Adelaide lose Malik
3 May 2012 11:41
Adelaide United will have to do without injured midfielder Osama Malik for their next two AFC Champions League matches.
Malik was substituted in the 54th minute of Adelaide's scoreless draw with Bunyodkor on Wednesday night after injuring his knee in a tackle.
The 21-year-old, who can also play in defence, had played every minute of Adelaide's first four ACL matches before Wednesday night's game.
Adelaide announced on Thursday that Malik will not recover in time for either the Reds' final group clash with Gamba Osaka on May 16 or their round of 16 match, which will be held on May 29.
Malik is expected to be fit for the quarter-finals if Adelaide progress that far in the continental competition.
The Reds currently lead the ACL's Group E with 10 points and are certain to go through to the knockout stages as group winners if they defeat Gamba.
Group E's winners are set to face the second-placed side in Group G, which means Adelaide could face fellow A-League club Central Coast Mariners in the round of 16.
The Mariners are just a point off second-spot in Group G with one group-stage game to go.