Just when it appeared San Jose Earthquakes forward Brian Ching was nearing full fitness and could be back in action regularly for the club, it has been revealed that he will undergo surgery to repair a torn right hamstring on Thursday. An MRI examination Tuesday revealed the tear and the Hawaii native is expected to miss an extended period of time.
After initially injuring the muscle on May 14 in the Quakes' match vs. FC Dallas, Ching re-injured himself last Sunday in San Jose's reserve division match against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ching missed five first-team matches and returned to the field on June 18 against Real Salt Lake as a second-half sub, a role he reprised last weekend in the Quakes' 3-0 win against the Galaxy.
Ching appeared in nine of the Quakes' 14 matches this season and is currently second on the team in scoring with four goals and two assists. He has notched 22 goals in his career in San Jose, good enough for third best in club history.
Joining Ching on the injured list is rookie midfielder James Twellman. The younger brother of New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during an Earthquakes training session on Tuesday. He is expected to miss the remainder of the 2005 season. Twellman has yet to make a first-team appearance for the Quakes, though he scored one goal in seven reserve division matches for the club.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
