A second Wellington Phoenix player suffered a knee injury that ended his season.
beginning with the centre back After rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in her knee while playing for the Football Ferns on international duty, Marisa van der Meer will miss the balance of the A-League Women’s season.
Midfielder Grace Wisnewski will miss the remainder of the season due to the same injury.
Van der Meer’s prospective debut for the Football Ferns was cut short after she injured her knee in the warm-up before the team’s 0-0 draw with Colombia in Bogotá on Sunday (NZT).
After Macey Fraser, a teammate from Phoenix, was ruled out due to illness, Van der Meer was a late addition to the Football Ferns roster.
After midfielder Chloe Knott’s departure from the team was announced last week, the critical injury is yet another major blow for the Phoenix, who are having their finest season yet.
Playing every minute of the season, Van der Meer and her centre back partner Mackenzie Barry have led a defence that has allowed just five goals, which is tied for fewest in the A-League Women.
The 21-year-old will need up to 12 months for rehabilitation and was already ruled out of the Football Ferns’ second game against Colombia on Wednesday.
After the season’s first six rounds, she is the sixth player in the A-League Women to sustain an ACL injury.
Marisa is devastated, according to Phoenix coach Paul Temple. The player, how heartbreaking it must be for her, and how sad she must be are the first things that come to mind when you hear that kind of news.
“Marisa truly deserved this Ferns call-up because she’s been so good this season.” It is heartbreaking that it occurred at that time when she was out of the country and away from her friends and family.
After making a tackle during the first twenty seconds of the Phoenix’s round three victory over Brisbane Roar, Wisnewski sustained her ACL injury.
