Wellington Phoenix's worst fears have been confirmed, with captain Alex Rufer ruled out of the remainder of the A-League season and beyond due to injury.
Rufer left the field early in the 2-1 loss to Brisbane Roar on Saturday, after he'd attempted to make a tackle on opposing midfielder Rahmat Akbari.
Scans revealed he'd ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He will undergo surgery in four to six weeks and faces up to 12 months of rehabilitation.
It's a bitter blow for the midfielder, who had been one of the driving forces in the Phoenix's bid for a second-straight finals berth.
Rufer had started all 14 of the Phoenix's A-League games this season, playing the full 90 minutes in all but one of the recent seven-match unbeaten streak, which came to a halt against the Roar.
"We really feel for Alex as he has been playing some of his best football in recent weeks," says Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay.
"It's also a major setback for the team to lose their captain midway through the season.
"Alex has grown into a fantastic leader and will be missed, but it's an opportunity for other players to step up in his absence."
With vice-captain Oli Sail in Qatar with the All Whites, the Phoenix will name a new captain for Friday's match against Newcastle Jets.
Rufer's absence further depletes the Phoenix side to take on the Jets, with Ben Old, Ben Waine, and Clayton Lewis joining Sail at the Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament, while David Ball is suspended.
