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National Post

Toronto FC defender Nicksoen Gomis out for the season after Achilles surgery

There was more bad news on the injury front for Toronto FC on Friday with word that defender Nicksoen Gomis is out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair his Achilles tendon. Article content Article content Gomis went under the knife Tuesday. Article content The 23-year-old Frenchman had to be helped off the field Saturday. He was unable to put weight on his left leg after going down in the 63rd minute in the Toronto penalty box with a non-contact injury in the 2-0 loss to the visiting New England Revolution. Article content 'It's a big loss for us,' said coach Robin Fraser. 'He does so many things well. And as a young centre back, he's only going to get better. Article content 'I would say with the way medicine is these days, I have zero worries for his future,' he added. 'We will obviously just miss him now.' Article content Toronto (1-6-4) continues its search for a first home win of the season when D.C. United (3-5-3) visits Saturday. Article content Gomis joins an injury list that includes captain Jonathan Osorio, defender Richie Laryea, midfielder Markus Cimermancic and forward Deandre Kerr. Article content 'We obviously are still missing a few guys but it feels a lot better at the moment than it has for probably a couple of weeks,' sad Fraser. Article content Defender Zane Monlouis, midfielder/forward Derrick Etienne Jr. and backup goalkeeper Luka Gavran are all available again. Defender Henry Wingo, meanwhile, appears to be getting closer to a return. Article content Veteran defender Kevin Long, who sat out Saturday's loss to New England, is also ready — good news with D.C. United star striker Christian Benteke coming to town. The six-foot-three Belgian is perhaps the most dangerous aerial threat in Major League Soccer. Article content Article content 'Benteke is just a beast in the (penalty) box,' said Fraser, a former two-time MLS Defender of the Year. Article content After going unbeaten in its first four games (1-0-3) of the season, which included a 2-2 draw with visiting Toronto in the season opener, D.C. lost four straight during which it was outscored 14-2. But the team seems to have found its footing of late, winning three of its last four (3-1-0) in all competitions. Article content D.C. United goes into weekend play in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, two places and five points ahead of Toronto. The club is coming off a 2-0 win over the Charleston Battery in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday. 'It feels good,' said former Toronto midfielder Brandon Servania. 'Obviously there's momentum behind us, three out of four.' Article content Benteke, the reigning MLS Golden Boot winner, leads the D.C. attack. Article content Benteke's 23 goals last season accounted for 44.23 per cent of his club's goals in 2024 in tying Raul Diaz Arce's franchise single-season goals record. Benteke has six goals this season upping his career MLS total to 44 in 78 games. Article content The 34-year-old needs just one goal to tie Christian Gomez (45 goals in 124 matches) for the second most in club history. Jamie Moreno had the franchise record, scoring 131 of his 133 career goals across 329 games with the squad.