Wessam Abou Ali's Season Is Over: Columbus Crew Just Lost Their Leading Scorer to a Torn ACL

The Columbus Crew took a massive hit on Tuesday when the club announced that striker Wessam Abou Ali will miss the rest of the season with a torn right ACL and meniscus damage. The 27-year-old Palestine international got hurt during Sunday's 1-1 draw against Orlando City, and now the Crew are scrambling to figure out how to replace their top offensive weapon.

The Damage Report: Crew Lose Their Leading Goal Scorer

Abou Ali was having a tremendous early season. The guy leads the Crew in goals with five through seven matches, and he's tied for fourth in all of MLS right now. Over his entire Crew career, he's got eight goals and two assists in 12 regular-season appearances. That's the kind of production you can't just replace with a waiver wire pickup.

The Crew invested serious money in Abou Ali when they grabbed him from Egypt's Al Ahly back in July 2025 for a reported $7.5 million transfer fee, plus up to another $1 million in add-ons. He's one of three designated players on the roster, which means this injury carries real financial and competitive weight.

Who Steps Up Now?

Coach Henrik Rydstrom is going to have to get creative to fill that number 9 role. The club has a few options on the roster: Nariman Akhundzada, Jamal Thiare, and 17-year-old homegrown forward Chase Adams. None of those names have the track record Abou Ali was building, but someone's going to get the chance to step up.

Abou Ali posted a message on Instagram after the announcement: "I will be back stronger than before, and right now I'm just excited to start this comeback journey with my loved ones by my side." It's the kind of thing you want to hear from a guy facing months of rehab, but ACL injuries are no joke. The Crew will be looking at a very different attack for the rest of the season.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.