AMSTERDAM – Molde FK will open their Tippeligaen season on Friday night without wing ace Josh Gatt, who is back in the United States for another exam on his troublesome left knee.
The 22-year-old US international was injured in training late last week, leaving the club to fear a re-occurrence of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear from last June just as the speedster had regained full fitness. The two-time Norwgeian champs have been reluctant to comment on the matter, in part because they are still awaiting the full prognosis along with everyone else.
"He went home to the US," Molde medical staff coordinator Lars Håvard Sæbø told MLSsoccer.com on Friday. " He will probably have a check-up with Dr. [Robert] LaPrade at the Steadman Clinic in about a week."
Manager Tor Ole Skullerud is crossing his fingers tightly for encouraging news, but is worried enough to admit to local daily Romsdals Budstikke that he may look for attack reinforcements before the Norway's winter transfer window shuts on Monday.
"I cannot anticipate anything about the medical," Skullerud told the newspaper on Tuesday. "But it of course would be tough for Josh to start all over again. This is also a hard blow for the team."
Molde, who slipped to a sixth-place finish while Gatt missed the final 16 matches of the 2013 season, start anew by hosting Vålerenga on Friday. They are set to visit Bob Bradley's Stabæk for Tippeligaen Round 3 on April 13.
