Folarin Balogun's spot on Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squad at risk after 'painful' shoulder injury with Monaco

Balogun's game ended early on Saturday when the striker exited the contest in the second half with an apparent shoulder injury. He was pictured with his arm in a sling after the game.

The setback comes after a strong run of form for the USMNT striker in which he had found the net in three straight Ligue 1 games - while also offering key contributions in the Champions League.

In a postgame press conference, Monaco manager Adi Hutter said Balogun may be facing a spell on the sidelines: "He has injured his shoulder and it was very painful. We will await the verdict of the tests."

Balogun's injury would seem to shake up the USMNT picture for the upcoming window. It could present opportunities for either Josh Sargent or Ricardo Pepi to get a look at the wide-open central striking role for Pochettino.

The extent of the forward's injury remains unclear. For Pochettino and the USMNT, though, the issues are mounting. Gio Reyna has suffered a setback in a muscle problem, while Tyler Adams will also miss the upcoming fixtures with Panama and Mexico.