After a breakthrough start to his season, Sounders forward David Estrada will be out eight to 12 weeks after suffering a broken bone in his left foot during practice Tuesday.
Estrada, the only player who has played in all 17 competitions and leads the Sounders with five goals in MLS play, will undergo surgery Thursday.
“Obviously, it’s not good news,” said Sounders coach Sigi Schmid. Hopefully, everything will go well with the surgery and hell be back sooner rather than later. Hes had great impact on us this year because weve been able to play him at different positions. He always gives you that tremendous work rate when hes on the field, and were certainly going to miss that until he gets back. Weve got our fingers crossed that hell be back sooner.
He just got clipped a little bit from behind in practice and as he went down he sort of rolled on it to the outside. He knew the feeling because hed had the injury before (a broken fifth metatarsal in the right foot, during college). He knew right away when he started to run on it. He goes, It didnt feel as bad as the other one did, but he could feel it.
Schmid did not immediately name a replacement in the starting lineup for the third-year player from UCLA, who had all the goals in a 3-1 win over Toronto March 17.
“It means more playing time for some other people.” Schmid said. “Different people have to step up.
The Sounders return to MLS play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Montreal.
