BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- For Patrick Nyarko, Saturday’s match at D.C. United should have been a celebratory occasion.
After a summer off the pitch dealing with a knee sprain, the Ghanaian had worked his way back to form over the previous month and a half. Returning close to his collegiate home at Virginia Tech Saturday, he was excited about the prospect of celebrating his 200th competitive appearance with his second family nearby.
Coming on just after the hour, it took only five minutes for Nyarko to make his mark, using the outside of his right foot to slot a beautiful through ball to Harry Shipp who beat Bill Hamid to take the score to 2-1 in the 67th minute. His helper could only add to the occasion as it moved Nyarko into a tie for fourth with Justin Mapp on the club’s all-time MLS assist list at 35.
Carrying momentum the Fire pushed for an equalizer when a seemingly harmless play tunred a good night into a nightmare.
In the 81st minute Fire captain Jeff Larentowicz heaped a ball forward from the backline that Nyarko successfully took down with his right foot extended. Looking away as he went to plant, Nyarko’s knee bent awkwardly before giving out,, leaving the 28-year-old attacker in excruciating pain on the RFK Stadium pitch.
“I took a good touch but as soon as I planted and tried to get to the ball I heard a pop in my knee. There and then I knew it was bad,” Nyarko told Chicago-Fire.com following the announcement of his diagnosis Wednesday.
That pop accounted for a torn right ACL and sprained MCL. Recovery time: six-to-eight months.
“I felt actually in that little spell he was on [we saw] Patrick of old,” said Fire head coach Frank Yallop. “He’s over his other injury, gives a great ball for Harry and starting to dribble guys. He looked like he was back to his best.”
“I feel for the kid, he just comes back and gets an even worse injury.”
Nyarko couldn’t help but hide the frustration in the injury after beginning to round back into form following his summer layoff.
“It’s really frustrating. The most important thing is looking forward and I try to stay positive most of the time though it’s not the easiest. Being out for the summer was frustrating enough and this looks like it’s going to be a little longer.
Despite the disappointment, Nyarko prefers to maintain a positive attitude as he prepares for surgery and enters a long-term recovery
“I have a great support team around me that’s going to carry me through. Everyone in the locker room is positive and encouraging. That’s what’s keeping me going. What’s happened has happened. I’m excited about the road back and working as hard as I can to get back stronger than I was.
“It’s going to be a long recovery but I’ve always prided myself in recovering earlier than normal from injuries. I’m hoping for that and I’m going to work as hard as I can to get back quicker.”
While 2014 hasn’t been a good year healthwise for Nyarko, the idea that he’s been fragile in the past just isn’t true. Prior to this season and excluding 2008 when he joined the team late as he finished his academic career at Virginia Tech, the Ghanaian attacker had never played in less than 27 regular season matches over five seasons.
Between 2011-2013, Nyarko was in the top four league wide for fouls suffered. In 2012 he was the most fouled player in MLS.
“Bad injuries happen I’ve been lucky enough to not have bad in juries in my career so far and I guess it finally caught up to me. I’m looking forward to working to get back.
Prior to the injury Nyarko had said he and the club were working towards a new deal heading into 2015. With the layoff in tow, Yallop was asked Wednesday if Nyarko’s injury would change anything in their contract negotiations.
“We’ll figure it out in the next week or so and see where it takes us. He’s been a good servant to this club and we won’t chuck him on the scrap heap, that’s for sure.”
