Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake still out of action due to hand injury
Blake still hasn't fully recovered from the hand injury he suffered while playing for Jamaica at the CONCACAF Gold Cup final last month.
Union goalkeeper Andre Blake still hasn't fully recovered from the hand injury he suffered while playing for Jamaica at the CONCACAF Gold Cup final last month, and he admitted Wednesday that he isn't sure when he'll be back on the field.
Blake suffered a gash on his right hand in a collision with U.S. midfielder Kellyn Acosta, after diving to make a double save on Acosta and Jozy Altidore. The wound took him out of the game and required seven stitches.
The stitches haven't been removed. Blake said that they "should be out soon," and that he'll see doctors again "in a few days to get a better assessment."
Of course, sitting on the sideline has not been easy — even though backup goalkeeper John McCarthy has performed admirably during Blake's absence. But Blake has tried his best to keep up his perennially optimistic demeanor.
"I've gotten over it — it makes no sense to stress over something you can't control," he said. "It happened for a reason. I might not know why right now, but I'm just taking it for whatever it is. I'm hurt; I can't play, I wish I could, but I'm not going to feel bad about it, because there's nothing much more that I could have done."
And when he is cleared, Blake said he doesn't anticipate needing too much time to get reacclimated to being on the field.
"Goalkeeping is a lot mental," he said. "Right now, I'm staying fit, so to speak, so I think once I'm healthy and I can play again, I'll be good to go."