Ronald Matarrita suffered a hamstring injury. (Photo courtesy of MLS)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
BRONX — If there is a New York City FC player with a dark cloud following him around, its defender Ronald Matarrita.
Only six minutes after coming on for goal-scoring hero Ismael Tajouri in City’s 2-0 home win over Orlando City FC, an upset Matarrita was limping off the field with a hamstring injury in the 72nd minute. Tommy McNamara replaced Matarrita.
It was not known if the Costa Rican will be sidelined, but he was visibly upset about his latest injury.
“I feel sorry for him because he’s been working really hard to try to come back to his best,” Vieira added. “He’s been working really well in training the last couple of weeks. He just felt his hamstring.”
Vieira said he did not know the severity of the injury.
“It’s too early,” Vieira said. “We have to wait a couple of days.”
Matarrita is scheduled to join the Costa Rican national team for two friendlies next week.
Last year Matarrita suffered a broken fifth metatarsal of his right foot that sidelined him for several montbs.
NYCFC started the match without last week’s goal-scorers from the 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy — captain David Villa and Anton Tinnerholm.
Villa was out with a calf injury after he was kicked in the calf and Tinnerholm was still recuperating with an ankle injury that was accrued on a yellow-card challenge by LA’s Jonathan dos Santos.
Both players failed a late fitness test before Saturday’s game. They both were listed at day-to-day.
Vieira called Tinnerholm’s injury a “really bad challenge on his ankle and it was a little bit too early for him to come back,” adding that Villa was kicked in his calf in the LA match. “It was too risky to play him today,” he said.
Villa did not train with the team last week.