Defender successfully operated on

According to the club, Hallescher FC defender Sebastian Zieleniecki has undergone a successful operation. "From now on, it's all uphill," the third-division soccer club wrote on Saturday with a photo showing the 28-year-old next to team doctor Thomas Bartels after the operation. Zieleniecki tore his cruciate ligament in the 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund II and will not be available for HFC's relegation battle.