Atlanta United’s injury woes continue.
Brooks Lennon sustained a knee injury minutes before Atlanta United’s match against Toronto FC at BMO Field. The player was carried off the field by a teammate and trainer during warmups, forcing head coach Gonzalo Pineda to alter the starting 11 and replace Lennon with Aiden McFadden.
“He left the outside of the field one play in the warmup and injured his knee. We don’t know to what extent but that’s what happened. His left knee,” said Pineda after the match.
Pineda also admitted there won’t be a complete diagnosis or prognosis until the team returns to Atlanta, where specialized tests can be done on the player.
Lennon’s potential absence could be detrimental for the team, as they currently stand without first choice left back Andrew Gutman, center back Miles Robinson, goalkeeper Brad Guzan, defensive midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and fullback Ronald Hernandez. The majority of the team’s backline sustained long-term injuries and will remain out for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.
Gonzalo Pineda has recently brought in former Chivas goalkeeper Raúl Gudiño and Tigres defender Juan José Purata as reinforcements to battle the team’s injury crisis. The team also recently acquired an international roster slot from Nashville SC as Pineda revealed more signings could be on their way.
With an inconsistent roster, the team has managed 10th place on the Eastern Conference table and a record of 5W-6L-4D. The team returns to action on Thursday against the New York Red Bulls as they manage to salvage the season and break into the top seven for a playoff spot.
