Union loses Edu to a fractured leg
The Union will be without midfielder Maurice Edu for at least three months of the Major League Soccer season because of a fracture in his left leg, coach Jim Curtin said Wednesday.
The Union will be without midfielder Maurice Edu for at least three months of the Major League Soccer season because of a fracture in his left leg, coach Jim Curtin said Wednesday.
Curtin said the team received the news a few days ago.
"In terms of finding a diagnosis, a lot of things don't always show up on MRIs or bone scans," Curtin said. "We finally got to the bottom of it when an X-ray revealed there is a fracture."
Edu had sports hernia surgery in October but had recovered from it. His leg injury kept him from working out in the preseason.
A center back last season, Edu is returning this season to the midfield.
Veteran Brian Carroll started in Edu's place for Sunday's 2-0 opening loss at F.C. Dallas.
Carroll "was one of the few guys on the weekend I felt had a positive performance, along with Andre," Curtin said, referring to keeper Andre Blake, who made several big saves. Carroll "was breaking up plays and doing a decent job."
It appears as if Carroll will be in the lineup again this week.
The 29-year-old Edu is in his third season with the Union. He has started 53 games in the first two years.
Midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta, who missed the opener with a knee injury, likely won't be ready for Saturday's game in Columbus against the Crew.
Barnetta didn't practice on Wednesday but was running on the side.
As for the opening game, Curtin didn't mince words when talking about the Union's performance. Even though FC Dallas is considered among the top MLS teams, Curtin said there was a lot lacking about the Union's performance.
"When you go down and lose a game, you want it to be with a fight and to be able to look in the mirror and say that was our best effort," Curtin said. "In the [big] moments in this game, we came up a little bit small. We were a little timid, which wasn't the group we saw in preseason. The players agreed."
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