Vancouver (AFP) – Canada coach Jesse Marsch said midfielder Ismael Kone was in hospital with a suspected broken leg after the horrific injury that marred the World Cup co-hosts’ 6-0 thrashing of Qatar on Thursday. Kone was carried off on a stretcher after a clumsy challenge by Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo in the 51st minute of the Group B clash at Vancouver’s BC Place.
Marsch told reporters after the game the Canadian bench had realised the severity of Kone’s injury immediately. “It was right in front of us, and everyone could hear the bone snap,” Marsch said. “I haven’t spoken to Ismael yet, but he’s at the hospital. He will prepare for a surgery. I’m going to go see him after this press conference. We’ll see exactly what we decide to do for him.”
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“Everybody’s a little shaken by the whole experience because of the nature of the injury, and also because Ismael is a big part of the heart of our team. It will be a big loss for us.” Kone, 24, who plays for Italian Serie A side Sassuolo, waved to the crowd as he was stretchered off the field while receiving oxygen. “He was waving to the crowd and almost making everybody else feel at ease with the fact that he’s injured and that’s an incredible statement about Ismael as a person,” Marsch said.
“Everybody was crushed when it happened, but we had to find a way to stay focused; we knew that Ismael wanted us to finish the job. There’s a lot of thoughts that go through our heads right now; we’re all thinking about him, but we’re all very proud of what we are.”
Marsch, though, was unimpressed with the reaction of Qatar’s bench, who had protested vociferously when Madibo was given a red card for the challenge on Kone after initially being shown a yellow. “Let me be clear, the player apologised to Ismael, like came into the dressing room and apologised to him, and Ismael told the team, or let the team know, that that had happened,” Marsch said. “So I don’t think that he meant such a gruesome tackle or gruesome situation, so I don’t fault him for that.
“But I don’t understand a reaction from their entire bench to try to start a fight about it being a red card when a clear foul just happened that broke a player’s leg — some strange behaviour.”
© 2024 AFP
