Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau will miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup after sustaining a broken leg in the MLS Cup Final.
The injury occurred in extra time when the 28-year-old from Candiac, Que., charged out of his penalty box in search of an under-hit back pass, only to collide heavily with onrushing Philadelphia Union forward Cory Burke.
The injury was so gruesome that Fox Sports, which was broadcasting the game, did not show replays.
Crepeau, who left the game on a cart, was red-carded on the play for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Backup ‘keeper John McCarthy helped LAFC to a penalty shootout win and was named game MVP.
Los Angeles FC has announced that he underwent successful surgery to repair the fracture.
The recovery from surgery will keep Crepeau out of the World Cup later this month in Qatar, where he was expected to play for Canada, and will sideline him for the start of the MLS regular season in February.
“I think everyone’s just devastated at the whole nature of how that unfolded,” Canada coach John Herdman said Monday.
“We’ve lost (defender) Scott Kennedy earlier in the week and then how it unfolded for Max — just so late in the game and a situation where he had to put his body on the line. It was such a sad moment.
