Luckless Melbourne City attacker Andrew Nabbout and young Central Coast midfielder Bradley Tapp have both suffered season-ending ACL ruptures.
Nabbout's A-League Men teammate Marco Tilio will also miss up to two months with his latest hamstring injury in another hammer blow to City's attack.
The City duo, both capped Socceroos, were injured in Monday night's 1-0 win over Western United, while Tapp went down in the Mariners' goalless draw with Perth Glory.
Nabbout will require knee reconstruction surgery after tearing both his ACL and the meniscus in his right knee.
The 31-year-old's injury is a devastating setback given he had scored two goals in three games this season after much of his 2023 and early 2024 were marred by an achilles injury.
"This one’s a hard one to take," Nabbout wrote on Instagram.
"Unfortunately I have ruptured my ACL and I’ll miss the rest of the season.
"No words can describe what I’m feeling right now, especially after feeling like I was getting back to my best.
"It’s hard to accept, but as I’ve done time and time again in my career, I’ll come back stronger from this."
Tapp is yet to receive specialist medical advice on whether to undergo surgery on his left knee, having previously suffered an ACL tear in 2022.
The 23-year-old had shaken off an earlier knock in wet conditions against Perth in their round-three clash before going to ground after changing direction in a contest just in front of goal.
Central Coast are already without skipper Trent Sainsbury (chest) and winger Miguel Di Pizio (knee), who are both not expected back until the new year.
Tilio, on loan at City from Celtic, will miss the next six-to-eight weeks with a partial tear to his left hamstring tendon.
City are likely to be conservative with a return date for the 23-year-old, who has had a horror run with hamstring and quad injuries over the past two years.
His injury likely rules him out of Socceroos contention until the new year.
City can make an injury replacement signing for Nabbout, if they want, while also having some young attackers on the comeback trail from injury.
Arion Sulemani (calf) should be back after the international break while Max Caputo (leg) is expected to return within the month from a nasty pre-season injury.
City next play struggling Perth Glory away on Sunday.
