Canada fretting on Davies, Crepeau injuries before World Cup
Nov 5, 2022, 12:13 AM | Updated: 7:15 pm
Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau (16) is removed from the game after sustaining an injury in extra during the MLS Cup soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
BERLIN (AP) — Canada is sweating on the fitness of Alphonso Davies and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau just over two weeks before the World Cup begins.
Davies went off with an apparent leg injury while playing for Bayern Munich on Saturday, while Crepeau left the field on a cart several hours later after injuring his leg while playing for Los Angeles FC against Philadelphia in the MLS Cup final.
Davies clutched the back of his right thigh before going off in obvious discomfort in the 63rd minute of the 3-2 win at Hertha Berlin.
“According to the doctor, it’s at least a fiber tear. We’ll have to wait and see what comes out (of further examinations) tomorrow,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Davies, who can play on the wing or at left back, has started all but one of Bayern’s 13 Bundesliga games this season, and he played in all but one of the team’s Champions League games.
Davies has 12 goals in 35 games for Canada.
Crépeau was a candidate for playing time in Canada’s net in Qatar, but he badly injured his leg while committing a red-card foul in extra time. Philadelphia’s Cory Burke might have had a clear path to a late go-ahead goal if Crépeau had not aggressively charged him after a poor back-pass by LAFC.
Crépeau stayed down for several minutes before being lifted onto a stretcher and a cart, but he exhorted the LAFC crowd from his prone position. Crépeau’s teammates rallied to win his first MLS title without him, tying the game 3-3 on Gareth Bale’s 128th-minute goal before beating the Union 3-0 on penalty kicks.
Crépeau’s backup, John McCarthy, gave the only postgame indication of the gravity of the 28-year-old Quebec native’s injury.
“I’m devastated for him, because it’s a serious injury and it looks like he is going to miss the World Cup,” said McCarthy, who won the MLS Cup MVP award after making two saves in the shootout. “You are not coming out of this game for a Band-Aid.”
Crépeau started five World Cup qualifiers for Canada. Red Star Belgrade’s Milan Borjan started 14, and Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair started one.
Canada has World Cup warmups against Bahrain in Manama on Nov. 11 and Japan in Dubai on Nov. 17.
It will be challenged from the start in Group F in Qatar, where the team faces Belgium on Nov. 23, then Croatia on Nov. 27 and Morocco on Dec. 1.
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