Midfielder's World Cup hopes dashed by injury

BY FRED WOODCOCK

Last updated 05:00 22/03/2010

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Swedish-based midfielder Craig Henderson's dream of representing the All Whites at this year's football World Cup appears to be over before it started.

According to overseas reports, the Wellingtonian is facing six to eight months on the sideline because he needs cruciate ligament surgery on the injured knee that kept him out of the All Whites' friendly against Mexico two weeks ago.

That match was to be the 22-year-old's first senior international, with coach Ricki Herbert extremely keen to keep the versatile midfielder in frame for the World Cup.

The former United States college star sustained the injury while training with his new Swedish top-flight club, Mjallby AIF, in a pre-season camp last month.

Mjallby rehab manager Mats Book said the latest scan revealed Henderson would require surgery on the knee. "Such injuries usually take this around six to eight months before they're back.

"And we regret to say that Craig will not play any more for the rest of the year, so any possible World Cup participation is thus excluded." Henderson could not be contacted.

There is better news for All Whites striker Chris Killen, who struck a second-half goal for Middlesbrough in their 1-1 draw with Reading in the English Championship (second division) yesterday.

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