Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson suffers Achilles tendon injury

Atlanta United figure Miles Robinson suffered a non-contact injury to his left leg on Saturday in the team’s 4-1 victory over the Chicago Fire. 

The defender collapsed onto the artificial turf in the 14th minute and subsequently stretchered off the pitch. He slammed the field in frustration, while signalling his left leg to the coaching staff. 

"I think it's going to be a bad injury," head coach Gonzalo Pineda said on the halftime broadcast. "I hope it's not, so let's see after the tests. But very unfortunate injury."

Pineda has since confirmed Robinson ruptures his left Achilles tendon. The player will undergo surgery this week, keeping him out for the season. The estimated recovery time for a torn Achilles ranges between six to nine months.

This comes as another blow for the Eastern Conference side, who has seen their 2022 campaign plagued by severe injuries. Atlanta United already lost Brad Guzan to an Achilles rupture and midfielder Ozzie Alonso with an ACL tear. The two are out for the year. 

Star forward Josef Martinez remains out as well after the player underwent knee surgery earlier this season. 

"Just heartbreaking," said right back Brooks Lennon. "In the first half, it really shook us as a team. It took us 15-20 minutes to kind of regroup. I don’t know if you could tell when he went down, we were losing possession of the ball. I think we were all kind of stunned. We’re praying for him, we wish him a speedy recovery. Just another blow to the team, which is not great for us."

The injury also affects the US men’s national team, after Robinson proved to be an integral part of their recent success. He formed part of several defining 2022 World Cup qualifiers, leading the American side to third place on the Concacaf table to secure their ticket to Qatar. 

He was a shoe-in for the coveted World Cup roster, but now, his place on the team is uncertain.