Sports Hernia Surgery for 2 United Players

D.C. United midfielder Marcelo Gallardo and defender Gonzalo Peralta will undergo sports hernia surgery and be sidelined two to three weeks, the MLS club announced yesterday.

Gallardo, the Argentine playmaker and highest-paid player in club history, will undergo a bilateral procedure today and tomorrow at a clinic in Munich that specializes in sports hernia injuries. Peralta's operation, on the left side only, is today at the same location.

Gallardo has not played since a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on June 29. Peralta, a starting central back from Argentina, has appeared in only one of the past four games, all nonleague matches.

Based on the timetable for recovery, both players would miss three to five games (depending on United's success in the SuperLiga tournament) and be back for the Aug. 10 regular season match at New York.

Meantime, United waived Peruvian goalkeeper José Carvallo, who made just one regular season appearance and never seriously challenged Zach Wells for playing time. With United searching for goalie help this summer, Carvallo's departure was imminent. In recent matches, he was not in uniform and rookie James Thorpe served as the backup.

Elsewhere, New England midfielder Steve Ralston, Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein and Dallas midfielder Juan Toja were added to the MLS all-star team for next Thursday's game against English Premier League club West Ham in Toronto. For the first time in all-star history, United will not be represented.

-- Steven Goff