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          Sporting Kansas City's Jimmy Medranda out for season after surgery

          • Reuters
          Aug 15, 2018, 07:27 PM

          Sporting Kansas City defender Jimmy Medranda will miss the rest of the 2018 season following a second knee surgery, the team announced Wednesday.

          Medranda had exploratory surgery Friday that revealed a cartilage defect in his knee, requiring further surgery to repair the injury. The team expects him to miss eight months, putting his availability in doubt for the start of the 2019 season.

          "He's an important guy, but we kind of knew we might be going in this direction -- because he was struggling a little bit," Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes told the Kansas City Star. "It's tough, but the main focus now is just getting him healthy."

          The 24-year-old appeared in 12 games this season, starting eight in a row from late March through late May. He tallied two goals -- including one nominated for MLS goal of the week -- and an assist.

          Medranda has five goals and four assists in 86 games (62 starts) across six MLS seasons, all with Sporting KC. He is under contract through 2019, with a player option for 2020.