A promising start to the 2006 season came to an abrupt end for Real Salt Lake midfielder Christian Jimenez. After injuring his right knee in training at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Wednesday, an MRI on Thursday revealed a torn right ACL
Jimenez, 19, has appeared in only one match with the senior squad this year, but he's dominated reserve games all season and was pushing for more playing time with the full squad.
Jimenez is the third RSL player to suffer an ACL injury since training camp and the fourth since Jason Kreis injured his ACL last September. Seth Trembly went down with an ACL tear in training camp, as did rookie Jeff Rowland, who was released from the team as a result. Real's coaching staff was ecstatic about Rowland's potential and will definitely be inviting him to training camp next year.
As for Jimenez, if all goes well with his surgery, he should be healthy by the beginning of Real training camp next February.
Jimenez was a second-round draft pick by Chivas USA last year but was traded to Salt Lake during the offseason as part of the Douglas Sequeira for Brian Dunseth trade.