Paperwork denies Johnson USA debut
Reuters - Monday 29 August 2011, 23:28
MIAMI - German-born midfielder Fabian
Johnson will not be able to make his debut for the United
States in September friendlies against Costa Rica and Belgium
as he has yet to receive clearance from FIFA.
Johnson, who represented Germany at the youth and Under-21
level, was called up for the games but a spokesman for U.S.
Soccer said on Monday he would not play since the procedure for
his one-time switch of allegiance was not complete.
The 23-year-old midfielder for Hoffenheim, who has joint
German-U.S. citizenship, will still travel to train with his
new national team and their German coach Jurgen Klinsmann
ahead of games against Costa Rica in Carson, California on
September 2 and Belgium in Brussels four days later.
Klinsmann, who replaced Bob Bradley as U.S. coach last
month, will be without Fulham forward Clint Dempsey for the
Costa Rica game as he deals with a back injury.
Dempsey should be fit to join the squad in Brussels for the
second game but Klinsmann will be without defenders Zach Loyd
and Heath Pearce who have both pulled out with injury.
Jonathan Spector, who plays for Birmingham City in the
English second tier Championship, has been called in along with
uncapped D.C. United midfielder Chris Pontius.