The US beat Brazil last night in a meaningless pre-Olympics friendly, 1-0. Brazil was again without Marta, Christiane and Daniela so it wasn't their A team. Natasha Kai scored late to win for the US.
The disaster? US striker Abby Wambach broke her leg. She went barreling into a Brazil defender -- probably steamed as Brazil had been fouling her all game -- and broke both the tibia and the fibula in her left leg. Amazingly, she maintained her composure and even gave the thumbs-up to the crowd as she was taken off the field on a gurney with her leg in an aircast. That is one tough woman. She is having surgery today to have a titanium rod placed in her leg. Ouch.
I didn't see the game as I had a class. Coach Mom reports that Brazil played dirty (as they always do) and the referee let way too much go. The team did not play well. Boxxy looked slow and couldn't connect her passes. The announcer Lori Walker is annoying and never stops talking. In general FoxSoccer's coverage was rather amateurish. All in all, a bad day at Black Rock for the USWNT.
The xinhua news says it best:
The heart, soul and leading scorer of a young U.S. Women's National Soccer Team will not play in the 2008 Olympic Games.
Your heart has to go out to Abby, who lives and dies for soccer and will miss one of the big tournaments where she was expected to lead the team. Get well soon, Wombat.
Boltgirl on the Loose: Oh, Sad. Sad!
NYTimes: Wambach Breaks Leg in Exhibition
WaPo: Wambach to Miss Olympics
xinhuanet.com: Double-leg fracture means no Olympics for Wambach
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Wambach will be on crutches for about two weeks and then is expected to face 12 weeks of rehabilitation for what Dr. John Gorczyca, an orthopedic surgeon at Strong Memorial Hospital who is familiar with such injuries, said could be a “career-altering injury.”
“Will she ever be as good as she has been? Perhaps. … It may be that this changes her career,” he said this morning. “Most people with a fracture like hers make a complete recovery. The fact that it’s (the fracture is) midshaft is good. If it’s closer to the knee or ankle we need to be a little more cautious. That’s a favorable prognosis for her to be able to get back to playing soccer more quickly.”
He said about 80 percent of these types of fractures heal in three months, but “the problem is they continue to hurt for more than a year and oftentimes for more than two years, especially with running and jumping and kicking activities, which is what she does.
“How bad will it hurt her? We don’t know. What’s her tolerance for pain? Probably great.”
But Gorczyca added, “I’m a fan of hers. She’s a great thing for Rochester soccer and U.S. soccer.”
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4 comments:
Only two weeks on crutches! Sounds like they're using European fracture medicine, not the rigid casting we get here. I spent six weeks on crutches, though against that my injury was more complicated than a mid-shin break. On the other hand, I didn't need surgery.
I told the doctors and the PTs that I wanted 100% back. They just smiled at me, but I did get close, losing only a little flexibility in the affected knee. Of course, I'm not a world class athlete, so that challenge was undoubtedly easier.
Still, it was a year before everything felt right, and I still get twinges from the ankle.
Not good...
She will get THE best treatment. Plus she's 28 and one of the most indominitible people you can imagine.
It will be a tough recovery, though.
Her age (lack of) will help a lot. I still claim to remember my twenties.
Mine are gone in the haze!
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