The Norwegian website "toppserien.com" is reporting that Unni Lehn suffered a knee injury this past week training with her former club team Trondheims-Ørn. Unni is tentatively scheduled to have surgery this Monday by National Team doctor Ove Austgulen, but first Unni needs to talk to some of the Courage team officials and let them know what happened and see how they feel about her having the surgery right away. This is really sad news for all Courage fans, but at least her prognosis seems to be fairly good. It sounds like Unni suffered a slight meniscus tear and if the operation is successful she could be back playing again within 2-4 weeks. I hope everything goes well for Unni with the surgery and that we see her back in the starting lineup for the Courage on opening day.
I was worried about this This is the sort of thing I was worried about when Europe-based WUSA players went out on loan during the off-season. While I'm glad to hear that Unni probably won't miss more than two to four weeks, it sucks that she got injured at all. As a Courage fan, I'm upset that she got hurt playing for a different team while she's under contract for mine, but I realize that this is how things are done in the world of soccer. It's not really that much different than if she had gotten hurt on NT duty, I guess.
Re: I was worried about this In Unni's case she didn't actually go back to Trondheims-Ørn on loan. This was just a special arrangement made so that Unni could train with her former club to stay in shape during the off-season. Dagny Mellgren has also been training with her former club Arna-Bjørnar and had a minor foot injury that kept her out of action for a few weeks. Didn't former Duke player, Kristy Whelchel, suffer an ACL injury while playing in a pick-up game at a park in Manhattan?
I see what you're saying I don't know the circumstances surrounding Whelchel's injury, but I think I see your point. Injuries can happen anywhere, at any time. In a strange way, it's almost kinda better to me that Unni wasn't playing for Trondheim this winter, but just training. I guess if a player is going to get injured playing the game, I'd rather they get hurt playing for the team that pays their wages. Does that make any amount of sense? Probably not. I'll shut up now. The USWNT game is about to start anyway.
Re: I see what you're saying I agree with you and I guess wrt the situation with Birgit Prinz playing so much for FFC. Frankfurt, we will have to hold our breath and hope that she makes it to the Courage's camp injury free. Now let's hope the basketball game doesn't go into double overtime.
Lehn Has Successful Knee Surgery It was great to read today that Unni's arthroscopic knee surgery went well and that she could be back playing within a few weeks: Lehn Has Successful Knee Surgery
Unni Named to Norway's Algarve Cup Roster Yesterday the coach of the Norwegian National Team included Unni Lehn along with Hege Riise in Norway's Algarve Cup squad. Unni expects to be fit and ready to start for the Courage in time for the WUSA home opener vs. the Freedom. Unni also said yesterday that she really appreciated the supportive mail she received from Courage fans who were concerned about her after they heard about her injury.