The Gold Cup striker will be out for up to six weeks with a knee problem.
Herculez Gomez has revealed that he will be out of action for four to six weeks due to a knee injury.
This means that the Tijuana striker will miss the USMNT’s September World Cup Qualifying matches against Costa Rica and Mexico.
“It’s nothing serious,” Gomez told MLSsoccer.com by phone on Saturday from Tijuana. “I had a little bit of a knee issue and I just needed to get it cleaned out.”
The timing for Gomez is desperately unfortunate. He found himself in national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s favour earlier in the year being selected for the USA’s 2013 Gold Cup-winning squad, featuring in two of their six matches.
At a time when the USA are spoiled for choice for talented attackers, Gomez will be put at a sizeable disadvantage having to work his way back into the team when he returns to fitness.
“I don’t want to rule myself out of anything, but I want to be smart about this and come back 100 per cent,” said Gomez.
Gomez had an excellent 2012 season with his former club Santos Laguna, winning the Mexican Primera Division Clausura, and finishing as one of the league’s top scorers in the Apertura.
His excellent form led to a move to Santos’ Liga MX rivals Tijuana. Injury has prevented Gomez for making an appearance for his new team so far this season, with the club struggling at mid-table of the Clausura after finishing second in the Apertura.