New York Red Bulls midfielders Luke Sassano and Brian Nielsen have had season-ending surgeries.
The MLS team says Sassano had a right ankle reconstruction procedure done on Thursday at the Hospital for Special Surgery by Dr. David Levine. He will be sidelined 4 to 6 months.
Sassano, who played in three games, will be placed on the team's season-ending injury list, the team said Friday.
The Sassano roster move cleared space for the Red Bulls to put Mexican national team captain Rafael Marquez on their roster. The defender could make his debut on Sunday in Chicago.
Nielsen had cartilage damage in his right knee repaired by Dr. Riley Williams of the Hospital for Special Surgery. The Dane, who played in two games, will be sidelined five months.
The Red Bulls also announced late Friday that defender Kevin Goldthwaite had been waived. Acquired in a trade with Toronto FC in 2007, he appeared in 54 regular season matches, scoring two goals and two assists. He had not played this season because of an injury.
