Columbus Crew Lose Eddie Gaven to Torn ACL
By Josh Sanchez
The Columbus Crew learned some devastating news in the past 24 hours when it came to light that veteran midfielder Eddie Gaven would be lost for the remainder of the season because of a torn ACL that he suffered late in Wednesday’s 2-1 U.S. Open Cup win over the Dayton Dutch Lions. Now that they know Gaven is gone for the season, their hopes at advancing in the US Open Cup will take a serious blow.
From the Columbus Dispatch report:
"The Crew’s pursuit of a U.S. Open Cup title has dealt a critical blow to its hopes for MLS success. Veteran midfielder Eddie Gaven has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2013 season, a source has confirmed to the Dispatch.He was carried to the locker room, where he was seen on crutches after the game but not made available to reporters. He underwent an MRI Thursday that revealed the damage. No other parts of the knee were damaged, and Gaven will undergo surgery within the next few weeks. He is expected to make a full recovery and be in action for preseason training."
It is pretty crazy to think that Gaven is just 26-years-old with 10-years of MLS experience.
Crew head coach Robert Warzycha touched on the loss of Gaven and gave us all some insight on what the team would be losing with the veteran sidelined.
“You can’t replace him,” Warzycha said. “Eddie Gaven does so many things. If you ask anybody on this club, they’re going to tell you that there’s only one Eddie Gaven. If that’s the case (and he’s out for an extended period), somebody is going to step in and for the time being is going to have to do the job.”
Columbus is expected to make an official announcement later today.