ISL 2017/18: ATK's woes continue as both Zequinha and Ryan Taylor sustain injuries in defeat against Chennaiyin FC
As the losses begin to pile up, injury worries keep on increasing with almost every match for the reigning champions ATK. The Kolkata outfit who had already lost one of their foreign signings in Carl Baker, even before the season began has been riddled with injuries to players from day one.
Marquee signing Robbie Keane, who missed the initial round of games, made an impactful return when he returned. However, he found himself back in his native Ireland, nursing another injury and vying another return to the side. Apart from Keane, many of the Indian players have been missing out with injury quite frequently.
To add to the misery, they lost another important attacking player in the form of Portuguese star Zequinha along with their defensive mainstay Ryan Taylor, the former Newcastle United man, in their home defeat against Chennayin FC.
Zequinha, who was omitted from the starting lineup for the first time this season after interim coach Ashley Westwood took over the reigns, came on in the 41st minute replacing Taylor who got injured himself early in the match.But as fate would have it the Portuguese had to leave the pitch in a flurry of tears when he injured his hamstring in the 60-minute mark.
Interim coach Ashley Westwood revealed to the press after the match, that while Ryan Taylor only has a dead leg and he would have missed the next match due to accumulation of cards anyway, Zequinha is a big blow for the side.
"He has a hamstring tear and has feared soft tissue damage.He is going to be out for four to six weeks. We would have to be very lucky for it to be three weeks but it doesn't look likely. It's bad timing, the injury for us, with games coming thick and fast at the moment," said the former Bengaluru FC Coach.
Zequinha has played in all the matches this campaign for the Kolkata side and has scored two goals and managed an assist, his loss would be a big one in the coming games for the former champions.