Pachuca midfielder Victor Guzman will once again be forced to wait for his first Mexico cap.
After being called in by Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio for Wednesday's friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guzman was removed from the roster Sunday after suffering an injury, the Mexican federation announced.
Guzman was involved in a clash of knees with Tigres midfielder Rafael Carioca in Tigres' 3-2 victory over Tuzos on Saturday. Despite leaving the match at the hour mark, Guzman said in a Pachuca social media post after the match that he hoped to still be able to accept the call from the national team.
SIGN UP to watch select UEFA Champions League matches on DAZN
Instead, the uncapped 22-year-old has been replaced on the roster by Monterrey midfielder Jesus Molina and is awaiting tests to determine the severity of the left-knee injury.
"Yesterday in the Jornada 4 match between Tigres and Pachuca, Guzman left the match in the 60th minute because of injury, possibly to his meniscus," read a federation news release. "Tomorrow the pertinent studies will be carried out and, in coordination with the national team's medical department, it was determined that the player won't join the Tricolor and will recover from his injury with his club.
"In his place, the coaching staff decided to select Jesus Molina of Club Monterrey."
Osorio mentioned Guzman by name in December as a player who has shown improvement and had a chance to push his way into the picture for the 2018 World Cup squad, despite not being a part of qualification or the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Molina has nearly 30 Mexico caps but has seen his potential for inclusion in the Mexico side shrink with the emergence of Jonathan Gonzalez. The 18-year-old Gonzalez has taken Molina's starting role at Monterrey and also was called in to face Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Players are gathering Sunday in Mexico City before flying to San Antonio on Monday to prepare for Wednesday's match. The contest falls outside a FIFA window, so Osorio's squad is made up entirely of players on Liga MX or MLS teams.
