Earthquakes lose defender just before re-opening of MLS season
The San Jose Earthquakes have lost left-side fullback Marcos Lopez for up to a month just ahead of the resumption of Major League Soccer play.
The team announced Wednesday that Lopez, 20, underwent an appendectomy to treat acute appendicitis. The surgery was performed at the Orlando Health Doctor P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando, Florida, where the Quakes are preparing for a World Cup-style tournament that will restart the MLS season. A team statement said recovery is expected to be between two weeks and four weeks.
San Jose opens the tournament on July 10 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort against defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC.
Lopez, a Peruvian national team defender, made 15 starts and 18 appearances during his debut season with the Quakes in 2019.
While the Quakes are well-stocked at center back, they are thin on the left side of the defense. The likely candidates to play fullback with Lopez out are Shea Salinas and Nick Lima, who is a natural right-sided player.