ASN Injury Report
Stuart Holden Is Back in Rehab; MLS Back in Action
Everybody's favorite opposite suffered yet another setback, while the beginning of the 2014 Major League Soccer season brings with it new additions to our weekly ASN Injury Report.
BY
Nick Kariuki
Posted
March 07, 2014
1:28 PM
After undergoing a scan on Tuesday, Bolton Wanderers reported that Stuart Holden is being assessed for “resurfacing” of his right knee injury. The midfielder will soon return to the U.S. for further assessment from his surgeon. Holden started in the U-21 team’s 3-2 loss to Everton’s U-21s on Monday and began promisingly, setting up teammate Zach Clough with a scoring chance that was tipped wide. Minutes later he clutched his knee after making a sweeping pass. He left the field, came back on, and then went down clutching his knee again after reaching for a loose ball. Encouragingly, he was able to get up and jog off the field unassisted when he was substituted at the 27-minute-mark. No stranger to setbacks, Holden posted this on his Twitter feed:
Eric Lichaj’s return to the Nottingham Forest starting XI was also cut short when he had to be subbed off minutes before halftime in the team’s 4-1 loss to Wigan Athletic on Saturday. The club reported that Lichaj has re-aggravated his groin injury and will be out for up to a month. He may also require hernia surgery to treat the problem.
Talking with Rbnett on Tuesday, Josh Gatt said there is a "realistic" chance that he will be ready for Molde’s season opener on March 30. Out since June with a damaged cruciate ligament, Gatt has increased his training regimen in recent weeks and he should return to full training soon.
CJ Sapong picked up a leg contusion in Sporting KCs’ preseason match against Fluminsese’s U-23 squad and as a result missed the side’s last two preseason games. Kansascity.com reported on Tuesday that Sapong will be fit for Saturday's season opener.
Despite playing in the Seattle Sounders’ final two Carolina Cup games, DeAndre Yedlin was not involved in Monday’s light training session. Yedlin played 46 minutes against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday and 78 minutes against D.C. United on Saturday. Head Coach Sigi Schmid told MLSsoccer.com that he expects the young defender to be fit for Saturday’s season opener against Sporting KC.
D.C. United played without Bill Hamid and Eddie Johnson in its final preseason tilt—mostly as a precautionary measure. Head coach Ben Olsen told the Washington Post that Hamid’s ankle and Johnson’s hamstring should be healed and ready for the season opener against the Columbus Crew. Chris Pontius, however, is still a few weeks away from shaking off his hamstring injury.
Shane O’Neill was back in action for the Colorado Rapids after suffering a hamstring strain. The defender was subbed on five minutes into the second half in the Rapids' 2-2 draw against the New England Revolution in the Desert Diamond Cup.
Both Andrew Farrell and Lee Nguyen have been ruled out for the New England Revolution’s season opener against Houston. According tothe club, Farrell has a left tibial stress reaction and Nguyen has a right groin strain.
Montreal Impact defender Heath Pearce featured in the Impact’s final two preseason games, clocking 45 minutes in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Sporting KC and the final 14 minutes of the penalty shootout loss to the Philadelphia Union. Impact sporting director Nick De Santis said this in a club release: “Heath is highly motivated to get back to the level that saw him on the national team at one point in his career."
Sheanon Williams is questionable for the Philadelphia Union’s season opener after straining his quad in last Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Toronto FC. Union head coach John Hackworth described Williams’ absence from training on Tuesday as “precautionary,” telling MLSsoccer.com that they’ll know more about his availability soon.
Nick Kariuki writes his ASN Injury Report every week. Follow him on Twitter.
