U.S. team adds New York Red Bulls' Sacha Kljestan for injured John Brooks

U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann has added New York Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan to the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers to replace injured defender John Brooks.

The U.S. team faces St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sept. 2 and Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 6.

Brooks will not join the team in camp after suffering from back issues, U.S. Soccer said on Monday.

Kljestan has earned 46 caps and scored four goals since making his national team debut in 2007.

NEWS: @j_klinsmann has called @SachaKljestan into #USMNT #WCQ camp: https://t.co/TkuPCBxfKy pic.twitter.com/S9PfNqwgZA

- U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) August 29, 2016

He last played for the U.S. in a 2-0 friendly loss to Ukraine on March 5, 2014 in Lanarca, Cyprus.

Kljestan has scored five goals to go along with his MLS-leading 15 assists in 26 matches for the Red Bulls this season.

The U.S. currently lies in second place in Group C with seven points, three points behind T&T but just one point ahead of Guatemala. A win against the Vincy Heat, combined with a T&T win against Guatemala, would see the U.S. clinch a spot in the final hexagonal round, due to begin in November.

Given the edge that the U.S. has over Guatemala in goal difference -- currently, plus-six -- a win in St. Vincent combined with a draw between T&T and Guatemala would all but guarantee that the U.S. would advance.

Should Guatemala prevail over T&T, determining who will advance will come down to the final day.