Gaston Sauro to miss up to a month with injury

The challenge to get the first win of the 2016 season got a little harder for Columbus Crew SC today as the extent of Gaston Sauro’s injury became fully known.

#CrewSC D Gaston Sauro expected ro miss 2–4 weeks because of hamstring strain, Berhalter said. Tyson Wahl steps in.

— Shawn Mitchell (@smitchcd) April 12, 2016

Two to four weeks puts Sauro possibly back in the lineup as early as Crew SC’s trip to Seattle on April 30th or extending into mid May when the Rapids come to town on the 14th or the trip to Toronto on the 21st.

With Sauro sidelined, Berhalter will have to replace him in the lineup. Tyson Wahl played 65 minutes in relief last Saturday. Wahl filled in when Sauro suffered a concussion last September and played down the stretch in 2014 after Giancarlo Gonzalez was transferred. He’s a known quality. A player who is a solid depth centerback, but will struggle with any aerial attack.

Columbus did bring in another center back during the offseason when Amro Tarek came on loan from Real Betis. Early on Tarek appeared to have taken the backup slot behind Sauro and Michael Parkhurst. He was in the 18 while Wahl failed to dress. He fell out of the 18 against Montreal, the first game that Berhalter has used a reserve center back.

Tarek is a less known quantity. He failed to get playing time with Betis after his loan, but was a key starter in Egypt with El Gouna at left back and centrally. There's still a chance that he can claw back up the depth chart.

Both players are a step down from Sauro, who has been a commanding presence on the Crew SC backline in 2016.