Brazil’s Dudinha injured ACL, meniscus in physical 1-0 loss to U.S.

Brazilian and San Diego Wave forward Dudinha injured an ACL and meniscus, the 20-year-old announced Wednesday via Instagram.

Dudinha sustained the injuries during an extraordinarily physical international friendly against the U.S. women’s national team Tuesday night at the Arena Castelão in northeastern Brazil. The USWNT won 1-0, though the victory was overshadowed by the eight red cards issued to Brazilian players and coaching staff during and after the match.

“Unfortunately, I’ll be off the pitch for a while in recovery, a time always of many difficulties and challenges for every athlete,” Dudinha wrote in her Instagram post. “After yesterday’s game, tests indicated ACL and meniscus injuries. Despite the great sadness I feel and that I am still understanding everything that is happening, I continue to believe in God’s plan with even more faith!”

Around the 30th minute, Dudinha collided with U.S. center back Emily Sonnett at midfield and fell to the ground, clutching her leg in pain. After receiving treatment from Brazil’s training staff, Dudinha left the pitch on a stretcher. Former Kansas City Current forward Bia Zaneratto, who now plays for Brazilian side Palmeiras, took her place. Zaneratto later picked up two yellow cards and was sent off; her second yellow came after she pushed Sonnett in the shoulder late in the game.

Dudinha’s injury is a massive blow to Brazil and the San Diego Wave. Brazil next summer will become the first South American team to host a women’s World Cup, and the national team was riding high from a 2-1 victory over the USWNT in the first leg of their friendlies Saturday in São Paulo in front of 31,336 jubilant fans. Dudinha provided the game-winning assist to Zaneratto in that game in the 14th minute.

The forward’s form has been equally scintillating for the Wave, who are atop the National Women’s Soccer League table. Dudinha leads the Southern California club in assists (four) and has scored five goals in 13 games, most recently in the Wave’s last fixture before the summer break, a 2-0 win over the Chicago Stars.

USWNT coach Emma Hayes said ahead of the first match against Brazil that Dudinha, already among the most exciting young attackers in women’s football, has the potential to become one of the best.

“Oh, she can terrorize defenses,” Hayes said. “I think not just with her pace, but it’s her pace in possession of the ball. She can go inside, she can go outside. She’s unpredictable. You can’t dive in against her, but you also can’t overtly show her one way cause I think she can do you either side.”

After Tuesday’s match, Brazilian manager Arthur Elias and several players were outraged over the quality of officiating.

“What I experienced down there was, for me, the match in which I was most disrespected by an officiating crew in my entire life, especially by the assistant referee, who was right next to me, and by the referee herself,” Elias said, referring to Spanish center official Paola Cebollada López’s actions as “xenophobic.”

After the summer break, the San Diego Wave will resume play July 4 against Gotham FC.