The US Men's National Team arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica Monday for the first of two final round qualifying games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Wednesday night.
The US, who lead their hexagonal CONCACAF group at 2-1-0 with seven points, faces second place Costa Rica (2-0-1, six points), then returns to the States for a game Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago against third-place Honduras (1-1-1, four points).
The top three teams at the end of the final round of play automatically advance to the World Cup field while the fourth place team plays a fifth place South American team in a two-game series for a berth.
USMNT head coach Bob Bradley said Monday defender Frankie Hejduk of the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer will not play Wednesday due to a groin injury. His status for Saturday's game is unknown at this time.
Bradley said Jonathan Spector, who plays for West Ham in England, or Marvell Wynne of MLS' Toronto FC will fill his spot on the field.
Also, Jozy Altidore is set to return to the pitch after having toe surgery in April. In the team's last qualifying game against Trinidad & Tobago, he had a hat trick in the victory.
Midfielder Maurice Edu, who plays for the Glasgow Rangers, also did not make the trip due to a knee injury suffered in the last regular season game for Glasgow.
After playing against Costa Rica and Honduras to end the first five games of the last qualifying phase, the US team will get a World Cup warm-up in the host country of South Africa when they play in the Confederations Cup June 15 against Italy, June 18 versus Brazil and June 21 against Egypt in pool play.
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