A while ago during a Major League Soccer match between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire, striker Masato Kudo suffered a severe injury that left spectators and fellow players deeply concerned.
The incident occurred just 11 minutes into the game when Kudo collided violently with Chicago Fire’s goalkeeper Matt Lampson near the top of the box. The impact was so severe that Kudo was left bloodied after biting his lip and tongue.
Quick-thinking players from both teams rushed to Kudo’s aid. Chicago defender Joao Meira and midfielder Razvan Cocis played crucial roles in providing immediate assistance. Meira carefully turned Kudo over, while Cocis took the brave step of inserting his hand into Kudo’s mouth to prevent him from swallowing his tongue.
Cocis later explained, “When I got there, I tried to put my finger in his mouth to take his tongue out so he doesn’t swallow it. His mouth was stuck. I forced him to open it and tried to keep his tongue out and then everybody came.”
The Whitecaps announced on Thursday that Kudo had suffered a fractured jaw and will undergo surgery. The club has not yet provided a timeline for his return to the field.
Kudo, a 26-year-old Japanese striker, joined the Whitecaps in December after seven successful years with Hitachi Kashiwa Reysol in Japan. He had been making a positive impact in Vancouver, scoring one goal and providing one assist in his eight appearances this season.
The soccer community rallied around Kudo following the incident. Players from both teams took to social media to express their support and wish him a speedy recovery. Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson demonstrated his concern by going directly from BC Place to Vancouver General Hospital to check on Kudo’s condition.
