Jeff Cunningham and Ronnie O'Brien to stay from playing this MLS season

Toronto FC loses forward Jeff Cunningham and midfielder Ronnie O'Brien due to injury.

Photo: Jeff Cunningham and Ronnie O'Brien to stay from playing this MLS season

Cunningham is suffering from a sports hernia while O'Brien has a torn meniscus in his right knee.

They join veteran goalkeeper Greg Sutton on the injured list. Sutton suffered a concussion while playing for Canada at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June.

"It's very unfortunate, we've got three of our major players with end of season injuries and we've still got nine games to go," manager Mo Johnston said.

Toronto has the third-worst record in MLS, has lost five of its last six and has not won since July 4 - a winless streak of eight games.

Cunningham joined Toronto FC from Real Salt Lake in May and scored five goals in seven games. He will have surgery in Germany in early September and will need three-to-four weeks to fully recover.

O'Brien also looks to be headed for surgery in the next two weeks. He suffered his injury during a friendly versus Aston Villa on July 25. The midfielder also suffered a bone bruise on the knee that created a lot of swelling and hampered the healing process.