donovan and defender Omar Gonzalez will learn this weekend whether they will join the U.S. national team for its next round of World Cup qualifiers at Costa Rica and against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio.

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