Atlanta United fans were smacked in the face Thursday afternoon with the startling news that midfielder Emerson Hyndman tore the ACL in his right knee while the team has been training during the international break.
While Hyndman has been on the wrong end of criticism since his signing for reasons more due to the salary budget than his play on the field, the Texas native quietly had become a key fixture in manager Gabriel Heinze’s squad. With Hyndman’s season now finished, he played in all but nine possible minutes for Atlanta United through the first seven games in league play.