Stretched already razor-thin at fullback, the Red Bulls got more bad news with the loss of starter Chris Duvall. The young right back underwent successful surgery Thursday morning to repair a broken tibia, and is expected to miss three-to-four months.
“The main thing is that, right now, your heart is with Chris because it was a hard injury,” coach Jesse Marsch said. “It’s a devastating blow for him, and it’s his first real big injury of his career. But I think it’s been made clear to him that this is not anything that’s going to endanger his future, and it’s just a matter of now it’s going to take some time to heal, but that he’ll come back and be stronger than ever.”
Duvall suffered the injury in Wednesday night’s 4-1 rout of the Cosmos in U.S. Open Cup play.
He went into a 50-50 ball with Cosmos defender Hunter Gorskie, although Gorskie’s studs were more elevated. After the game, Marsch decried the play as one that was both red-card worthy and dangerous. Now the Red Bulls see exactly how dangerous it was.
“I thought it should’ve been a red card,’’ Marsch said. “I don’t know what the ref was looking at frankly. That’s the definition of endangering an opponent.’’
A second-round pick last year, Duvall started 18 games as a rookie and has made the position his this season. He’s appeared in all but one of the Red Bulls’ 16 MLS games, and scored his first professional goal in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over New York City FC.
The Red Bulls are already without left back Roy Miller and will be without left back Kemar Lawrence, both away on international duty for the Gold Cup, which starts next week. Lawrence should be available for this weekend’s game but is expected to leave July 11.
Connor Lade started Wednesday’s game at left back, and Anthony Wallace came on for Duvall as a sub. Shawn McLaws, who has been playing for the Red Bulls’ USL team is also an option.