AMSTERDAM – Sheffield Wednesday expect defender Oguchi Onyewu to miss two or three more weeks of action with a calf strain, putting his status for the US national team’s friendly against Ukraine early next month in question.

The US center back, who is aiming to get back in the squad before the World Cup this summer, sat out the team’s victory at Reading over the weekend. Prior to suffering the injury on Feb. 1 in a 1-0 win against fellow USMNT hopeful Brek Shea and Barnsley, Onyewu made an encouraging start to his time at Wednesday with solid showings in four straight matches.

"He's got a calf strain, which is basically a small tear," Owls press officer Trevor Braithwait told MLSsoccer.com. "He could be back in training as early as next week, but he won't be available for selection for a few weeks, at least a fortnight."

Sheffield Wednesday will host Wigan on Tuesday. Onyewu's absence during a busy part of the schedule means he could miss another four to six matches, with a return likely to come no sooner than a visit from former employers Queens Park Rangers on Feb. 25.

The USMNT will play Ukraine in Kharkiv on March 5, and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said earlier this month that he and his staff are monitoring Onyewu’s time at Wednesday with eyes toward possibly working the veteran defender back into the conversation for Brazil. Onyewu appeared in two matches last year – both in the Gold Cup – but has not suited up for the Americans since July.