Stuart Holden sustained torn ACL in Gold Cup final
U.S. national team midfielder Stuart Holden will miss the remainder of World Cup qualifying and could miss next summer’s tournament in Brazil after being diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee following an MRI evaluation Monday in Chicago.
Holden will consult with the medical teams of U.S. Soccer and Bolton Wanderers, his club team, to formulate a treatment plan.
Holden sustained the injury in the 18th minute of the USA’s 1-0 win against Panama in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup final Sunday. Holden, who has been slowed by a series of injuries the last two year, returned to the national team when he entered as a substitute on May 29 against Belgium.
“We are absolutely devastated for Stuart,” U.S. Coach Juergen Klinsmann said. “He is such a great part of our team on the field and the locker room. He worked tremendously hard to recover from previous injuries and had really come back into form.
“He was fully prepared to head back to Bolton and challenge for a starting spot. Now he will have our full support as he goes down this road again, and we will be with him every step of the way.”
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