Skip to content
Union
Link copied to clipboard

Union's Jay Simpson day to day; Ilsinho (hamstring) may return

It does not appear that Union striker Jay Simpson will play Saturday at Orlando City, but coach Jim Curtin has not ruled him out, listing him as day to day.

It does not appear that Union striker Jay Simpson will play Saturday at Orlando City, but coach Jim Curtin has not ruled him out, listing him as day to day.

Simpson was hurt last Saturday after scoring a goal in the ninth minute of a 2-2 draw with visiting Toronto.

He stayed in the game for a while but left in the 27th minute and was replaced by C.J. Sapong, who scored the Union's second goal.

"Jay is recovering well and he took a pretty serious crack to the rib area," Curtin said Thursday in a conference call with reporters. "It was a bruised lung, not a punctured lung."

Curtin said that after the adrenaline of scoring the goal wore off, Simpson was having trouble breathing and was replaced by Sapong. "It will be close for the weekend, and it won't be long-term but kind of a day-to-day situation," the coach said.

Still, Curtin added that Simpson was out with his children playing in the snow and felt the injury. The Union coach said the striker would not return until he is 100 percent. That is why Sapong should get the start.

In other injury news, midfielder Ilsinho, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, will be available.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard