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SANDY — Real Salt Lake reported late Monday that playmaker Javier Morales underwent surgery Monday on his right knee and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
The purpose of the surgery was to repair a lateral meniscal tear in Morales’ knee, which was injured just days ago during the Salt Lake club’s match against the Denmark U-20 National Team on Jan. 28. RSL team surgeon Andrew Cooper performed the surgery at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center and told the club it was successful.
Morales has a history of bouncing back from injuries quicker than expected. A horrific injury in May 2011, when Morales’ ankle was broken after being tackled from behind during a match, left him out most of the rest of that season, but Morales fought hard to get back on the pitch and returned Sept. 29 of that year.
Morales notched 23 starts and played in 29 matches last season. The Argentine playmaker also contributed three goals and nine assists for the Salt Lake club in 2012.
Meanwhile, RSL captain Kyle Beckerman and defender Tony Beltran met up with the Salt Lake club in Irvine, Calif., Sunday following a monthlong stint with the U.S. Men’s National Team. Beckerman’s earlier-than-expected return to RSL's preseason camp meant that he was left out of the USMNT roster for its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Honduras on Wednesday.
Both Beckerman and Beltran spent the entire month of January with the USMNT and saw minutes in its international friendly against Canada on Jan. 29. While the cap was Beckerman’s 24th, it was Beltran’s first in the USMNT uniform.
The Claret and Cobalt is in the midst of its second preseason training camp, which is being held at the campus of University of California-Irvine. The Salt Lake club will wrap up its weeklong training this week before heading to Arizona to participate in the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup beginning Feb. 13.
Kira Terry is a sports writer covering Real Salt Lake for KSL.com. Follow her on Twitter, @kiraterry.
