World Cup: U.S. Coach Bob Bradley awaiting word on goalkeeper Tim Howard’s injury

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

It was, possibly, a case of no news being good news on Sunday when U.S. Coach Bob Bradley was asked about the condition of goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Howard took a blow to the ribs when he collided with Emile Heskey during Saturday night’s 1-1 tie between the U.S. and England at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa. He continued playing but was in pain, he said.

‘He’ll be evaluated later today,’ Bradley said Sunday morning at the U.S. team’s base camp in rural Irene, ‘and a decision will be made’ on whether Howard undergoes an MRI exam.

Bradley said that, depending on the outcome, he expected Howard to play against Slovenia in Johannesburg on Friday afternoon. Slovenia leaped to the top of the Group C standings Sunday afternoon by scoring a 1-0 victory over Algeria on a late goal by Robert Koren.

‘When you see the way Timmy handled himself after the collision last night,’ Bradley said, ‘you’d certainly expect him to be on the field again.’

-- Grahame L. Jones, reporting from Irene, South Africa