Injury setback for Edu

2016 has not been kind to Maurice Edu. The central defensive midfielder/center back was injured late last year with stress fractures in his tibia. It has not been an easy road back. Tibial stress fractures are an insidious injury – the path back is slow and aggravating the injury sets the entire process back to the beginning.

Edu endured the laborious process, taking things slow and not playing in a competitive match until September with Bethlehem Steel FC. He followed the program and finally seemed poised to make his return to the starting lineup, however in a cruel twist of fate he injured himself at the open practice on Saturday. While the extent of the injury isn’t immediately known, it was serious enough that he was reportedly helped from the field by trainers.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the Philadelphia Union, who are a 12 goal differential from making the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Getting Edu back would have been a massive lift for the club, and it was believed that he’s be in the starting lineup against the New York Red Bulls today. That all seems to have evaporated due to this development.

It’s a real shame that this happened to Edu. I’ve spoken to him a couple times this season, and you could tell he was eager to get back into the lineup. Edu’s contract reportedly runs through 2017, so he’ll most likely have the opportunity to rehab this latest injury and try to make another comeback for the Union.