Alphonso Davies’ World Cup participation for Canada despite injury ‘not at risk’
Posted November 6, 2022 7:49 am.
Bayern Munich says Alphonso Davies’ injury is not as bad as initially feared and that his participation in the World Cup for Canada is “not at risk.”
The 22-year-old Davies suffered what Bayern said Sunday was a “hamstring strain” in the team’s 3-2 win at Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday. He’ll miss Bayern’s last two remaining games before the winter break but should return in time for Qatar.
Bayern said its medical department confirmed the diagnosis and “the Canada international’s participation in the World Cup in Qatar is not at risk.”
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 at the tournament in Qatar, where the team faces Belgium on Nov. 23, then Croatia on Nov. 27 and Morocco on Dec. 1.
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. He has 12 goals in 35 games for Canada.
Davies has had his share of injuries over the last year.
He suffered a cranial bruise last month after taking a boot to the head in a game at Borussia Dortmund in challenging Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham for the ball. Davies missed an ensuing midweek Champions League win over Czechia’s Viktoria Plzen but returned to action the following weekend.
Davies was sidelined in early 2022 after developing symptoms of myocarditis, a mild heart condition, following a bout of COVID-19 contracted during the Bundesliga winter break. He returned in early April after not having played since mid-December.
Canada will almost certainly be without goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, however, as he badly injured his leg while committing a red-card foul in extra time of Los Angeles FC’s win over Philadelphia in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Quebec native was a candidate for playing time in Canada’s goal in Qatar, but he charged into Philadelphia’s Cory Burke to deny him a clear path to a potential late go-ahead goal. Crepeau’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.
Crepeau started five World Cup qualifiers for Canada. Red Star Belgrade’s Milan Borjan started 14, and Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair started one.
