PHOENIX – An elbow injury to Sporting Kansas City youngster Teal Bunbury forced the US national team striker off the field and into an ambulance during a preseason match against the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday at the Reach 11 Sports Complex. After evaluation, the medical team has indicated that Bunbury will miss 2-4 weeks.
Houston’s 3-1 win was held up for roughly 20 minutes during the second of three 30-minute periods after Bunbury collided with Dynamo defender Andrew Hainault near the Houston penalty box.
As Bunbury attempted to round Hainult, he was tugged forward and to the ground, the Sporting forward instantly began screaming for assistance from the sideline.
WATCH: SPORTING STAFF ON BUNBURY INJURY
Bunbury was then tended to by the Sporting training staff, which held the forward’s right arm steady until he was taken by ambulance to an area hospital.
The team later reported via Twitter that Bunbury’s early diagnosis was a dislocated elbow.
"It's certainly a blow to us," Kansas City assistant Kerry Zavagnin told MLSsoccer.com. "It's one of the things that we certainly didn't want to happen coming out of this camp, any injuries. The blow stuns us right now, but we'll get over it and he'll get over it."
Houston went on to win the chippy preseason match thanks to an own goal from Sporting, a penalty kick conversion from newly acquired forward Jason Garey and a tap-in from Hainult off a Brad Davis free kick.
Forward Chance Myers scored the lone goal for Sporting in the waning moments of the match.
Bunbury started the game up top as part of Kansas City’s three-pronged attack, with Kei Kamara and Designated Player Omar Bravo. The trio continued to build on their preseason chemistry and generated some creative opportunities before Bunbury was subbed out with the injury.
Houston, meanwhile, saw some promising moments from physical MLS SuperDraft pick Will Bruin, who started up top with Garey and at one point flattened KC defender Michael Harrington. Bruin also set up Garey’s penalty kick when he was taken down in the box
