CHANDLER MCDANIEL (2nd from left) IS BACK IN THE USA WITH HER SISTER LIV (right). THEY WERE MET BY THEIR FATHER CLINT (left) AND YOUNGER BROTHER DECLAN AT THE LA AIRPORT.
PHILIPPINE Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT star midfielder Chandler McDaniel will be out of football for at least 7-8 months.
Tests confirmed that she had torn her ACL during their match against South Korea during the semis of the Asian Women’s Cup in India recently.
Her father Clint said she had MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) on her knee and the tests confirmed that she has a tear in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) of her right knee.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the ligaments in the knee joint. A ligament is a tough, flexible band of tissue that holds bones and cartilage together.
The ACL connects the bottom of the thighbone (femur) to the top of the shinbone (tibia). The ACL helps keep the knee stable.
She came to the Philippines with her goalkeeper sister Liv for some media engagements after the Asian Women’s Cup.
Clint added that Chandler has to see several surgeons this week so that she can be operated on as soon as possible.
“We will get the top surgeon and then she will have a pro-level rehab after surgery” Clint said.
He added that it will take at least 7-8 months including rehab before she can be back to play football.
“It was hard blow for her but she is tough. She had a hip labral tear and surgery in 2019 and came back strong.”
A hip labral tear involves the ring of cartilage (labrum) that follows the outside rim of the hip joint socket.
Besides cushioning the hip joint, the labrum acts like a rubber seal or gasket to help hold the ball at the top of the thighbone securely within the hip socket.
With a torn ACL, Chandler will miss the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, and the AFF Women’s Championship in Manila this year. Depending on her recovery, she might see action in the Asian Games at the end of the year.
Chandler was one of the key players in the PWNFT qualification to the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand on July 20, 2023.
She scored the winning goal against Thailand in their first match in India which boosted their chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.
They lost to the powerhouse Australia 0-4 then bounced back to secure their quarter final entry with a 6-0 win over Indonesia.
The Filipinas then advanced to the semis with a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals.
They then bowed to South Korea 0-2, in the semis but have already secured a place to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year. (jackbiantan@yahoo.com)
