St. 亚洲无码 City SC center back Joakim Nilsson was battling to get back into action because of sore hamstrings. So he got his wisdom teeth pulled.
It鈥檚 an idea that has been used elsewhere, though there isn鈥檛 any hard medical research about the connection between the two. The theory is it involves the posterior chain, the muscles in the back of the leg, including the hamstring, and the spine, and that removal of the wisdom teeth, the final set of molars most people get in their late teens and early 20s, can relieve pressure and pain that can run down the body into the legs.
鈥淚 was a little bit like skeptical when (assistant coach Rainer Kraft) said that,鈥 Nilsson said Monday, 鈥渂ut then I started reading about it, and I also talked a lot to my brother, who is also my agent, who works with an agency in Germany. He asked me, 鈥榃hy haven鈥檛 you told me this before?鈥 But I had no idea. He told me a story that when he had Ralf Rangnick as a coach in Hoffenheim, he had all of the players remove them. So that鈥檚 a funny story. I had no idea about this, but I did this with hope that it will help. I was looking for answers. And we will see. It鈥檚 been feeling well after the surgery.
鈥淚n Germany, there鈥檚 a lot of research saying that is a connection between the wisdom teeth, and the oral health, actually, and to the nerve system. So I had them removed, and it鈥檚 been very good since I had them removed. I had a little bit of an issue with one of them during that time. I don鈥檛 want to jinx anything, but it feels a lot better right now, so I have to thank Rainer for that.鈥
Nilsson, after injuring and then reinjuring his hamstring and playing only one game over three months, made his return to action Saturday against Sporting Kansas City, coming off the bench in the 84th minute.
Nilsson said he鈥檚 ready for more playing time Wednesday, when City SC plays at Los Angeles FC (9:30 p.m., on Season Pass on Apple TV+). City SC has three games left in its season, and Nilsson is eager to get some playing time after a second season where he has seen limited playing time because of injuries. He said he was confident he could go 45 minutes if needed.
鈥淥bviously, we鈥檝e been a little bit cautious because of the setbacks,鈥 he said, 鈥渂ut now I feel better than before, so I鈥檓 ready to get minutes. I want to play. I always say that I want to get as many minutes as possible, and I think just those first 10, 15 minutes were good for me to get back, to get that confidence also. Now I just want to finish strong and play as many minutes as possible.鈥
鈥淚 thought he looked great,鈥 interim coach John Hackworth said. 鈥淭his was one of those decisions that was more about the future than it was getting Joakim in a game and in that moment specifically. But we鈥檝e seen Joakim train hard for the last couple weeks. I have told you guys that I really wanted to be cautious out of just straight concern for his health and well-being. I didn鈥檛 want to put him in a position where he could potentially get hurt again. But he鈥檚 super-confident, and he gave me a lot of confidence that I could put him in a tough game in a tough moment and that he could not only do the job but show that he鈥檚 healthy and ready to go. And that鈥檚 just such a huge blessing for all of us. So I hope we can continue doing that.鈥
With a quick turnaround from Saturday, the injury situation for City SC hasn鈥檛 changed much, meaning Chris Durkin may miss another game with an inflamed knee. With Durkin out, Hackworth has turned to Akil Watts to fill in rather than newcomer Jake Girdwood-Reich.
鈥淏ecause Akil鈥檚 a baller,鈥 Hackworth said, 鈥渁nd he is somebody who I鈥檝e worked with for an awful long time, and I know when I need something from a player, and I asked him to do a very specific job, he鈥檚 a player I can trust 100% to do that. He鈥檚 facing it that way, so happy that he has put together two really good performances and I think it speaks a lot about him as a person and as an athlete, that he鈥檚 ready for those moments when called upon.鈥
鈥淚 am enjoying it, for sure,鈥 Watts said. 鈥淐hris is a big part of this team, and he does a lot of dirty work and to step up and fill his shoes; it means a lot to me.鈥
City SC, which was eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, has three games left: LAFC, at home against Houston on Saturday and then, after a week off, a trip to Minnesota. LAFC and Houston have clinched playoff spots, and Minnesota can do it Wednesday.
While City SC has won two in a row for the first time this season, the teams it beat are 27th and 29th in the Supporters鈥 Shield standings. Four of its seven wins have come against the three worst teams in the league. So the final three games, all against teams currently in the top 12 in points, will be big tests for City SC as it readies for next season. LAFC is second in the West but is in a tough part of its schedule; this is the sixth of seven games in 22 days.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge game,鈥 Hackworth said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice that we鈥檝e put together two really good results, two good performances. We still have things that we need to work on in order to be successful against a team like LAFC, but at the same time, I think the belief is there. I like how we鈥檙e evolving, just the way we managed the game vs. Kansas was something that I expect our team to do, making decisions in a game that affect the outcome, adjusting, reading when we鈥檙e in rhythm, when we鈥檙e not, momentum of a game, and how to manage it in the right way. Scoring goals is a pretty good way to manage it.鈥